CTV.ca | Harper vows to open EI program to self-employed

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper gives a thumbs-up to a crowd of supporters from the cockpit of his campaign plane Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 in Ottawa. (Paul Chiasson / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Harper vows to open EI program to self-employed

Updated Mon. Sep. 15 2008 10:43 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper hammered another plank into his election platform Monday, announcing plans to provide maternity and parental benefits to the self-employed.

Under the current system, Canadians who run their own businesses do not pay into the federal Employment Insurance program and as a result, can't tap into paid maternity leave or parental benefits.

Harper called that unjust and said he would change the system if re-elected.

"Self-employed Canadians -- and those who one day hope to be -- shouldn't have to choose between starting a family and starting a business because of government policy," Harper said in Ottawa after meeting with the owners of a salon and day spa.

"They should be able to pursue their dreams -- both as entrepreneurs and as parents."

Harper appeared to be taking a page from former prime minister Jean Chretien, who won votes by extending maternity leave benefits from six months to one year.

Harper said 2.6 million Canadians work for themselves -- including one million women -- and they deserve access to the benefits of EI.

He said it is ironic that successful small business owners must pay EI benefits on their employees' behalf, but cannot access the system themselves.

Harper called the promise "modest and affordable." He said it is expected to cost $150 million annually, but would be funded entirely by premiums paid by participants.

Catherine Swift, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, spoke with CTV Newsnet from Ottawa on Monday afternoon.

Swift said most people will agree that something should be done for small-business owners who can't receive benefits, but the plan uses EI to deliver a social program -- something she says her group doesn't support.

"We don't believe that EI should be twisted and distorted more than it already is," Swift said. "It's become something way removed from an unemployment insurance system, which the vast majority of our small-business members think it should be. It's become a big grab-bag of social policies.

"I certainly agree with the concept of having some type of assistance for both self-employed women and their spouses in this kind of situation, but I just don't think that EI is the vehicle to do it."

Swift also said the plan is hard to critique as the Conservatives have yet to create definitions of what it means to be self-employed and what the premium levels would be.

CTV's Roger Smith, travelling with Harper, said the announcement is a clear attempt to improve the Conservatives' standing with female voters.

"His stress was on the one million women that are self-employed entrepreneurs. Obviously one of the Conservatives' perceived weaknesses is with women voters, and this was an effort to reach out to them today," Smith said.

Under the plan:

participation would be voluntary
self-employed Canadians would have to sign up for the EI plan six months before making a claim
details about premium amounts and required post-claim payments would be set when the program is implemented after review by the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board.

Comments are now closed for this story

William from East Ontario

I don't know... Stephen Harper promised so many things during the last election and broke alot of those promises within weeks. I can't believe him anymore.

Shari

OH PLEASE!!!!!

Finally a leader addressing small business needs.

Being self employed, this certainly would have come in handy when i was on bed rest for 6 months of my pregnancy.

Gord C.

About time! Self-employed people have always been at the short end of the stick when it comes to EI benefits. I am very much willing to pay into it to someday be able to access the benefits if need be.

Everyday Harper looks more like the someone I want to lead my country.

Howard in Winnipeg

Makes sense to me. Helping people to be self reliant and productive.

bob london

William: Get out from under your rock, he completed them all except what your libbies are holding up in Sentate. I hope your Kinsella talking points will get better.

DennisF

Harper has the best record of keeping promises in recent memory. Sounds good.

Ken Gilliard

we keep hearing about broken promices and hidden adgendas.
what broken promices ????
what hidden adgenda????
lets talk specifics or don't speak at all!

soundsgoodbut

Harper does what he says he's going to do...and even stuff he says he isn't going to do.

Just can't forgive the Income Trusts...

PrairieDog-prairies

This is a great move by Harper. Being a small business owner(but will likely opt out of the program as I work at home), I see this as a very big issue. I've talked with many small business owners about this in the past and it is a big concern for most. This will score big with the "twenty-thirty something" demographic. Especially women. I applaud the government for this. Will take a lot of stress off young parents who own small businesses.

James

Harper is spending like a drunken sailor or a free spending Liberal. Take your pick.

Victor

This is logical, and as a small business owner is long overdue.

It's even already been budgeted!

The polls are showing us what we already know. Conservatives again and if we get more of these types of easy changes it will turn to a majority.

VOTE ABC

Honestly...how is that going to work? Half-baked random thought on Harper's part. I don't trust him at all.

YEB

To Williams from East Ontario

Where have you been? He promised accountability and to date, I sure haven't heard of another Sponsorship; he promised to cut the GST from 7% to 5%; he promised to be tougher with the criminals and more importantly he promised to refit the military and if you take a pause and talk to any soldiers, you will find that the Conservatives have delivered... Yes, they made mistakes, but his "minority" government did survive 2.5 years ...where the Liberals had plenty of opportunities to bring them down... For that reason, he deserves one opportunity at a majority as I did some math and the Green Shift will cost us an arm and a leg. Yes, I am from Eastern Ontario.

Jonathan

This is a great idea. The self-employed should be able to participate in the EI program.

