An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (accessibility and other measures)

Bill C-418 (44-1) was a Bloc Quebecois Private Member's Bill from Louise Chabot (Therese-De Blainville), a former union president, to broaden Employment Insurance. It would have set a hybrid eligibility test based on hours or weeks of work and scrapped the old major and minor attachment claimant categories, raised the income-replacement rate from 55 to 60 percent, increased maximum insurable earnings by 40 percent, and lengthened EI sickness benefits from 26 to 50 weeks. It also would have widened coverage for people unable to work because of family violence or parental duties and removed the cap that limits combined regular and special benefits to 50 weeks. The bill reflected long-standing Bloc and labour demands to make EI reach more part-time, seasonal, and precarious workers. It received first reading on November 5, 2024, and did not advance past that stage.