MP Niki Ashton has demanded that the government fix EI and make it accessible to unemployed working women in Canada. She says despite the Liberals so called feminist cred they’ve done nothing for women who have to access EI.  She notes only one third of unemployed women can access employment insurance and when they finish their maternity leave women have to work hundreds of hours to become eligible again adding a growing number of women are stuck with precarious employment and can’t access EI.  Ashton adds women in Canada are paying the price of an EI system that discriminates against them asking why have the Liberals failed to deliver for working women and what will they do to fix this injustice.

Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos pointed out gender equality is a key feature in their economic growth noting their new parental sharing benefit gives five extra weeks for parents who share their EI benefits.