EI System Collapse

[jungleboy]

Guaranteed income of $2000 a month? Better give that to seniors too then. The average cpp payment is probably $700 per month. But wait. The government can’t afford to pay more cpp so they say. Ever wonder why so many seniors work at Walmart ,McDonald’s, Home Depot etc? It’s because they need grocery money not because they are bored.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

Guaranteed income would save the country money.

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Paying even 3 million people a $2,000 a month guaranteed income would cost 72 Billion a year, which is almost as much as the whole emergency Covid 19 package. To do that for all adults would be almost 500 billion or half a trillion dollars. Just where the heck do you think the Federal government is supposed to find that money, and it sure won't be from "program" savings for welfare, Aish etc. since the whole Federal Gov annual budget is only 320 Billion.

Quit listening to socialist/communist propaganda from the NDP and their ilk and start exercising your own brain a little.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

This.

In Trudy's War On The West, pipelines and oilfield workers are not the only casualties. His deranged and desperate focus on a UN seat well above and beyond anything "Canadian" has put a lot of families at risk. One such example is his government's savaging of our West Coast Fisheries. As a West Coast Vancouver Island Troller (Area G) we have seen our operating season slashed repeatedly and our quotas handed freely to another sector in the name of "Reconciliation". In short, our fleet is in tatters at this point, and most of us have been struggling to maintain an even keel for a handful of years now. I am directly in that boat.

Then, when something unforeseen comes along, The pressure often becomes a little too much to handle. My case in point: I was recently diagnosed with Deep Cranial Venous Thrombosis. Quite the mouthful to say there is a massive blood clot blocking the main vein which drains the left hemisphere of my brain. Life Threatening. Can't work. Isolated because if I now catch this damn virus, I will die.

We have always lived within our means. I drive a 22 year old truck, and our house is a rather moderate abode. Not much else for toys besides the usual hunting stuff.We have never been extravagant by any means.

But at this juncture, we are in trouble. If we have to drop to my Lady's income only, our "free" funds will run around 100 clams a month.

At 60 years of age, I have well paid my dues over the years into EI etc etc. Now, when I need some of that support in return, the current circus is preventing me from accessing that.

I am about to go into the daily cycle of calling repeatedly, hoping to eventually get into the queue, and desperately hoping that they don't let the clock run out on me once I get there yet again.

I truly hope none of you ever find yourselves in such a miserable position. It very much SUCKS.

Nog

Sorry to hear about your situation
To me, they should have a question when your applying for benefits
"How long have you been contributing and paying taxes in Canada"
And then rank the calls accordingly

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by bobtodrick

There's an age old saying...put 10% of your takehome pay into savings for something unexpected...whether it be Covid-19 or your roof springs a leak and you have to replace it.
Of course you should strive to do better....but doing better isn't necessarily about having a bunch of junk you don't really need...it's about quality of life.
As many here know I'm in retail...not the biggest money making career in the world. But I have a great life, have all the things I need (and more than a few that I don't)...but by being smart I'm also not freaking out that with my wages cut in half because I've been cut to 1/2 time because I actually put some of my money away and can survive awhile on those savings.
I can do it on retail wages....and I'm amazed when I hear of people who make twice what I do freaking out because they don't know how they are going to make next months rent.

I get it Bob, and I agree for the most part, but what about the business owners? They still have to pay rent, utilities, phones, insurance, bonds, accountant, bills not only for their homes but the business as well. Every business deemed non essential is closed, and without income accounts will drain fast. I would be extremely happy as would all business owners with half wage. As it is now, I have to pay everything put of pocket, with zero income.
I am smart with my money, mine is a small business and I pay into the government every year just like everyone else. Telus, county gas, atco property tax, water, sewer, cooperators, the banks etc have a saying; if you dont pay we shut off Services, sue and seize as required.
Your scenario works fine for you, and good on you for having a level head, money in the bank and a boss that appreciates you, but the business down the street may not be there in a couple months.
It's not all about putting 10% away.

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

How long do you feel you can survive on your savings? Do you have any dependants ?

Two dependents...about a year, no problem.
But again, I'm able to do that because I have a modest 1200sqft home and have always driven used vehicles that I have paid cash for. The vehicle thing is what did it. While all my friends were buying new or leasing...I was taking what they were paying for vehicle loans and putting it in a savings account. So while I'm driving a low mileage 12 year old Acura MDX that gets me around just fine...I put about $350 (a lease payment) into savings. Have done that for 15 years now and it adds up.
This is my rainy day fund, which if I don't have to use will get turned into my retirement fund once that day comes.

