Maybe he should be on E.I.

How about first we return half of the EI premiums that people that never go one EI pay into the fund and then you can do whatever the hell you want with the rest. Quit penalizing me for being employable.

What is so special about Forestry Workers?? he specifically mentions curtailments in mining and oil, not to mention all of the spin off industries.

One system one set of rules. Are they trying to create Native talks for unemployment too? "well my grandads grandad was a forestry worker, yours was just a roughneck, so I get benefits and you don't."

If you are going to modify benefits, propose something a little easier for the other 70% of BC to swallow, which would be a re-working of the system to take advantage of our $50 billion surplus, and make the benefits for all workers match what we have been paying.

Born in BC - not only that but the ideal situation would be privatizing EI.

However, that is unlikely to happen is it would be too difficult for the Government to dip into the EI fund when it is not under their watch.

Sorry Born in BC, I don't buy that scenario. I understand your frustration (because like you I have paid thousands into EI over the years and never collected) but it's still a more desirable option than letting people fend for themselves with no safety net. I would rather have those people collecting EI than breaking into my car or house all the time in desperation.

So why would someone need a total of two years of EI benefits.

EI is there to help people get by until they find a new job, whatever it may be.

There are plenty of jobs out there that pay the same as what they would get in EI benefits.

Does this mean that someone that lost their $30 an hour job can sit back on EI for two years until they find another job that pays $30 an hour?

I don't think so Tim.

Sounds to me like it's getting close to an election.

This is a good first step. I disagree lostfaith how is a guy going to pay his mortgage , car , kids hockey registration etc. It is obvious this guy has no house or kids. I knoe guys who got layed off in 2006 they have had to resort to entering air biscuit contests to supplement their EI is this what we must do to survive now ???? Mr lost faith would you enter such contest to support your family ????

You guys seem to forget forests minister patty bell daid last may the worst was over everything would be a bad dream in eighteen months

Just wanted to add, EI is an insurance policy, just like my house insurance, car insurance, health insurance, etc. I pay the premiums every month but sure hope that my house doesn't burn down or my car doesn't get totalled or I end up with a deadly disease just to collect on my insurance policy. I too will never see a dime in EI payments but it is an insurance policy that others do need, especially in the tough times we have now.

Ya I think its sad, that he just wants forestry workers with EI extended. The exploration and mining industry has taken a huge hit too. They got to put money towards creating jobs. Like that powerline in the north west. If that goes thru, that would create alot of jobs.

Hanson is full of crap. All he is suggesting is that the Feds extend benifets, however he is making no suggestions for the Province. Maybe he should cut loose some Provincial money and give it to the unemployed. This would be a history making gesture, however it will never happen.

Its all about the next election, after which the high paid politicians, and Government workers will go back to gleening the taxpayers.

rayban68, there is no 50 billion dollar surplus because the Liberals used it in the last 3 years of their mandate in order to balance the budget. There is nothing left over now. It's nice to have a bunch of thieves using our money to make themselves look good.

Jerryremy
Can you read?
EI is there for one reason and one reason only.
It is not there to replace a laidoff workers wages.
Many people in history have lost their jobs for various reasons and have lost everything because of it. How do you say "thats life" in french?

You don't expect me or the other taxpayers in this country to pay your mortgage etc, etc, etc, do you?

"How is a guy going to pay his mortgage, car, kids hockey registration etc."

I will tell you how. Get another job.

We all do what we have to do to survive in this world and if you don't want to have a mortgage, car, or kids in hockey etc, then don't get another job and say see ya to all you have.
Simple huh?

Don't think the taxpayers in this country are here to pay your way buddy. If you do you're in for a rude awakening

Uhmmm

Does anyone know what an " air biscuit contest" is?

I wouldn't need to enter one (whatever the heck it is) to support my family JerryremyPal because I work for a living and don't expect others to pay my way.

How about he gives back the 52% raise they gave themselves

For the people who expect EI to continue until they have a job come to them that they are satisfied with is not fair to the rest of society. No body wants to take less or far less in some cases, but is it right to live off of others who are working and perhaps making these lower wages?

