Plan will help people caring for ill family members, Liberal candidates say

The Liberal Party of Canada has a new plan that will invest in economic security and growth for the middle class by giving Canadians greater access to benefits when caring for a seriously ill family member, local Liberal candidates say.

In a news release Friday, Sudbury candidate Paul Lefebvre and Nickel Belt candidate Marc Serré said nearly every Canadian family faces the important responsibility of caregiving at some point, but far too many are unable to access compassionate care benefits.

“The people of Sudbury know the importance of caring for each other – it’s intrinsic to who we are, not only as community members, but as Canadians,” said Lefebvre in the release.

“Under the current system, you only qualify for compassionate care benefits if a family member is at risk of dying within a six-month period,” added Serré.

“This means that many Canadians do not qualify for benefits, and are forced to leave their jobs and drain their savings to provide essential care to ailing loved ones. This is not only unfair, but it hurts our economy and our middle class.”

That is why, in addition to cutting taxes for the middle class and creating a larger Canada Child Benefit, a Liberal government will make Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits available to any Canadian providing care to a seriously ill family member, the release said.

Liberals will also build more flexibility into the program by allowing the six-month benefit to be split and claimed in blocks of time over a year-long period. The benefit is an investment of $190 million per year and will require no increase to Employment Insurance premiums.

“Canadian caregivers deserve reliable financial support and real job security while they care for sick loved ones,” said Lefebvre.

“People should not have to shoulder the responsibility of caregiving on their own,” added Serré. “The Liberal Party has always stood up for Canadian families, and we will continue to do so with our plan for caregivers.”