Notice in this short clip that Premier Danny Williams makes the pitch for expanded employment insurance benefits instead of tax cuts.
"They need the money now, they need to support their families now…"is the quote attributed to Williams but not in the clip.
Odd.
Unless the feds are planning to boost the amount of money paid out in benefits as a percentage of former income or extend the period of benefits the people he is talking about – people tossed out of work due to the recession or, prematurely, due to hasty government action – will get the benefits.
It’s not like people will go without.
Of course, one of the biggest beneficiaries of a revamped EI system in Newfoundland and Labrador would be the remittance workers from the province who were working in Alberta but who are now finding themselves laid off due to the down turn in Fort MacMurray. They’d be bringing a hefty chunk of cash to Newfoundland and Labrador even though they are out of work and won’t likely find one at home.
Nothing better to reduce public frustration with government impotence on the economic development front in some areas of the province than a big cheque from Uncle Ottawa.
It’s an old line, but a good one.
It’s just an odd one coming from the Premier of a “have” province.
-srbp-