Exhausting EI
There is more evidence in today’s release of EI data that the decline in the number of EI beneficiaries is being driven by exhaustion of benefits rather than by a fall in unemployment.
Between September and October, the number of unemployed (seasonally adjusted) rose by 37,700 but the number of regular EI beneficaries (also seasonally adjusted) fell by 4,040.
Between June and October, the number of unemployed fell by 4,500 but the numer of regular EI beneficiaries fell by 19,700.
Some people on EI are finding jobs, of course, but those becoming unemployed do not seem to be qualifying for EI in great numbers.
The unemployment figures do not include underemployed – working at Walmart because there are no other jobs. One also has to wonder whether Statistics Canada is politically influenced as so many other government departments seem to be. The true U.S. unemployment rate seems to be hovering between 17-20%.