The National Council of Unemployed Workers (NCUW) is concerned about the lack of measures to deal with wildfire season that the federal government believes will be particularly difficult.
“At a press conference today, federal ministers said they feared the worst in terms of wildfires this summer but have not put something forward to support the workers who will be impacted,” said Pierre Céré, NCUW spokesperson. “Despite their statements, the government won’t be ready: they clearly haven’t learned a single lesson from last year and will once again find themselves on the hook. If there are closures, evacuations and relocations, what will it do for seasonal workers who will have already exhausted their EI benefits?”
The NCUW is calling on the government to put in place a plan of special measures for impacted workers, and more broadly a complete reform of the EI program, particularly in the context of climate change and its impact on workers.
“If the government had listened to us and followed through on its commitments to reform Employment Insurance, we wouldn’t be asking these questions today. How many crises will it take for them to figure it out?” concluded Pierre Céré.