Change EI to make it simpler, more equitable, Duclos says
OTTAWA — The federal minister in charge of the employment insurance system says the program needs a serious redesign in the next few years to meet changing economic and social conditions.
In a roundtable interview with The Canadian Press this week, Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said he believes the EI system should be simplified, include better work incentives and improve the quality and the availability of services that people expect.
An economist who specialized in social policy as an academic, Duclos said the EI system is overly complex, with even the best officials in his department typically having difficulty understanding the ins and out of the program.
He said EI needs to support current living standards and improve the ability and willingness of people to invest in housing, training and education that could improve their future.