P.E.I. Coalition for Fair EI want changes made to employment insurance

The P.E.I. Coalition for Fair EI is disappointed the federal budget didn't do more to reverse the changes the former Conservative government made to employment insurance.

Elected Island MPs did not keep their election promise to reverse the E.I. changes, saidLoriMacKay, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees on P.E.I. and a member of the coalition.

"We painted the entire Atlantic red in terms of votes and I think folks were expecting [it]," said MacKay.

"You know, I think a lot of people had employment insurance on their mind when they were casting their ballots in the last federal election."

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The budget lacked any real attempt to reverse the changes brought in by the Harper government that the coalition claims have been detrimental to Island unemployed workers,MacKaysaid.

The coalition knows the federal government plans an E.I. review butsomething needs to be done now, she added.

"It should have happened in this budget. We needed a stimulus budget in order to get, you know, money flowing through the country. And what better way to do that than reverse the Harper cuts of 2012?It would have been really good for our region."

The coalition will continue to push for measures to help unemployed islanders and to encourage people to raise concerns with their MPs,MacKaysaid.