Canadians' pay cheques continue to shrink: Canadian Tax Federation

What ever happened to the large surplus they had in the EI Fund?

Basically worked for 42 years... without EVER dipping into the EI (UIC) fund. Wish I could tap into that money now (not that I need it) instead of it paying bureaucrats salaries and EI abusers.

I have absolutely no problem paying into CPP as I know in the future I will be receiving it as well.

EI however is a joke and should be abolished.

Really!!, I completely agree. However it's best to have it at least a bit... but they should perhaps look at assets as well when deciding whether to give it out. If you inherit 10 million but lose your job, they'll still pay you EI! Crazy.

"If you inherit 10 million but lose your job, they'll still pay you EI! Crazy. "

Someone who inherited $10M would have an income of at least $400k/year from the interest/dividends on the money alone, in which case, any EI paid out by the EI fund would be recovered on the individuals' tax return.

I love the comments here but they are a little skewed by propaganda of the right of center. First EI. supports a myriad of seasonal businesses that are located in this country, this is not Florida. So construction, landscaping, forestry, fisheries and tourism to name but a few are allowed to operate and in most cases provide better than average incomes to the owners while their seasonal employees wait the season out on EI. How many of these seasonal business operators actually close up shop and winter south, we all know a few don't we? If this EI system were not in place these businesses would have to operate and pay their employees differently to exist. Secondly, the extent of the seasonal businesses on the Canadian economy is surprisingly significant so consider the impact of all those paycheques ceasing every year around the same time so to flatten out economic activity EI fits nicely. In summary, can we actually consider EI as welfare to the individual or corporate welfare to business owners? I suppose it would depend on the region of the country but I can tell you this much, if EI were not there these seasonal businesses would be in dire straits to attract and keep employees. Think about it! Is it more corporate welfare than anything else? Do politicians actually care about Joe Public in the farming district of Alberta or the deck hand in BC?

To Paule,
Concerning whatever happened to the large EI surplus, well, the government stole it. Instead of saving this surplus for an economic decline, they took this 30 billion (yes, 30 billion) to pay down the debt. I don't have a problem with debt repayment,, but this was not money from general tax revenue, it was money from EI tax deductions. So, now that huge savings account is no more, the government is continually running deficits, and of course have made changes to the EI program, making it more difficult to collect what is your due. A great big thank you to all those false smiling glad hand shaking politicians. The next time you feel the need to pay down the debt, maybe you can dip into that fat pension fund you all so do not deserve.

Carl is right. EI basically keeps temporary workers available for seasonal jobs and industries like fishing. However it is used as a threat to employees, that if they upset the employer, they wont have an easy time collecting EI for the winter. OH and S suffers because of this, and the Feds have decided that you cannot quit a job that requires extensive travel to, just because the roads become too bad to travel. I think the Government should be charged with contributing to the deaths and illness of many construction workers who find they need to continuously travel for employment. The last talk I had with EI consisted of EI telling me that since I previously had travelled for work, now they expect me too, so no EI... theres a job somewhere... well if you aint gonna pay out then scrap the system and let all the measly c***s who work for EI, find a rel job too, perhaps they can travel also :) ... (im all for scrapping OS and S, Labor board, EI, workmans comp, Labor relations board, The procurement of out of country drugs dept, and the refer to out of province or country for medical services dept. These are just jobs for the preimiers dumb cousin, where they dont actually work for the money anyways).

Carl has it right. No EI, no seasonal businesses. The others confuse EI with welfare. The difference is obvious if you think on it for a second.

I worked for many years and never collected so my pennies have contributed to the enormous EI surplus routinely reported by the mainstream media. No problem. A cheque every two weeks kept my head above water.

Meanwhile. the seasonal workers and seasonal businesses mentioned by Carl kept me in lumber and building supplies for my housing, put low cost food on my table and helped in myriad other ways such as plow the highways, protect my woodland from wildfires, even produced my annual Christmas Tree, etc. My cost, it seems, was maybe a thousand dollars a year. Pretty good deal.

