NDP says Human Resources Minister Diane Finley demonizing jobless Canadians

OTTAWA—Human Resources Minister Diane Finley was accused of demeaning the unemployed Friday when she stressed the need to identify fraudsters she said are cheating the Employment Insurance system out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Finley denied a newspaper report that federal investigators are given annual quotas for discovering illegal EI claims. But she said the government is determined to “root out” fraud among the unemployed — a clampdown that netted $530 million in 2012.

On another front in the continuing controversy over Ottawa’s EI rules, Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave no hint his government would meet Quebec’s demand to modify new eligibility requirements for claimants. Harper met Friday with Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, who says tougher EI rules are causing hardships for Quebec workers.

Asked at a news conference afterwards whether Ottawa would comply, Harper said EI is a federal responsibility according to the Canadian Constitution. “We intend to respect those powers and we will be there to help those who cannot find work,” he told the media in Esterel, Que.

Marois said Harper later tried to reassure her that the reforms are meant to improve EI, not make it less accessible. But she said she’s still skeptical about the EI reforms and will assess whether the prime minister’s reassurances ring true.

The federal Conservatives have been under fire from opposition MPs, premiers and unions since they overhauled EI last year. The reforms toughen requirements for EI recipients to hold onto their benefits, including compelling the unemployed to take jobs that might be below their skill level or pay a less-than-expected wage.

In the latest blow-up over EI, the NDP cited a report saying EI inspectors had been ordered to weed out $40,000 a month in fraudulent EI claims by would-be beneficiaries.

Finley told MPs there are no individual quotas for EI investigators. But the Human Resources department “was able to stop $530 million in ineligible payments of EI last year,” she said.

“Even with that, the Employment Insurance fund actually still lost hundreds of millions of dollars more due to fraud,” Finley commented. She said New Democrat MPs, who were asking questions about the reported $40,000 quota, were defending fraudsters and “protecting the bad guys.”

The NDP said the Conservatives are demonizing unemployed Canadians by suggesting there’s widespread cheating by EI recipients.

“It’s completely outrageous, she’s characterizing people on EI as being criminals,” NDP human resources critic Chris Charlton told the media.

“Remember, these are benefits that workers and employers have paid for, not the government,” she said. “Now instead of making a positive announcement about wanting to help people who’ve lost jobs through no fault of their own, she’s essentially suggesting that the system is fraught with fraudsters.”

While denying individual government investigators are given quotas for blocking improper EI requests, Finley said Ottawa sets objectives to keep payments to the jobless as low as possible.

“There’s still hundreds of millions of dollars of potential fraud out there,” she said. “We want to make sure that we keep the EI costs low. The key is to . . . root out the fraud that’s within the system so that EI remains affordable for those who play by the rules.”

Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Les Whittington