Randy

Employers pay 40% more than their employees do to fund the EI system and never before have they been afforded the right to collect from it for whatever reason. Finally a government paying attention to small business. Good call Mr. Harper.

Sander Mylowe

I am not a Stephen Harper fan, but as a female small business owner, this would be one election promise that could sway my vote. But I am leery as always of election promises geared just to get votes but that never come to fruition.

dulak

James, Read the article...It says that those who want to participate will be paying into the EI fund, therefore covering the costs.

Socialism is killing us

Awesome idea by Harper. As a small business owner myself, this would help me greatly if business ever went sour. I don't mind paying into the system if I can use it.

Nick J Boragina

William. The only promise Harper broke was that on income trusts. If you'll recall, when he changed his mind, the country was in a pickle because company after company were saying they were going to become income trusts (thereby depriving the government of billions in tax revenue). Harper had a choice - destroy canada's social programs, or tax income trusts. Somehow I doubt you'd have been happy if he kept his promise on that one.

small businessman in BC

Bravo Mr Harper! You have my vote!

ep New Brunswick

This is great news. I never understood why as a selfemployed person, you pay in a system that you can never access. This solidifies my choice.

John W

As a business owner, the "yet to be determined" premiums will be the key. Nothing is free.

Red X

Lots of people pay into the EI fund and cannot access resources.

Let's say some women pay into it. They would essentially be getting the money back that they put into it in the first place. I don't know how this will affect fathers...

Bologna!!

To "Socialism is killing us"
The benefits are only for maternity and parental leave not if your business goes down.
I think this is just what Harper wants people to think when they reads this...
Nowhere in this article does it talk about benefits if you go out of business. Beware of the missing text!!

I don't mind as long as they pay the same premiums as the rest of us working stiffs.

Otherwise - forget it - I work too hard to pay for someone else's way in this world.

I do have to say that with Small Business Start-UP failure at about 90% I can see that an awful lot more people will be now able to access these funds now... And with a recession coming on I don't like the sound of this.

I think that small businesses should be up and running for at least 3 years and show a healthy profit before they have an opportunity to be accepted into the program.

I can just see that for many many small business that startup and run for 8 - 12 months and then fold up the owner can then receive EI???? Hmmmm I don't like the sounds of that - considering that the 22+ yrs I have been working will go towards them... So actually No I change my mind - don't like it... now that I have thought about it.

Mark K From Fredericton

"Honest Harper" curiously forgets a study that he himself commisioned that states a Carbon shift-tax would have only a 0.1% effect on the GDP in the short term and would actually have a positive effect in under 8 yrs. Why the memory lapse Stephen?

Excellent idea! My husband paid into EI benefits for 10 years before becoming self employed (and I for 15 years). Under the current rules neither of us could collect wehn we started a family, regardless of our years of previous contribution. This is a simple and smart solution, about time!

Johnedeals

James, Harper is spending like a drunken sailor? The EI program as he stated would be funded by those contributing. Geez, I hope you don't handle the finances in your home! And get an updated analogy that doesn't degrade our Naval forces.

Small business Max

While I am not sure who this man is, I welcome this news. Now if he would only give small business a break on our payroll taxes. The much praised GST cut is meaningless without real tax breaks. I wish someone would cut my personal income taxes. And I hope this new and improved Harper stays around after the election. He is so slick I am concerned it is all a big con job.

Gail, Halifax

Thanks. Why couldn't you have done that when I had my two kids - 13 months apart and back to work THE NEXT DAY after each birth because when you are self-employed you don't get paid if you don't work.

J Scott

... "Stephen Harper promised so many things during the last election and broke alot of those promises within weeks." ....

Get real. Have you actually tracked the record of broken promises from Liberals vs Conservatives? You have got to be a Liberal party member. Keep making these inaccurate statements and it only further entrenches the current public trend of support away from the Liberals.

It's because of initiatives like E.I. access to self employed people like myself that I have been voting for change for many many years. Now we are finally getting it.

Calgary Newf

The only way that you can make that fair is to make payment mandatory like it is for everyone else or maybe give the option as soon as a business is started with no chance to kick it in gear later.

Oh yeah, broken promises? How about creating more visibility in government? You can't actually believe he has done that.

Mark

So..the only thing he is promising is to take premiums off of these people's incomes, then pay back only a certain percentage if they need it, or qualify for it. How is this helping anyone? How many promises did he break last election! I am voting Liberal this time! As Premier Williams put it.."A.B.C."!

J Scott

"Spending like a drunken sailor"

The E.I. program pays for itself. The Employers will pay for it wit their own money. It's called insurance premiums.

But as Harper pointed out, the previous governments overcharged E.I. premiums to the tune of 40 BILLION a year and spemd all ta extra money on garbage like Sponshorship scandals, unworkable Gun Registry and HDRC mispending to the tubne of BILLIONS.

He's moving us towards accountability and it's only going to save us in the long run. Think long term.

Phillip in Helsinki

You're kidding?

You mean, one doesn't already exist in Canada?

I am a small business owner here in Finland and when I pay my taxes it goes directly into the nation wide unemployment fund.

I even have an unemployment fund with a private investment company.

