Conservative Statement on CERB Transition to EI and New Benefits

August 20, 2020

OTTAWA, ON — Today, Dan Albas, Shadow Minister for Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, and Pierre Poilievre, Shadow Minister for Finance, issued the following statement regarding the Trudeau government’s intention to transition Canadians from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to Employment Insurance (EI) and create three new benefits:

“Today’s announcement makes it clear that Justin Trudeau has no plan to help Canadians get back to work or to restart our economy. Shuffling Canadians between programs is not a plan.

“It is unacceptable that the Trudeau government announced these changes days after locking out MPs and shutting down Parliament, to block investigations into their WE Scandal. Canadians have serious questions about this transition and how it will affect them. They deserve transparency and clear answers.

“Throughout the pandemic, Conservatives have been focused on helping Canadians.  We have proposed constructive solutions, like the Back to Work Bonus, a CERB top-up which would ensure workers have the support they need to transition back into the workforce and ensure that local businesses are able to fill shifts and get back on their feet. Unfortunately, the Liberals waited for months before they realized this idea would help Canadians and the economy.

“Millions of Canadians are still unemployed and eager to return to work. Businesses want to reopen and welcome back staff and customers. But instead of fixing their programs and outlining a plan to restart our economy, the Trudeau Liberals continue to let Canadians down.

“Justin Trudeau has been wrong or slow to act throughout this pandemic, and his failure has cost Canadians. This includes the Liberals’ refusal to fix the EI system for new and expecting parents, which they could have made months ago. As a result, Canadians are rightly concerned about falling through the cracks during this transition.

“Conservatives will continue to hold the Trudeau Liberals’ to account and to fight for the answers and support that Canadians deserve. We know that our economic recovery will be driven by Canadians’ hard work, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit.”