Ottawa, ON – Garnett Genuis, Conservative Shadow Minister for Employment, released the following statement on November’s worrisome Employment Insurance (EI) figures from Statistics Canada:
“After ten months of Carney, it’s clear that Liberals aren’t working and neither are Canadians. New EI numbers show that 565,960 Canadians are now receiving EI, an over 12 per cent increase since Carney took office.
“That’s 61,850 more people in the unemployment line, and unfortunately, the November job losses are primarily among the great workers who make, build, grow and move the things Canadians need. Workers in transportation, trades and related occupations were the hardest hit, with 5,200 new EI recipients month-over-month.
“They weren’t alone as the number of workers in natural resources, agriculture and related occupations, now on EI, rose 4.9 per cent. Those who worked in manufacturing and utilities were also victims of a weakened economy, as 1,000 more workers started receiving EI, a 2.5 per cent rise.
“The situation was especially bad in BC, with 8,090 more British Columbians on EI than when Mark Carney took power. Across Canada, 15.6 per cent more Quebecers, 15.1 per cent more Albertans and 12 per cent more Ontarian workers were forced to claim EI just to survive.
“It’s not expected to get better as December’s Labour Force Survey reported that 1.6 million Canadians were out of work, a 4.9 per cent increase month-over-month.
“Speeches, however eloquent, will not support a family. With more than half a million of our people on EI, it’s time for reality to match the rhetoric. We need a real jobs plan that will create opportunities with stronger take-home pay that buys affordable food and homes.”