If I lose my job, I am covered for the next two years.

iphoned u yah

This is about friggin' time! The liberal's were so tax happy with this program which basically was a tax on have provinces to fund the great welfare state of NL and the others. The libs basically lumped the EI revenue in with general revenue making it another tax.

This reform is long overdue. My wife was forced to become an employee instead of being on contract to draw from EI benefits for our children while she was on mat leave. Being an employee meant much lower pay than being on contract.

The current EI situation is discriminatory and needs a total overhaul. Our economy has been doing quite well and there's no reason to have it at such a high rate now.

For those who think Harper didn't deliver, check with the Senate. They are hand picked liberals from the previous regime (yes regime) that water down all that Harper tried to achieve. The Senate needs to be reformed and elected like they are in Australia. This way the views of the Senate are aligned with the views of the public whether liberal or conservative. Some of our candy-butt Senators don't even show up for work!

Dave B

Hey, wait a minute. Isn't this the same Harper who just stole $52 billion from the EI fund that Canadian employees had built up over the years? He says one thing and does the opposite. I don't trust this guy.

Avinder Dhaliwal

I believe this is a wonderful idea and the self employed should be included in EI benifits. So many families face financial diffculties while having new born babies. Thanks Mr. Harper

Red-x - this will help fathers because they too can access parental leave which for some, will allow their higher paying wives to go back to work earlier. Also, more and more fathers are wanting to stay at home for a while with their young children.

And as for my childrens' father,being self employed for 22 years he has been paying into a program that he (or I) would never have access to. And even though when I went on maternity leave (twice) he not only had to contribute 1.4 his employees amount, but also had to hire someone else to cover my job while I took care of our children...without EI benefits to help pay "OUR" grocery bill.

When will the socialists and all their liberal supporters realize that it is not only those without jobs that need help. Sometimes it is those that work to survive on their own, employ others, and actually contribute to the rest of society.

rtb

Howard in Winnipeg says...
Makes sense to me. Helping people to be self reliant and productive..
...how? by relying on government handouts?
If they pay into the system (they..not the company's contribution...) I don't have problem..but they must contribute..

Craig out West.

Small business owners are the backbone of the economy. You never hear about the "little guy" being saved by government bailouts or handouts either. This is a VERY smart move by the Conservatives. Truth is, I am a small business owner (for 14 years) and I would choose to opt out for myself. It would be nice for my wife and kids (who are also employed by our small business and ineligible for EI) to have a choice though. As with EI in general, there would have to be a clear way to stop cheating in this system for it to work properly. It could be awful easy to hire your spouse or kids (pay them a large salary) and then "lay them off" to collect EI. I believe the Conservatives are about accountability and I believe they could make it work without costing tax payers an arm and a leg. They have my vote already! A Conservative majority would give me the confidence to hire at least one or maybe even two more employees. Imagine if every small-business owner in Canada could do the same.

Sandy

I cursed when I first read this but eased up when I read at the end that it would be voluntary. CPP is bad enough in that self-employed pay both the employee and employer share. All I need is another payment to the feds. Younger self-employed need this alternative.

Trav

Stephen Harper has delivered and yet not delivered... He promised to lower GST to 6% which he did however he raised property taxes to negate the cut.In reality he is good for this country and has done more then Paul Martin has in the past and Stephan Dian would do in the future.

Jennafer

What an amazing idea. I know many home daycare providers who will be rejoicing! Anyone who works for themselves or a boss deserves benefits. Way to go Mr. Harper!

Les from Ontario

For the record, as someone who has had to use EI after losing jobs and for maternity leave, when you apply for EI, the program only takes into account the last 52 weeks that you worked from the time you apply. So, even though you may have been paying into EI for 5, 10, 15 years, your pay out is only based on the previous 52 weeks employment. Also, you're only given a specific amount of time to be on EI, it depends on the reason why you've applied for EI. Just because you've paid into it for X number of years, you may only receive benefits for 35 weeks.
I think it's a good system. It's helped me out and will be helping me out next year when I go off on maternity leave again. I think it's great that Harper's offering this to self employed Canadians. As much as I like what he's offering, I'm still not voting for him.

frozen

Look at the current situation with the financial institutions in the US and check main topic of discussion that the EU finance ministers had in Spain! Near future on the financial markets doesn't look so great.
Whom do you want to lead our country in the next difficult period? Trained economist with a proven track record and team of experienced professionals (Mr. Harper and Conservatives) OR tax-taunting-detached-from-reality-lawyer with a bunch of opportunists (Dion and his Liberals)!!!
Your choice, but Mr. Harper has my vote!

Mik Mann

Don't believe any of Harpers promises, break one promise... what's to stop you from breaking all or any promise??

Harper only wants a majority government to further his evil agenda. A mini Bush is he.

voting is easy as ABC, Anyone But Conservatives!

Bill P

Get real. Sign up six months before and be able to collect FULL benefits? Self employed people paying their own freight? HOW? Six months of prior premiums will hardly pay for a full year of benefits! What next? Bankrupt your business, but sign up six months before you do it and collect full E.I. benefits?

Pip

Small business Max has a very valid point.

