WHAT'S AT STAKE

As it stands now, in order for a family to receive Compassionate Care Benefits, a doctor has to sign a form saying that their child is dying ("significant risk of death within 6 months"). This is something many, if not most, doctors are very loath to do. Aside from the reluctance to make such a drastic statement from a medical point of view, it is often felt that such a definitive declaration would be psychologically devastating to the parents and could even interfere with any hope of improvement in their child's condition.

What we want to see is a change in the definition of who can receive benefits under the Compassionate Care Act. It would make a tremendous difference to the families if it were agreed that those with seriously ill children qualified under the Act. We would also like to see the length of time during which benefits are paid extended to at least 26 weeks.  Parents can currently access up to 52 weeks of EI for parental leave to give a healthy baby a good start in Canada. But when that child becomes seriously ill, they cannot acess any of the EI they continue to pay premiums for, in order to pay for life saving support. It just does not make sense.

This change in definition can be brought about through amending the Regulations under which the Act is administered. It would not need Parliamentary procedures, and may be done through Order-in-Council. This would be the first and most immediate step we want to see taken by the Government.

In addition to this, as a second phase of the campaign, we would like to see greater support in Parliament for Gord Brown's Private Member's Bill, C-542: "An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness of child) and another Act in consequence". In its Summary, the aim of the Bill is made clear: "This enactment amends the Employment Insurance Act to extend benefits to a claimant whose child has a serious medical condition that requires a parent to remain at home or with the child while the child receives care. It also amends the Canada Labour Code in consequence".

Gord Brown's Bill is an excellent measure; but, as a Private Members Bill it is almost doomed to die on the Order Paper before the next General Election. It will take years, possibly even a decade, before the Bill is debated in the House of Commons, and that would only be the start of the Parliamentary process required before it became law. How many families across Canada would suffer during this time? What we would look for, instead, is that support be generated on as many levels as possible to have Gord's Bill accepted by the Government of Canada as a Government-sponsored measure. We would also campaign to have all other political Parties in the House accept the Bill as a non-Partisan initiative in order to speed its way through the process. This is surely not a Bill any individual Member, or any Party, in the House could possibly wish to obstruct, delay, or defeat.

WHAT YOU CAN DO