The right wingers have to be there to keep the left wingers in check and vice versa so the middle guys can eke out an existence. Remember the Mccains, when they bought Maple Leaf, had to relocate their meat packing plants to a more business friendly Province because they could not POSSIBLY pay the $17 hr wage to those nasty Union employees. Mccain the Maple Leaf president's salary in 2010 ??? A little more than 8.5 MILLION dollars!!! Plus bonuses and other perks not made public. Not too shabby!

Mccains grew up in this Province and have no more business savvy than any other baggy assed farmer in Carleton County. But they perfected the role of the corporate welfare bum and never looked back. Currently they provide something like 50,000 direct line jobs and many thousand more in contract and supply businesses worldwide.

Therefore, corporate welfare, commoners welfare, EI and countless other programs for rich and poor alike keep the wheels turning. No sense singling out one of the players for abuse while coddling the rest.

Thats my two cents worth.

all these ppl against ei what a joke. almost everybody i know will use it at some point knowadays with companies closing daily . as for cpp for ppl my age the government just raised the age by 3 years so i may never use that but im paying for it. glad you got 42 years of not having to use the ei system but if we get laidoff and dont get hired what would you like us to do steal?As for this inheriting 10 million it depends what it is is it insurance or investments or a house most likely their not getting ei.We need ei we pay it to it as insurance to get you through a job loss.

Taxpayer, Carl, Bob and Steve

To TAXPAYER,

EI is not a joke and should not be abolished as you say. I am an electircian who works in construction and yes unfourtunitly i have to use EI. Mind you its not fun or a vacation that many people think it is, believe me. I pay into everything you pay into. CPP EI Taxes....etc. So you tell me what many other ppl that HAVE TO use EI, when there's no work? The ironic part is even though I pay into EI you actually wouldn't believe the amount of B.S. you have to do in order to get what you rightful need to survive (after all, i have paid into it when i'm working so why can't i collect) anyone who has used or uses EI should be able to relate....

Carl and Bob , you guys are correct EI does support many seasonal businesses. i agree with you and your comments!! THe politians are fake and are greedy wouldn't do any cuts to their pensions or salaries. prime example, Gilles Ducepp, he recevieves over $150,000/ yr for the rest of his life.... now how does that happen? and why does he get to receive that amount for the rest of his life? you tell me what person that is retired that makes that kind of money, when an avg joe retires...... Yes if they need to pay down the debt they need to make cuts to the politians.... Instead of suckin the middleclass (which is pretty much non existant) due to the government suckin us dry.....

Steve, I so agree with you too, yes the government has too many people that work for them and alot of them are pretty dumb. sometimes you luck out and find a good person that knows their stuff and can help you when issues do arise. but more often than not you get a person that doesn't have a clue. They usually out number the gd ones that work for the various gov't departments..... and Yes i've travelled to for work and it costs alot of money. and yes in different circumstances needed to come home, and tried to collect EI and the hassel they give you is rediculas. you gotaa jump thru hoops to get what your rightfully intitled too...

I think the systems we have in place in Canada are reasonable and humane. I worked from 1962 until 2010, when my last job was "outsourced". I collected EI on three occasions. I even collected welfare for 2 months when Revenue Canada froze my bank accounts, and I needed to feed my children. Nobody knows when they might NEED some help. I think the perception of widespread abuse of the system is overstated.

alfred watson, not all union emplyees are "nasty" and there are many unions in ontario, one of the largest union in the world happens to be the teachers union. and well with out unions many things today wouldn't be the way they are. Unions have implemented many standards, either being safety, benefits, wages etc. with out unions the non union employees would not be receiveing the wage they do it betters everyones life.

I have no sympathy for seasonal workers or trades people. I work in Ft McMurray where I see the system exploited constantly. If I was to be laid off I have enough of a savings I could easily last 2 years without any income because I am smart with my money and I am only 29 years old. Again I do not feel bad for people whining and complaining about their lack of savings because they have shitty jobs, no education or trade. Survival of the fittest, if you get laid off it’s because your not worthy of keeping around I see this on a daily basis up here. The good workers are kept working and the lazy are sent packing. Some workers intentionally dog it near the end of a job because they want to go back to the Maritimes and collect EI for a few months while the rest of the hard working people have to foot that bill. Ridiculous.

