15 Sep 2008 Tories to open parental benefits to self-employed

OTTAWA — A re-elected Harper government would allow self-employed Canadians the opportunity to access maternity and parental benefits enjoyed by others who pay into the EI system.

“Self-employed Canadians – and those who one day hope to be – shouldn’t have to choose to between starting a family and starting a business because of government policy,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday morning as the Conservatives kicked off the second day of the election campaign. Self-employed Canadians cannot contribute to the Employment Insurance scheme and, thus, cannot receive maternity benefits that other employees who do pay into the fund can. Keep reading this story here.