OTTAWA — The human resources minister says unemployed workers receiving EI benefits will not be forced to relocate or take jobs outside their skill set.
Diane Finley says coming changes to the employment insurance program will be designed to help the unemployed get back to work quickly, and help businesses facing skills shortages.
She says Canadians will not be cut off from receiving EI benefits for refusing to move or to accept inappropriate jobs.
The minister fielded a stream of questions on the issue in the House of Commons after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty called EI a disincentive to work and seemed to suggest any job should be acceptable to the unemployed.
But Finley’s softer stance on the budget changes announced in March does not clear up the issue.
Canadians won’t know exactly what the government has in mind until new regulations on defining “suitable employment” are unveiled in the next few months.
And Finley agrees with Flaherty that one of the problems facing the economy is labour shortages, despite the fact the current unemployment rate of 7.3 per cent is more than a full point higher than existed prior to the 2008 recession.
In response to a question, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appeared to back the finance minister, saying the government anticipates labour shortage will be a serious concern to the economy in the years to come.