The National Council of Unemployed Workers (NCUW) is calling on the federal government to take action to ensure that the Employment Insurance (EI) program enables workers to cope with the consequences of the tariff war with the United States, despite the pause announced on Monday.
“We can’t enter difficult economic times without an EI program that is fair, equitable and adapted to the realities of the 21st century. Workers need more, starting now. No matter what happens next, with all the uncertainties, we really need to solidify our social safety net,” said Selma Lavoie co-spokesperson for the NCUW.
The NCUW believes that the federal government must have learned its lesson from the pandemic and the wildfires and put in place mechanisms to respond to crisis situations that will continue to emerge over the next few years.
“EI failed the first week of COVID-19. We can’t trust the current system. And let’s be honest: Donald Trump is even more unpredictable than a pandemic. The government therefore has a duty to reform to make EI fairer, but also more robust and able to face the next crises, building on the temporary measures of the pandemic. Doing nothing is not an option”, said Milan Bernard, co-spokesperson for the NCUW.
Finally, the NCUW also wishes to demonstrate its full solidarity with the victims of the Trump administration, particularly non-binary and trans people and immigrants.