The story told that: "I worked for a number of years and contributed to EI, and know I am entitled to collect this back", is a story which doesn't equate. Employee EI premiums paid at about 75 to a 100 dollars per month, cover next to nothing of what is paid out to them in just a few months off work. Way too many people cherry pick only the highest paid temporary jobs and go on EI in between.

When you look at the work wanted ads and see that hardly anyone posts on this section, you have to wonder how many unemployed people are actually looking.
Sorry to say this but our country needs a balance between fair wages and productivity in order to survive.

I agree...if an extention is available for one group of workers....should damn well be available for all workers. A lot of folks got laid off before it actually hit the forest workers! These workers were labeled as secondary workers...thats the term the B.C. Liberals used for them. It started with little guys, the shops who serviced the truckers and the logging contractors, the mills. These guys felt the pinch a couple months before the mills did. Nothing against the mill n bush guys but it seems to me the government is kinda dividing the real numbers up here. I'm thinkin we're all in this together....if your outta work...your still outta work... group A or group B.

Too bad they couldn't have used some of that 900 million going to Olympic security to help out unemployed workers!
Most of them won't be attending the Olympics anyway, I wouldn't think.
Excuse me...I think I am gonna be sick...again!
Been that way since they announced the cost of Olympic security and the fact that the "games" are going to cost more than 600 million dollars!
I think we already knew that, inspite of Campbell and Vanoc denying it.
ABC and FTO.

"Too bad they couldn't have used some of that 900 million going to Olympic security to help out unemployed workers"

Where do you think the $900 million is going to? It is not going to be shovelled into a furnace. It will be going to people who will be working to earn the money, just like other workers work to earn money. While they are earning those $s they will not be unemployed.

So they need more people for the security than they thought. Or maybe there are not enough around and they have to train more than they thought. Maybe we should use the money for bank bail out money instead?

The fact of the matter is that over the last half century more and more primary jobs have been lost due to greater efficiencies in those primary sectors and more secondary and tertiary jobs have been created.

More food service workers because we don't cook at home anymore. More personal trainers because we have lost the ability to look after our own bodies.

Rayban68 I agree
Why set precedence for one industry. Doesn't seem fair or equal for the rest of us who have lost jobs and paid into EI premiums for years. Don't get me wrong I have empathy for the forestry workers, however what happened to getting a job for lesser pay. Maybe there should be more money put into retraining

Wow.......This is the worst I have ever seen on this site as far as opinion post's are concerned. You all should be ashamed of your selves......here it is again just about every person who posted on here today fits the mold of a psychopathic narcissist.
This is why we are in the mess we are in today, it's because of attitudes like this.
You are all consumed with what about me, and, I was treated bad so every other person in the world needs to be treated bad also. God help us if we can't get beyond this self centered crap. How about thinking and caring about some one else other than yourself for once, cause man these guys need help and this is probably the only thing that can be done right now that will help to stop the bleeding........I say again shame on you, shame on you all. One day you will wake up and realize that that person sleeping or that died under your hot tub deck all wrapped up in old used news paper could be you, your brother or sister or one of your children......is this what you want?...if it is take a bow because that is what we have happening now and it is a growing theme in just about every community in B.C.
Again...This has nothing to do with the government, read the above post's and tell me if the government wrote these awful things...the answer is no, these were written by your fellow man and these statements are directed at all of us, this is how much we as humanity cares for each other.

Windigo. I dont think that anyone is against helping those in need, however individual people have responsibilities to themselves and to their famlies. It seems in this day and age most people are living beyond their means.

The have bought houses they cannot afford, expensive cars they did not need, expensive toys, such as sea doos, ski doos, and dirt bikes, take expensive trips to Disneyland, or Mexico, smoke, drink, and gamble, and max out their credit cards. Some have cabins at the lake, and a big boat to go with it.

When they lose their jobs they have nothing to fall back on. The bottom line is that they will have to take jobs that pay less in order to get by. If they do not take these jobs right away, then by this time next year the jobs will be gone, and they really will be in serious trouble.

Moving back home with Mom and Dad is one option, and this is what is happening to alot of people in the USA.

We can all help as much as possible, however at the end of the day the individual had better get started back on the road to recovery, or he is going to be in for a very rough ride.