Statement made on 09 March 2010 by Senator Lucie Pépin (retired)
Hon. Lucie Pépin:
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government. As everyone knows, Canadian women who lose their jobs after being on parental leave for a year are not entitled to employment insurance benefits. The law states that to be entitled to benefits, a claimant must have worked a certain number of hours during the preceding year.
In the context of the current crisis, which has caused so many job losses, this section of the act penalizes mothers in particular. It also interferes with work-family balance.
Does the federal government plan to rectify this injustice, which has a negative impact on many Canadian women returning from maternity leave?
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