Regarding EI; I think it has it's uses, but the system needs a major overhaul. I had an out of town job, quit, then took another one in the city where I live. I was laid off from that, and was off work for almost three months. EI refused to give me money to hold me over until I could get another job, because 1: I had travelled for work before, why can't I do that now, and 2 Walmart is hiring... I've been working and paying into EI since I was sixteen... really?

In defence of Unions, My old job could have used one. I have seen unions both help and hinder, and I firmly believe thier benifits outwiegh thier flaws at the present time.

It's only a matter of time before Canadians start realizing how much the "Government", is taking from them. I was laid off, been paying into E.I like most people. When it came to get the money that I ALREADY WORKED FOR, they said I couldn't have it. Thats my money that I already earned, I should be able to use it whenever the hell I want to. Especially now. Since November 13th this year
I haven't been able to find any work here in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This is why people steal, sell drugs,and even sell themselves. I have a wife and a 2 year old daughter that I cannot support at the moment. I don't have family to help me, I have nothing. I need that money to live and the government is spending it on themselves, money that we work so hard to earn. A lousy 10.15 an hour is what minimum wage is here, it's no wonder everyone thinks that Nova Scotia is a Welfare province. Well i'll be the first to tell you that there's no welfare here, you'll never get it if you apply.

Hey Sparky,

The comment about "nasty" unions was meant as a joke on Mccains for finding it impossible to pay a meager 17 bucks an hour to their unionized employees but can pay each other $4500 per hour. Their rationale seems perverse at best.

Yes, Unions are an important and integral piece of the work picture. There has not ever been any real progress in the workplace without the sacrifice of countless Union members and leaders who felt they had a responsibility to improve pay and working conditions and gave their all to that end.

I salute your courage in remarking on the contribution Union members have made and are making to our life.Not many do. I also apologize for making a remark on Unions or their members that can be so easily misunderstood.

Happy New year to you

You keep pushing us human beings in a corner. I don't know about you, but when i'm pushed in a corner I fight to do whatever it takes to get out if it. Now there putting you and your whole family in a corner. So what are we suppose to do, I guess we just take it like morons. You need to get mad and I mean really really mad. I WANT YOU TO GET SO MAD THAT YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF and say
" I'M A HUMAN BEING FOR CHRIST SAKES AND MY LIFE HAS VALUE". You won't though because as long as you watch the news and read the paper you have the governments fear all inside you. We are so much better than this and we deserve better and we all should have a chance to live and raise a family. Were so ignorant to each other now, no body helps anyone unless for a price of course. If we keep doing this to each other than were giving the government exactly what it wants, THE ENTIRE WORLD. I'd rather die fighting for some type freedom because we ARE NOT free, than let the government tell me how I have to live for the rest of my life.

Never mind that we are going to be paying more for these services, my husband's paycheque has been shrinking for the last 5 years. Every year his T-4 slip shows he is making less money than the previous year, and now he's going to be bringing home even less. We are a one income family as I am disabled. That makes making ends meet even more difficult. For whatever reason, I do not qualify for the drug compensation part of disability, so all my disability money pays for the medication I need to survive. As far as we can see, there will be no retirement for my husband, we simply cannot afford for him to retire.....ever!

One word for you CANADA

i think everybody has a point but lets be honest with ourselves , the goverment has been taking more from us now for a least five years and its not getting any better . this just goes to prove it ! they expect us to tighten our belts all the time but i dont see them doing it ! im tired of them getting big penisons and big wages for just making us more poor and taking social programs away ! dont get me wrong some things needed changiing but our education and heath system should always be a first ! not their trips , suits , cars and pensions. they should have to wait till their 67 like the rest of us !! lead with example ! maybe they should take some of their own adivce ! if as canadians we dont start fighting for our rights this is only going to get worse not better. the goverment will keep taking until we say no !! kinda like kids right ?!!

