SASKATCHEWAN WANTS EI WAITING PERIOD WAIVED FOR CATTLE INDUSTRY

Released on May 29, 2003

The Province of Saskatchewan has called on the federal government to reverse its decision to deny waiving the two-week waiting period for workers in the beef cattle and related industries that may face potential lay-offs and must seek Employment Insurance (EI).

Earlier this month, Labour Minister Deb Higgins wrote Federal Human Resources Development Minister Jane Stewart asking that the two-week waiting period for EI be waived for workers who may be laid-off due to the BSE scare. Yesterday, Stewart denied the request.

"The federal government's decision is extremely disappointing," Premier Lorne Calvert said. "Waiving the two-week waiting period is a practical move that Minister Stewart could easily make."

"I have written the Prime Minister today to ask him to reconsider his government's decision and waive the 2 week waiting period, thereby extending the same concession to his western constituents and our agri-business sector as he extended to workers in central Canada. We will, of course, continue to press Ottawa to aid both the beef industry and workers dependent on it," Calvert said. "The federal government has a national responsibility to administer EI to aid unemployed workers and we will continue to urge them to live up to that responsibility."

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Rob Cunningham Media Services Regina Phone: (306)787-6349 Cell: (306)539-1126