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MHA Jones urging E.I. extension with federal government May 10, 2007
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Yvonne Jones, MHA for the District of Cartwright-L=Anse Au Clair, says she is keeping pressure on the federal government to ensure they respond with an Employment Insurance (E.I.) benefits extension for fishers and fish plant workers in her district who are suffering because of severe ice conditions. AI am very concerned about the fact that the fishing season has not yet started and that there are thousands of fishers and plant workers in the district of Cartwright-L=Anse Au Clair whose income support will soon run out or who have already lost their E.I. benefits,@ says Jones. AThis is a very serious issue and if something is not done soon, it is expected that things will get even worse.@ The Liberal MHA says she has been in contact with the office of the federal fisheries minister Loyola Hearn, who is also the federal cabinet representative for this province. AI have spoken to his chief of staff on this matter several times to press upon the minister the urgency of this situation. Further, I have also applied pressure to have an ice compensation package started with the federal minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Monte Solberg. AThe last time ice conditions like this were so severe and disruptive to the fishing season, I also pressed the federal government to put E.I. extensions in place for our fishers and plant workers. The expectation now is that this current government will also see the urgency of the matter and provide the same level of support, hopefully sooner rather than later. AWith an E.I. surplus of more than $51 Billion, there are no excuses whatsoever why an individual has to go without any level of income support for any length of time and leave them and their families with this level of stress.@ Jones says she would like to reassure her constituents that this matter is a very high priority with her and she intends to keep daily pressure on the federal level of government until an extension of benefits is provided.
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