Thousands protest EI reform

Thousands of protestors across the province of Quebec, in Ottawa and in New Brunswick rallied Sunday against the federal government’s changes to employment insurance.

In Montreal, the construction part of the Quebec Federation of Labour, called FTQ Construction, organized the protest, reports CBC News.

They want to show the Harper government that the changes to the employment insurance will negatively impact Canadian families. 

Construction union executive director Yves Ouellet says they have to be heard as a united front against the government. 

Since the changes came into effect in early January, laid-off seasonal workers have to look further for jobs that pay as little as 70 per cent of their previous hourly wage. 

And people looking for work are forced to accept work located within an 100-kilometre radius from their home.

Head of the Quebec Federation of Labour Michel Arsenault says the new rules like so are robbing students of jobs and encouraging people to lie about their work history. 

He says the government’s decision to send bureaucrats to people’s homes to check out their unemployment stories is like living under a dictatorship. 

Minister of Veterans Affairs Steven Blaney says Canadians are misinformed about the changes to employment insurance. 

He says the reform takes work conditions, schedule and commute into account, and even baby-sitting fees.

He also blamed opposition parties in Ottawa for trying to take away opportunities for workers to have access to additional revenues.

Similar protests also took place in Quebec City, Saguenay, Rimouski, Baie-Comeau, and Sept-Iles.

STORY WRITTEN BY: KURT WEISS