Brief for Presentation to the Standing Committee on Labour, Manpower, and Immigration on Bill C27
Proposed Amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act.

Publisher:  National Anti-Poverty Organization, Canada
Year Published:  1977  
Pages:  13pp  
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX365

This is a brief that brings to the attention of the Standing Committee certain inequities in the current system which have been ignored in the proposed amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act (Bill C-7).

Abstract:  Since its formation at the Poor People's Conference held in Toronto in January, 1971, the National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) has been the national representative of the 1800 low income groups organised across Canada. It is governed by a board consisting of two elected representatives from each province and territory. NAPO's stated goal is to eliminate poverty in Canada. The above Brief brings to the attention of the Standing Committee certain inequities in the current system which have been ignored in the proposed amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act (Bill C-7). It also makes the following recommendations:
(1) that representatives of the unemployed be part of any advisory committee
to the department in addition to representatives of employees and employers;
(2) that the eight (8)-weeks'-work entrance requirement for the Unemployment
Insurance Commission eligibility be retained, especially in view of the current
unemployment rate;
(3) that the training and retraining programs of manpower be more up to date
and that they guarantee the trainee a job upon successful completion of a course;
(4) that the method of determining the application of regional extension be
clarified;
(5) that there be a broader appeal system to protect claimants;
(6) that discrimination against wives who fish with their husbands be corrected
immediately;
(7) that employers advise employees who are having their employment terminated
to apply for U.I.C. benefits immediately.
Attached to the copy of the Brief are two letters: one, from the Executive
Director of NAP0, Ms. Marjorie Hartling, to Mr. Winston Fiander of the Inquiries Branch of the U.I.C., requesting information concerning eligibility for fishing benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act, dated January 25, 1977; the other, a letter received by NAPO by way of reply, dated March 4, 1977.