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I get it Bob, and I agree for the most part, but what about the business owners? They still have to pay rent, utilities, phones, insurance, bonds, accountant, bills not only for their homes but the business as well. Every business deemed non essential is closed, and without income accounts will drain fast. I would be extremely happy as would all business owners with half wage. As it is now, I have to pay everything put of pocket, with zero income.
I am smart with my money, mine is a small business and I pay into the government every year just like everyone else. Telus, county gas, atco property tax, water, sewer, cooperators, the banks etc have a saying; if you dont pay we shut off Services, sue and seize as required.
Your scenario works fine for you, and good on you for having a level head, money in the bank and a boss that appreciates you, but the business down the street may not be there in a couple months.
It's not all about putting 10% away.

Don't get me wrong...the business owners I feel for. Whilst the government is giving money away to people who should be able to save, the business owner is stuck with a crappy economy that has been ongoing for four years now, and with Covid a population that can't afford to spend money.
Them I feel for. Many business owners go without so they can stay in business and maybe even employ someone.
The ones I'm talking about are the people who (and of course this is not all of them) work in the oilsands, make a ton of money, whose driveways have at least two new vehicles, a couple of quadsa and snowmobiles and yet are two paycheques away from not making their rent.
My beef is that there are more of them out there than there should be...and they are the ones that are most desperate to get the government help.

[Buckhead]

Originally Posted by bobtodrick

Don't get me wrong...the business owners I feel for. Whilst the government is giving money away to people who should be able to save, the business owner is stuck with a crappy economy that has been ongoing for four years now, and with Covid a population that can't afford to spend money.
Them I feel for. Many business owners go without so they can stay in business and maybe even employ someone.
The ones I'm talking about are the people who (and of course this is not all of them) work in the oilsands, make a ton of money, whose driveways have at least two new vehicles, a couple of quadsa and snowmobiles and yet are two paycheques away from not making their rent.
My beef is that there are more of them out there than there should be...and they are the ones that are most desperate to get the government help.

Well it's hard to get away from that. For the past 75 years we have been subjected to social engineering to turn this into a consumer driven society.
The only way you could get rid of that is to let the economy go into a complete crash and bankrupt all the debtors and creditors. That won't happen. And if it did you and I and possibly everyone on this board would be out of a job. And not for 3 months, maybe 10 years.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by bobtodrick

Don't get me wrong...the business owners I feel for. Whilst the government is giving money away to people who should be able to save, the business owner is stuck with a crappy economy that has been ongoing for four years now, and with Covid a population that can't afford to spend money.
Them I feel for. Many business owners go without so they can stay in business and maybe even employ someone.
The ones I'm talking about are the people who (and of course this is not all of them) work in the oilsands, make a ton of money, whose driveways have at least two new vehicles, a couple of quadsa and snowmobiles and yet are two paycheques away from not making their rent.
My beef is that there are more of them out there than there should be...and they are the ones that are most desperate to get the government help.

Gotcha.
I am constantly dealing with people in that exact position, can't pay their accountant because their monthly payments are over $10,000.00 per month, and I am not exaggerating at all. It's crazy.

Also all over the place online the ones demanding free everything are the unemployed ones living in rental units with no real expenses, but by damned they are entitled to it!! Drives me crazy.

[Hadji Ramjet]

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

Many other countries have done this and it has saved them money.

Can you explain how it worked for them but wouldn’t work for us?

A lot of conservative governments in other western countries have looked at this program as a way to reduce overhead spending.

Can you explain what they don’t know about the program that you yourself understand?

Which countries have done this?
What evidence exists for the claim that, "it has saved them money?"
Can you explain "how it worked for them?"
Can you enumerate which of the "lot of conservative governments in other western countries have looked at this program" favorably?

No, probably not.

[Bigjohn87]

Originally Posted by Hadji Ramjet

Which countries have done this?
What evidence exists for the claim that, "it has saved them money?"
Can you explain "how it worked for them?"
Can you enumerate which of the "lot of conservative governments in other western countries have looked at this program" favorably?

No, probably not.