If we are in a shrinking job market, the best way out is to create jobs. But what employer wants to create jobs when he has to pay a tax to do so?

If people work, they earn and spend money, and that keeps the economy moving to a greater or lesser extent. However, if you tax an employer simply because he hires a person, what is the incentive to hire extra workers?

It seems to me that the Payroll tax is something from extreme socialists who want to destroy private enterprise. However, they conveniently have no ideas when it comes to replacing those lost industries.

On the other hand, EI is a plan that has merit, and simply extending it ensures that employers as well as employees have similar access to benefits. How about scrapping the payroll tax and requiring 100% participation in EI?

But no, which party would have the guts to do that?

Anne

Big deal....one million women who are self employed....but not all of us are pregnant....maybe Mr. Harper could come up with something that is beneficial to a larger percentage of the population....is his wife pregnant again?

Apostle_13

@ William from East Ontario

You'd almost think he was a liberal.

I guess you have forgotten about the liberal "Red Book", AKA "Book of Lies". Promise lots, deliver nothing. Harper is at least batting 600.

Alec

This man is really going out of his way to buy votes!!

I hope that the self-employed will pay a fair share of EI costs.

Antonio Derita

From time to time PM's had to sacrifice a big piece of cake. Mr Harper's sacrifice was Income trust. Who,what or whom,will be the next sacrifice?

Anti-socialist

Awesome!
About time.
Excluding the self employed has only made it harder to start a new business.
This announcment is great for small businesses that work in seasonal occupations and anyone trying to start their own small business.
Great move and long over-due.

As someone who is self employed and has seen the EI system abused, I wonder how this is going to be policed. Sure I need to be on for 6 months before I get benefits, but how long after do I need to be on? Can I lay myself off in the summer becuase my business is slow and get more than I've paid in?

The devil is in the details. And this seems wide open to abuse.

Not everyone in BC is a HarpeMulroney Conservative

EI Maternity and Parental Leave, certainly doesn't help all of us Self Employed who's kids are teens now! PLEASE people, read exactly what he said.....'maternity leave and parental benefits'.....this is not EI if you cease work for any other reason(s). Self Employeds cannot receive EI for any other reason. Self funded as well and premiums to be determined.

How can I trust a guy that was on the phone to Brian Mulroney every day of the last campaign? Scares the heck out of me how 'left' he has gone during a short election campaign. KEEP HIM OR DION AS A MINORITY GOVERNMENT and be more accountable to the electorate. If Harper gets a majority it will be Brian Mulroney style all over again. Watch the arrogance come out!! I am voting ABC, anyone but Conservative.

Robin

What speech were you people listening to?
Harper didn't say he was going to give EI to all self employed people. He said he would extend Parental leave and maternity leave. That's it; end of story.
Harper is focusing too much on families when he wants to rule all of us.
I guess the rest of us are just walking wallets.

Marg

To have self-employed folks included in EI for maternity benefits sounds reasonable.

However, according to Harper's guidelines, this proposed system will be open to abuse. e.g. I could simply wait until I become pregnant to sign up for the plan, as I only have to pay into it 6 months before making a claim. Wise up, Harper. A normal pregnancy is 9 months. Who wouldn't sign up for a plan when you are almost guaranteed to receive the payout?

DVB

Trav!

The Feds don't do property taxes.

Bob NS

This only does justice to self-employed people and would help family planining.
Good move by the conservatives.

Edmonton John

Such a move is surprising as it smacks of the broad type of socialism that the right has clubbed other Lib and NDP social programs with.

My concern with this program is that it de-fangs the entrepreneur. By providing a parachute, Harper is encouraging entrepreneurs to give up too quickly on their enterprises. It is difficult to stay lean and hungry if your alternative is a relaxing, taxpayer-funded holiday.

Mismanagement may have its rewards. Harper welcomes mediocrity, and another Canadian standard is preserved. Back to hewing wood and drawing water!

Joel in Mississauga

This is a load of horse hockey. If the plan is self-financing out of EI payments made by small business owners, then these entreprenuers will just be paying the government to pay them back a pittance in the event that they have a baby. If the plan is not self-financing, then other people will be paying for self-employed people. How is this beneficial or fair? I'm self-employed and I have lots of financial benefits because of it. In return, I have to give up EI. This is a great trade-off in my opinion. All this promise will do is add red tape to small businesses, making them file additional EI payments. If Harper were sincere about helping small business, he would stop lowering corporate taxes just to claw it all back through increased CPP contributions.

James Neale Meaford

Harper is spending like a drunken sailor?
How about the spending on the Gun Registry. It was to cost 1-2 million and went to 2 BILLION. Somebody was sure drunk in that one.

Michele J

About time really ... I could only afford to take 2 weeks off when I had my son. They should have the "option" of enrolling in it though ... If you're 50, with your retirement $$ ready to go - you don't need it.

For all those crying about broken promises ... Be realistic ... this was a MINORITY government. Their hands were effectively tied by the Liberals & NDP's. ... Harper accomplished a lot considering the circumstances

LDL

To: Les from Ontario

You stated " so even though you payed into it 5,10, 15 years, it's only based on the last 52 weeks"
What Insurance product works any differently ? I've paid Home and Auto Insurance for 30 plus years and have never had to make a claim, but if the day comes that I have to make a claim, a) I'm covered, and b) I don't get 30 plus years of premiums given back to me.

