Joint Letter to Minister Boissonnault regarding EI coverage for Jasper evacuees

The Honourable Randy Boissonnault
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

Minister Boissonnault,

As the Members of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach and Edmonton Strathcona, we are writing to you on behalf of Jasper wildfire evacuees who are being denied Employment Insurance (EI) benefits due to insufficient hours worked. These individuals are caught in a deeply difficult situation.

Had the wildfires not occurred and the season continued as usual, Jasper residents – particularly those working in seasonal roles – would have worked enough hours to qualify. The Jasper wildfire resulted in more than 20,000 evacuees, many of whom have not been able to return to their homes, much less their workplaces.

Canadians rely on EI – a government benefit that they have funded their entire working lives – to get through periods of unemployment. Without access to EI, many Jasper evacuees will have to survive without income for an extended period. This is unacceptable. These residents are already dealing with the significant challenges of living away from their homes during the evacuation. The government must do the right thing and change Employment Insurance eligibility for Jasper residents so they can qualify with the hours they worked prior to having their lives uprooted by natural disaster.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our offices using the information below if you have any additional questions. We look forward to a swift resolution on EI benefits for wildfire evacuees from Jasper and the surrounding areas.

Sincerely,

Blake Desjarlais
Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach
blake.desjarlais@parl.gc.ca

Heather McPherson
Member of Parliament for Edmonton Strathcona
heather.mcpherson@parl.gc.ca