General

Tories set to redefine EI, ‘suitable work’

No job is a bad job, according to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, who made the comments Monday in the latest sign yet the Tories will soon expect Employment Insurance recipients to take whatever work is available, no matter the pay or their own qualifications.

Government leaders have hinted for months that an EI overhaul is on the way. But the details have remained murky. Speaking to reporters Monday, Flaherty fleshed out those plans somewhat, saying there will soon be a “broader definition” of what’s known as “suitable work”—in other words, the kinds jobs recipients are expected to apply for and take before qualifying for benefits. “I was brought up in a certain way,” Flaherty said, according to the Globe and Mail. “There is no bad job. The only bad job is not having a job. So I drove a taxi. You know, I refereed hockey. You do what you have to do to make a living.”

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