Side note: I'm betting that 50% of the people who say that Harper went back on the income trust promise, have no idea what an income trust is, it doesn't really effect them, or don't know why this was done.

Joseph

Craig Out West!

You seem to have the same arrangement as me - 14 years of self employment, wife employed, kids will soon be working for me… SO why is it most who are in a position to take advantage of this will opt out? Because, most of us are self employed since we have good prospects, make a decent living, have enough to put away for ourselves and already have plenty of tax deductions most "employed" people will never get to enjoy.

BUT Harper is not about accountability as shown. What is he going to do - personally watch us so we don't do exactly what you said about "laying off" family members so they collect EI while they are being paid under the table or by other means?

THIS IS A BAD IDEA as it WILL BE ABUSED… and surprisingly is quite NDPish of Harper.

Andrew

You have my vote. Excellent idea and for all the right reasons.

TO Bill P - these are the same requirements that anyone working for an employer has in order to collect. Why should it be any different for the employer herself (who is bumping up for all their employees)? Do you know how many people work for 6 or seven months, then collect benefits, then work for for 6 or seven months again and repeat the cycle? Just look east to the "ABC" criers. I am sure you will find many among them...that is the NL way isn't it?

HardrockMiner

Under the Liberal rules I can't collect EI. I'm not self employed, and I pay the max amount of premiums every year. That's the problem, I (according to the Liberals) make too much money. So for me and many other unionized workers like me EI is "just another tax". What I'd like to see is EI going back to what it was, where if you paid into it you got to collect from it when you became unemployed.
BTW, this is one Steelworker that is voting Conservative. I saw what the NDP did when we put them into power in Ontario...

Joeseph! ...you can't collect if you lay them off! it is for parental and maternity only!

Shan

Well, being a small business owner myself and having had three children WITHOUT any benefits, this does sound like a great idea!

Jim in Edmonton

HRDC, gun registry, sponsorship + promises to eliminate the GST and bring in gov't sponsored daycare ... don't preach about what the liberals will do ... what DID they do?
Jim

Scott from Thorold

Clearly William from Eastern Ontario has his own agenda.
Since I am paying 5% GST now, I guess I can take Harper at his word.
This promise sounds like an affordable, common sense policy to me.

Johnny Canuck Southern Ontario

About time. Why has it taken decades for some common sense? Regardless of who pays for EI, any individual contributing should be able to collect some of the benefits when they need them.

Liberals have always screwed over the hardest working people who are least likely to to use it - hard working small business owners. But then hard work and independence aren't exactly the traits liberals relish.

They prefer keeping people on social benefits as those people are the base of the Liberal and NDP, the something for nothing crowd.

Speaking of EI, how come soldiers have to pay into EI but are not allowed to collect when they release from the military? Nothing like having to pay into something for decades that you can never claim. That is a disgrace too!

Not sure how to vote

He better be careful spending the EI money, when every day another company walks out of this country and takes the manufacturing jobs to China or Mexico. These poor folks will need the benefits. Protect our jobs or make the fleeing company pay for the fall out.

Ian from Antigonish (now in Ontario)

I love it. Finally helping the self employed. Nonsense we have been helping them all along. Just ask all the fishermen who get EI every winter after a $200,000 Tuna and/or lobster season...Or all the poor farmers who get subsidies when there is too much (or too little) rain.

This doesn’t help small business or the self employed. If they want to help, then allow university students who would qualify (if they were "trade school" students) so they don’t come out of university with huge debts. They might be able to put some of those fresh ideas into new small business absent their $10,000 plus in student loan debts…

And from what I read it is only related to parental leave for the self-employed. Now, if it is only to encourage mothers who are self employed to become pregnant, just call it that. "The Pregnancy Bonus" Don't bring the fantastic over-fed EI system into it.

In fact, with the declining birthrates in Canada, why don’t we top up everyone’s E.I. payments when they get pregnant? It would make my family's decision to have more children easier.

Jimbo

I love the ABC comments..most without any substance other than ABC..yep I don't trust hime either (hah)..I trust a guy who spent a couple of years as enviroment caretaker and sat by while our emissions grew under his plan...I trust a guy who spent the last couple of years speaking out against a carbon tax to suddenly implement one when he thought the environment was his ticket to POWER as opposed to governing..I trust a government who swelled the coffers of EI with overtaxation out of the taxpayers pocket and gave back damn little..I trust a guy who represents a party that has over-governed, over-spent, over-taxed and over scandeled (a word?) the Canadian public for years. ABC my butt..try IYM..Improve Your Memory..

Go Dion

...Ask a Newfoundlander about Harpers broken promises.

