Election, if it happens, won’t stall planned review of EI system, Qualtrough says

OTTAWA — Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says a planned review of the sprawling employment insurance system will go ahead even if the country is plunged into a federal election campaign.

Qualtrough says consultations will start next month on how the decades-old system can be modernized after its shortcomings were exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But looming over the consultation call is an anticipated federal election that labour and business groups have worried would kibosh the long-sought review.

Speaking to The Canadian Press, Qualtrough says departmental officials will start consultations and keep them going even during an election campaign.