In response to Raymond Billard | Jan 6, 2022 10:54:58 AM
You seem to be the only one who says what is the reality of the situation. Apathy and cowardice are the order of the day where I live in Canada. The government and their police henchmen will stomp on you if you protest and so no protest and no hope for change. There is no freedom and there is no accountability here. We are being herded, for the benefit of the rich. So called "Lawful Protest" does not work because the government and Co. don't have to listen. Just look at the way they have treated First Nations Peoples for decades as an example. The people we elect lie, cheat and steal from their citizens with impunity. They are thugs and they have the power to get away with it. Their message is, fight us at your peril. I fear the future for the first time in my existence.

Taxes ? Insurance ? It is my experience that those who do not believe in either are the first to go on knee to the tax collector(govermment) when their financial world falls apart . ,We pay into the indirectly into the pension funds and foreign investment funds (which we will never benefit from ) of all the CEOs whos company's products are a necessity of our daily lives , we pay for car insurance and we may never have a claim ,this old addage about paying for something you may never benefit from is a lot of shallow thinking . Everone has increased costs every year ,to suggest that the cost of protecting your family and your future are the demons in this senario would be a proof that you haven't checked what is really affecting yourt finances lately .

Thanks Wallace for understanding. I also fear the future as well. For me, my wife, and my daughter.
I do know one thing wether i'm alive to see it or not, we will rise again. The way the entire governments around the world operate will take it toll on mother nature. When she fights back I do not want to be around when that happens. They use to keep everything a secret, but now we gave them so much money and power to create the biggest gang in the world that they do everything now right in front of our faces. We still do nothing because of the power we gave them, the money WE gave them. I know most of you thought it was for good purpose, for protection of your countries values and the protection of you and your family. Do you feel protected at all? Do you feel safe? All of this started from war. You can think what you want but war was created from greed. An army created to take what does not belong to them and willing destroy anything in its path including human life. Well, in that case.... The government has been taking from us for as long as I can remember and I know YOU know whats coming next if humans stop feeling afraid and stop feeling what society makes you feel. It's a war we would probably not win, but I'd rather die trying because I know what will happen if I do not. War was created for greed, maybe it can end with freedom!

time the gov stay out of our lives. and keeps its hands off...the more money goes around the better..

If the money is going around as Rod would have us believe why do the number of off shore bank accounts keep growing and the food bank line ups get longer. Going around is a good theory to look at but there is usually a whole in the circle where the tookage occurs . Amazingly this tookage is not taxable in the majority of cases . Where are you on the big circle of things.

harper and the corruption party and the greedy corporations have been sucking each others c-ck for years at the same time they ALL f-ck canadians up the a-- !!!! this is a 100 % fact !!!!

1) EI should be optional to pay into - let the individual citizen decide if they want the employment insurance or not.
2) Seasonal workers = should pay a higher premium! Just like car insurance, the more claims you have, the higher the premium you pay

if you want to know where the money went in the ei bank well how many people do you know who can work for 10 weeks and collect for 42 weeks and the welfare will give you the 10 weeks work well tats nothing how about if you have a fishing boat and all your family is working on it for 10 weeks and they collect for 42even if they never worked a day on that boat well i guess you have never lived on the east coast then because they have been doing it for years and years because the welfare is province paid and ei is is fed paid that means all of us from coast to coast are paying those east coasters for 42 weeks and we just love it don.t we what is wrong with this picture do you feel like a mark now or what

In the last 10 years, my wages didn't go up, actually, between tax increase yearly and everything else that increased such as electricity, gas and food, I was going down hill. Being a single Mom, working full time and two jobs just to survive and provide for my 2 children and an ex husband who just abandonned his family, I got sick but couldn't claim EI because I could still work like at a Wal Mart or Tim's at a very low income. I burned out for working so much and raising the children. I had to quit my employment as the employer did not accept me being part time to recup. I applied again for EI. I finally managed to try to work from home and start my own bookkeeping services which takes quite some time to build a clientel, by the time EI had finally reviewed my case, they refused me again since I had started my home business. At the time I only had 2 clients which generated 15 hrs/week.