Lowell

Well time for another post on the neo-con blog. The deinigration of Dion is very disturbing from some of the posters on here. Harper is spending like a drunken sailor and you see nothing wrong with it. Yet Stephane who has proposed a tax on pollution is getting dragged through the mud. Let me see. tax things that harm our environment but lower our income taxes. What intelligent person could see a problem with that and I underline the word intelligent. As energy costs increases we will have to pay the piper at some time. Putting taxes on corporations like the conservatives want to do JUST doesn't work. Companies make adjustments elsewhere either by hiring less people or investing less money which has an adverse affect on the economy. Let me see. I wonder if that would affect the unity question as Harper is proposing that the carbon tax will? Taxes on corporations do far more harm than taxing the individual. Individuals can make lifestyle changes thereby protecting the environment and using less energy, at the same time paying less carbon tax. If the conservatives looked at the carbon tax as a motivator rather than as a revenue source, they might understand what it is all about. But wait a minute, they are all power hungry and want a mandate to implement their right wing policies that they have been itching to do, so will say anything to get elected. If you vote harper, you can expect what you got from mulroney. They are talking the same language.

Calgarian

Socialism is Killing Us…

Great Idea by Harper? It's a SOCIALIST Idea! What ever happened to your comments about… personal responsibility, when Layton, Dion or May make the same suggestions?

If your business goes sour, you should have a plan in place for yourself and not rely on government handouts, that the rest us end up paying to bail you out. Get a job if your business goes sour, or are you more socialist than you think?

Promising something that already exists is called "magic".

The problem is that it's too...xpensive for the small business owner.

Keith Osmond

Ken Gillard - here's a partial list:

* income trusts

* ethics and accountability (when in opposition, he stated it was wrong to allow someone to cross the house and sit for another party without being re-elected, but his first move was to woo a Liberal to sit in Cabinet and then appoint a non-elected person to Senate to add him to Cabinet). Etc...

* promised 100% of non-renewable resources would be exempt for transfer payment calculations for have-not provinces (notably NL, Sask, NS), then went back on his word [this was to mean an enhancement to the Atlantic Accord; what he came up with was the existing Accord or a lesser deal - don't listen to the Harper justifications; a lie is a lie]

* promised, while in opposition, to reduce taxes on gas, then reneged when in office

* passed a law setting election dates, then promptly declared it doesn't apply to Conservatives (only "dysfunction" was the Conservatives themselves)

Let me know if you need more, Ken!

Marcel

This sounds like the Conservative Party to give $1200 a year for child care. This does not help when half the amount is taxable. This sounds like another plan that will not help very many people.

Ptooie

Good start, but why not a total revamp of the EI system? It now collects way more in premiums than can ever be collected. I haven't had the opportunity to use it in many years, but way back in the 80's when I did need it, it was about as much fun as a root canal...
I ran my own business for 4 years, and eventually shut down due to the "Alberta Advantage" which means that as a small business owner it is nearly impossible to find good employees. So, the ones I could get ripped me off and killed the co. They could collect EI after my co's demise. I, on the other hand, ended up on the street.

Concerned Canadian

This makes no sense at all. They can opt to pay into it 6 months before (and then probably stop contributing right after)? Sounds like a preferential process where self employed persons can receive far more than they contribute. The rest of the workforce are forced to pay far more than they ever get back??? Sounds like vote buying at best and really bad public policy at worst.

George

Those supporting this idea must have never applied for unemployment insurance.

You can be certain EI will be great at collecting from the self-employed. Good luck when it comes to trying to get 'your own money' back.

The regulations that determine when a person is no longer self-employed will be so involved that you will pay your lawyer and accountant more than you will ever collect.

TreeTree

Unless I'm reading it wrong it is only for maternity or parental leave. It won't protect self employed workers who are "between" contracts.

Don E. Oshawa

I think this is a fantastic plan for the self employed and it is about time some party is finally taking a honest look at this.

The statement,"..small business owners must pay EI benefits on their employees' behalf, but cannot access the system themselves." is right on the mark.

I have a seasonal business and have to struggle for three month's of the year to get an income flow. If I have a bad year like this past one, I don't generate enough income to see me through the winter.

My employees can claim EI until we start up again but I have to ride it out.

Thanks Mr. Harper for stepping up again.

Jason

This drunken sailor only wants the chair for four more years. It's not going to be four more years of leadership. If you elect Harper, it's going to be four more years of poop!

Jason

This man has no class. He is a tastless idiot in the PM's chair. What a disgrace.

George in Ottawa

Very nice indeed! For those of you who don't like it, just don't pay into it.. as simple as that :)

Ernie Doupe

Does this include owner/operators of gravel trucks who can only haul their product in the warm months and until now have had to cool their heels until the sun shines each spring without a paycheck.

Joseph

Yes, we ALL have misunderstood his announcement. It only pertains to maternal and parental Leaves for the Self Employed. I can't understand how it could be funded by the premiums since probably the only people who'll opt for this program will be the ones planning on having children. And then since there'll be so few in the program the premiums would be astronomical, so even less people will opt for this. So all in all… this was just a way to get his name in the headlines with a nothing announcement.

Sorry Ant-Socialists… no Pogey for you.

Acroyear

To Lowell
"What intelligent person could see a problem with that and I underline the word intelligent."

How about me? As it so happens I'm a telecom engineer Lowell, and I disagree with it.