Do a google search. I have no desire to carry on this discussion so my time in this thread is done. We waste too much with government overhead, very inefficient. Need to reduce manpower substancially and throw a lot of programs together. Would like to see more protection for people that want to work and less protection for those with no desire to work. We need a complete overhaul of the System from top to bottom, a 100% rebuild. Good day to you

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Hadji Ramjet

Which countries have done this?
What evidence exists for the claim that, "it has saved them money?"
Can you explain "how it worked for them?"
Can you enumerate which of the "lot of conservative governments in other western countries have looked at this program" favorably?

No, probably not.

Just ignore this guy. He is so full of it his eyes are brown. Typical of the legion of people that talk through their hat. They read stuff and don't think critically about it and then just regurgitate it somewhere else. People wonder why fake news is so prevalent and spreads so fast.

P.S. Check post 62, I easily showed him how his math is so far out to lunch his claims of saving money are complete hogwash. Now in his latest post he says he doesn't want to discuss this anymore, but still contends we would save money. You can't fix that level of oblivion.

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

Do a google search. I have no desire to carry on this discussion so my time in this thread is done. We waste too much with government overhead, very inefficient. Need to reduce manpower substancially and throw a lot of programs together. Would like to see more protection for people that want to work and less protection for those with no desire to work. We need a complete overhaul of the System from top to bottom, a 100% rebuild. Good day to you

Just so we know who we're dealing with...what name did you go under when you were last banned?

[Wild Bounty]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

What a complete eff-up!

Two million plus Canadians attempting to access a program that barely functioned at the best of times before this virus came along.

System, both online and on the phones, is COMPLETELY swamped!
No end of that in sight!

Today was Day Six for me. Up and on the phone attempting to make contact at 8:30 am.
Never get into queue before noon. Ever.
When you do get into the on hold situation, they simply leave you sit there.
For hours upon hours.
In fact, when they lock the doors and go home for the day, they simply leave you dangling "on hold".

4.5 hours of that (again) today, only to be left dangling once again.

Now over 3,000 call attempts, and 24+ hours plus "on hold".

Contacted the MP, who actually did try to get them to do something for me.
They basically told him to Get Stuffed.
So much for that angle.

Unfortunately I listened to them when they LIED to me and asked me to drop off the required Medical Certificate at their office when they already knew full well they would be closed that day and every one forward from then.

Leaves me in a damn bad spot.

I MUST deal with the matter "in person" or "over the phone".
No other options.
Neither works.

And folks wonder just why my attitude is somewhat "poor" of late...

Choked,
Nog

My MP here went to bat for me and Canada service called me last Monday, otherwise, I was in the same boat , could not get through on the phone lines, same scenario as you

[CanuckShooter]

Originally Posted by ram crazy

I could survive 2 years, but then again I live within my means. The problem with the younger generation is they feel they should be given everything and not have to work to hard to obtain it.

And 2 years from now you and the spendthrifts will both be in the same spot financially. At least with scrimping and saving you wouldn't have been a burden on society.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I applied on the 17th, got my code in the mail. But if you go on the Canada service website you can track your application progress.... received, under review, etc.....
Mines been “under review” for about a week.
The site says it can take up to 28 days before you receive.

Mine doesn’t even show up on my screen..... it’s blank!

[ram crazy]

Originally Posted by CanuckShooter

And 2 years from now you and the spendthrifts will both be in the same spot financially. At least with scrimping and saving you wouldn't have been a burden on society.

Highly unlikely I would be in the same spot financially as you!

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by Wild Bounty

My MP here went to bat for me and Canada service called me last Monday, otherwise, I was in the same boat , could not get through on the phone lines, same scenario as you

My MP tried. He was basically told to Get Lost and do not call with this kind of request again. CLICK.

So much for that theory...

On hold after finally getting through to queue at 1:00pm.
Think I'll simply let it cycle all night after they leave me dangling and shut their doors for the day again.
Their dime, and perhaps, just perhaps I might get an actual Two-Legs in the am...

Nog

[KGB]

After my latest experience with EI, I’m wondering if I can just opt out of it....

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

My MP tried. He was basically told to Get Lost and do not call with this kind of request again. CLICK.

So much for that theory...

On hold after finally getting through to queue at 1:00pm.
Think I'll simply let it cycle all night after they leave me dangling and shut their doors for the day again.
Their dime, and perhaps, just perhaps I might get an actual Two-Legs in the am...

Nog

Good luck to you!

