Mike Kelloway on EI extension

CHNE produces weekly interviews with Cape Breton – Canso MP Mike Kelloway where community members can send in their questions for him.

A Chéticamp fisherman asked whether the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) would count as insurable income so he could use it to collect Employment Insurance (EI) in the winter. Seasonal workers such as fishers and those working in the tourism sector have been calling for the federal government to either expand EI accessibility or extend the CERB. Since the COVID-19 pandemic is announcing a disrupted season, workers likely won't make enough hours to qualify for EI and receive an income the rest of the year.

It seems that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit will not be filling that gap. “The way the CERB is set up,” Kelloway said, “it’s set up as a basic income, but it wouldn’t go towards hours in respect to EI.” 

However, the federal MP hopes to hear an announcement from cabinet regarding an EI extension. “Yesterday we sent a detailed letter,” he said, “we sent an email in terms of the recommendations that we’re hearing from all fishing communities throughout Cape Breton – Canso. Of course, the extension of EI is one of them or some type of similar comparable allotment of money for a period of time that would be the same as EI. We sent that off to Bernadette Jordan, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Bill Morneau and Carla Qualtrough, who is in charge of Service Canada. I know I’m not the only MP that has been pushing this particular policy to reflect the realities of seasonal workers.” 

Local fishers with underlying health conditions have told CHNE that they will take the risk and go fishing if the government doesn’t guarantee them an income for the winter. “We need to look at the timeline before May 15th,” said Kelloway, “to ensure that if we have these measures, they come out before people make the decision to fish.”

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has announced that May 15th will be the official opening date of the lobster fishing season in our region. The local snow crab fishing area opened last week.