And for the record, I loathe Stephen Harper. I won't vote Liberal this time, but sure as heck am not voting for our home grown Neo Cons.

"Individuals can make lifestyle changes thereby protecting the environment and using less energy..."

Ah yes, the catch all of "lifestyle change" as if a poor person in rual NS, Ontario or Manitoba chooses it deliberately and just won't change their ways.

The proposed changes to income tax will NOT cover the costs of inflation alone (do the math) and a new furnace, fridge, stove, etc, etc, is well beyond the means of many Canadians. You can give all the credits you like...if they don't have enough money they don't have enough money. Period.

You cannot change how people use fossil fuels by causing them this level of harm...all it will do is criple the economy. I also suspect (no proof, just a feeling) that it might create a nasty "carbon black market"

It's well intentioned, but the Green Shift as it has been created is a failure on the face of it and will only harm Canadians without helping the environment at all.

Don in Ottawa

An excellent idea. Why should self-employed Canadian not receive the same basic entitlements as the rest of Canada? There should be MORE incentive to be self-reliant, not less.

PS: I agree with Ken. It really would be great if the political Left would spare us the tired rhetoric about "hidden agendas" and "radical right wingers". It's getting old, folks! Find something intelligent to say, and while you're at it try practicing some of the tolerance you are so fond of preaching.

DAWN (VANCOUVER)

I am most definitely voting for Harper....he is the only one that can sort our country out..
Never mind he didn't deliver...If the money is not there it is not there....What is called budget...BUDGET - of course Dion doesn't have a clue and NDP are famous for putting us into debt....
GO HARPER G0

Jo-Anne the self employed

I think I will pay into EI for 6 months then lay myself off for a few months! Get it? There is a reason for self employed not being able to collect EI. Abuse of the system.
I still won't vote for that slimy guy.

Al from Calgary

Jason, how do you really feel about Harper?

Jo-Anne from Hamilton the Hammer

If you think that paying into EI for 6 months, then collecting it for 14 weeks( the minimum under the current law) will be an equal amount you are wrong. Maximum amount paid per year is $1706.47 if you pay both employer and employee rate. Collecting EI, you get 55% of your income up to $41,000, and you will still collect more that you contributed. The good folks that pay into EI for years and never collect are the ones that will fund the programme. That's exactly how the current system works and that is how this system will work, don't kid yourself.

Steve in PEI

So... you sign up for the EI program six months before, pay a paltry few dollars in premiums, reap huge rewards on the backs of those of us taxpayers who don't have a choice about participating in EI and then what, opt out again until you're ready to have another kid? What a great scam! It puts "seasonal employment" to shame. Thanks, Stephen Harper!

Trenton

Harper will say and do anything to get re-elected.

A B B

CC-western Canada

To Jo-Anne, the self employed. Perhaps you didn't actually hear the PM. He said that it is for self-employed who are having children. Not for you to take time off. You may also want to look into the tax breaks small businesses get. Harper is the only one who can stop this out of control need to be communists.

GTA

Right now every working Canadian is allowed MAT leave or Parental benefits except those in the small business sector. They deserve the same rights as everyone else. This is not a freebee; they will be paying into the EI coffers just like everyone else. I suspect those who oppose this are frequent EI collectors or on welfare. I am retired. I worked and paid into UI/EI for 33 years and never collected. Maybe I should be demanding a refund on my unclaimed contributions? Funny how all the negatives comments are from the tolerant, compassionate Leftys.

joe

I don't see why not.It's an insurrance against rainy days and having had some experience at self employment I know rainy days do happen.

Ruth

Maternity/parental benefits for self-employed families are long overdue. Good plan! I heartily support it.

Don Partridge

Give me strength.....I would think reducing the eligibility period for those of us that currently pay into it would be a fairer approach than allowing people to pay for 6 lousy months and then draw benifits for a year.

Lisa M.

Ha!! I'll believe it when I see it!!

give us the truth

Harper called the promise "modest and affordable." He said it is expected to cost $150 million annually, but would be funded entirely by premiums paid by participants.

So how is this an advancement for those who will participate. What kind of premiums could be collectd in six months to cover the cost of 1 years parental leave?

Just another lie to get votes.

ABC

Alina

Yes, I agree with Harper, he should be re-elected as prime minister, since he came to power I have had better housing situation, I have had those 100 dollars monthly for daycare needs of my son, I have had the opportunity even to become self employed, so I want Harper and Conservatives to win again!

just the truth

read the article people. this is for maternity and parentity. not for vacations and bad business.

Jennifer Cormier, Edmonton

It's about time!I'm tired of working 24/7 and not getting any benefits for all those taxes I pay as a business owner. Finally a platform that supports business minded Mothers!!!Way to go Harper!

jjaycee

To William of Eastern Ontario...only promise broken was regarding Income trusts. All else was delivered! Income trusts were all about Investors making huge profits (paid out each year by the companies who would then have to scramble to find new investment each year to stay solvent) while leaving the companies high and dry when a down turn came. It would have been disasterous for retirement plans.