[IronNoggin]

Well, they did it once again. Left me on hold and went home for the day.

Going to leave the damn phone on hold all night.

Their sheer incompetence is affecting a lot more than me. Complete *****holes:

https://business.financialpost.com/e...need-them-most

[Ken07AOVette]

I got a call back, specifically I got voice mail because my phone didn't ring, they called from a Private caller, which I had blocked. Real handy. He said they would try one more time between 8AM and 4PM tomorrow. Sure.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

Well, they did it once again. Left me on hold and went home for the day.

Going to leave the damn phone on hold all night.

Their sheer incompetence is affecting a lot more than me. Complete *****holes:

https://business.financialpost.com/e...need-them-most

Most of the people working at Service Canada basically abandoned their jobs and our pusie government let them and their union get away with it. They should fire everyone of them.

Try not to take your frustration out on the 300 out of 3000 that actually showed up for work to try and help you out. I get it's frustrating but maybe try putting yourself in their shoes a little.

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by Dean2

... Try not to take your frustration out on the 300 out of 3000 that actually showed up for work to try and help you out. I get it's frustrating but maybe try putting yourself in their shoes a little.

I won't be. As is usually the case, the front line troops are never responsible for the bull that is occurring.

Nog

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

I won't be. As is usually the case, the front line troops are never responsible for the bull that is occurring.

Nog

True that and figured u would see it that way because you are usually a real balanced and level guy. Unfortunately not everyone does. Had to unsocial distance myself from a buttwipe that was yelling at some poor clerk in superstore because they were out of bananas. Funny how much more polite they get when someone gets all up in THEIR face. Don't seem to enjoy getting it near as much as giving it.

[zabbo]

Originally Posted by Lamburt

The government punishes people who live within their means (taxing them more and giving them less handouts) and rewards people who live outside their means (giving them more handouts).

The government has also helped inflate and perpetuate a big housing bubble (to make our GDP appear big, to increase taxes, to skim money off the top, to perpetuate the status quo). This puts the younger generation in the position of either living beyond their means, or bumming off their parents for 10+ years.

I would say the government does everything it can to encourage people to live beyond their means. It can't force people, but based on the level of debt Canadians have I'd say they have been very successful.

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

I would suggest you spend 5 minutes reading about Communism to understand how it is you came to the wrong conclusion.

Why do I get the feeling these two identities are one and the same person?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by zabbo

Why do I get the feeling these two identities are one and the same person?

There is a good reason Bighorn87 got banned again.

[zabbo]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

I may well try that tomorrow after they close the doors and leave me dangling... again...

Nog

i know a couple other people caught in the same quagmire. Don't envy any of you.
Hope you get it sorted out quick!

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by zabbo

i know a couple other people caught in the same quagmire. Don't envy any of you.
Hope you get it sorted out quick!

Don't think that is going to happen.
They hung up at 7:15pm last night. So much for the overnight attempt.
Over 400 call attempts today. Got into queue much later than "normal" at 2:30pm. I pretty much know they will now let the clock run out on me, having done so for seven straight days.

Today is the last day I can convert the claim. Run out of medical days on the standard claim. Means it simply sucks to be me I guess.
Going to go directly against their rules and apply online for the medical claim.
Believe they will deny that, and tell me to phone one of the numbers I have been so diligently trying the past two weeks.

End of two weeks of effort.
Giving up...

Nog

[IronNoggin]

Well... they broke me. Literally.

Kicked me off EI without making the switch to a Medical Benefits Claim. They did so stating I had "plenty of time to contact them and do so" and as a result of me not doing so I am not qualified. Complete BS.

Not qualified for any of the other virus related programs.

Not qualified for welfare and I wouldn't go there even if I was.

Doctor suggesting to go on CPP Disability, and given no other choice I may have to. Current backlog with that process is in excess of five months.

Going to be a long & broke haul for quite the spell it seems.

Frustrated...

Now today they have the unmitigated gall to DEMAND that I call them asap (via My Service Canada account).

Of course the provided number is the same one I have been trying for weeks.

Un-Effing-Real!
Nog

[IronNoggin]

I am FAR from alone. Best guesstimates are that in excess of 700,000 Canadians are slipping through the cracks just as I have:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canad...it/ar-BB12hTzi

What a complete mess they are making of this matter.
And what a complete mess that is making of one hell of a lot of lives...

Nog