You might remember that Prime Minister Harper in his 2008 year end speech rejected the idea of expanding Employment Insurance benefits during these tough times, claiming that was “paying people not to work“. In essence, as I said back in that blogpost, he was trying to equate EI to welfare payments, and paint people who have lost their jobs as collecting money to party, as one commentator put it.

If you have any doubt about the antagonism toward EI that the Conservatives hold, you just need to go and read the comments left by Monte Solberg, former MP of the Reform/Conservative Party, and former Conservative Cabinet Minister. when [...]