H Caton, Mississaga

Every employer pays 1.4 times the EI contribution that the employee pays. Simple math - employee pays $5.00 per week the employer pays $7.00.
If self employed chose to contribute they would more likely pay employee portion plus employer portion - $12.00 per week. That is what happens when self employed pay into CPP - they pay both portions. So if you opt into the system, you should be able to collect.

Bee

As long as it remains voluntary.

I don't want to be forced to pay into it. If you don't pay into it, you can't collect it.

Di Galley - Calgary

I'd like to OPT OUT of the stupd EI plan, maybe then I could save some of it for my own retirement/paid leave of absense. Right now it's something I wouldn't ever be able to use anyway, too old for kids & maternity leave, don't want to attend school for any upgrading, just want to retire early, hello Stephen, are you listening?

Chelsea -Ottawa

That would be nice - I am self employed and apalled that I can't contribute anymore now that I am self-employed even though I have for 10+ years. I paid into and want to continue so I can get the same benefits of people that work for others.

We take the risks and provide jobs yet get ripped off when it comes to EI - make it fair!

Geoff

GREAT

Finally, someone who cares about small business. Now address the level at which CCA starts (its only been the same for about 20 years) and increase the rates of CCA.

David Redman

It's not the EI program if all you're opening up is to maternity and family oriented benefits. Truth is the majority of self-employed people do not have families, or have been set up as legitimate corporations that do have EI benefits. What self-employed people, especially freelancers, need, is access to EI for the downtime between contracts, not to mention access to affordable medical benefits. Pandering to the same old crowd, Harper's Christian nuclear family model.

Gail (Hamilton)

Outstanding! Small business owners have for too long waited for a break like this. The left don't like to see their benevolence eroded by a intelligent Conservative leader and keep putting PM Harper down with the same old stagnant reasons.

Wayne Mallet - Grad student Uof T

This is the first step possibly into making EI a true insurance. If I am self employed or an owner operator of a company with holdings greater than 40% I am not entitled to the benefits of EI.

I think that this could be handled similar to the way Workers comp is done in NB where the proprietor agrees to a set income to a mximum of 40,000(?) and pays premiums on that amount. it makes no sense for the proprietor to over contribute because that would cost more money tahn it is worth.

This is a good start and revenue neutral, something the left should have thought of

Captain Earll

Actually William, the Conservative government are the first one in my life time to fullfill their election promises.

Small business owners are the backbone of this country and deserve the same rights as those who are fortunate enough to be employed by them.

Jo in Gtown

Bravo!
So nice to hear a campaign promise that a) makes sense, b) is long overdue and c) self supporting & will not cost the taxpayer an arm & a leg.
Much more realistic than the billion dollar promises made by Dion, Layton & May.

Doug in Ottawa

Right now, as a self-employed person, I don't pay into EI and I don't get benefits. Works for me... I'd rather not pay for insurance I don't need or want.

Roadrobber

This is a good move. If fishermen in Atlantic Canada, who are technically self-employed, can access the EI programme for benefits, why shouldn't other self-employed business people have access (in this case, to maternity and parental benefits). Good move, Harper.

An Undecided Voter

That's it! Harper would get my vote come election time.

Sparky

Ah... classic Tory move: destroy a social program by bankrupting it. Smooth move.

When social programs fall apart and the country is in deficit, bond-rating agencies and private insurance companies start calling the shots.

And that's what the Tories want.

Richard in Toronto

Harper just got my vote! I run my own business and this is welcome news!

Ed Samson

Ed from NL
Wow!!!!!! has Stephen Harper become an NDPer? Starting to sound like a leftie to me.

J Balvert

Harper can't even keep the very legislation about elections every 4 years do you really think he will keep this one. By offering EI so freely does he predict more failed businesses. Use the money to keep Canadians working.

K. Foster

That is such a help! When running our business a number of years ago, my spouse had a young apprentice for whom we paid ei premiums. After an accident in a hockey game my husband was debilitated for at least 3-5 months. We had to let the young man go; as well, could not access any employment insurance for our own needs, and so suffered great financial loss. That would not have happened had this resource been available to us.

WMN in SK

Excellent...

Edward

If Harper forms the next government, the country will be so far in the hole he will have to add on the two percent he took off the
GST( and maybe more )

Terry

This will only open the EI fund to more fraud. There is a reason why self employed and those hiring close relatives should not qualify.

Records of Employment, required to file a claim, will be completed when no work has been performed and with exagerrated earnings to get high benefits.

If Harper surely wants the system to be fair then EVERYONE should be required to pay and the entire EI system should be overhauled.

self-emloyed in Ottawa

Regarding income trusts: Yes, he made the right choice between taxing income trusts or losing billions of tax dollars. His mistake was ever promising to not tax them, when he really didn't first do his homework about what the implication would be.

Which brings us to this proposed EI change. This will be funded by the new contributions received from self-employed people? And participation is voluntary? He better do his homework on this one, because this will work.

We know that the only self-employed people who would ever participate are the people who plan on cashing in with maternity leave in the next little while. So, if everyone who is contributing will almost certainly cash in, you do the math and figure out how much you would have to pay into this another unrealistic promise.

Harper vows to open EI program to self-employed

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