les-de-la-Madeleine organizes EI protest

les-de-la-Madeleine is forming a coalition to meet with Human Resources Minister Diane Finley to protest recent changes to Employment Insurance.

The coalition includes groups from Quebec's Gasp and Bay St. Lawrence areas, as well as northern New Brunswick. P.E.I. has also been asked to participate.

Recent reform to EI makes it more difficult for seasonal workers to collect. That prompted a massive protest in les-de-la-Madeleine last week. Four thousand people marched on the Service Canada office in Cap-Aux-Meules, a third of the islands' population.

The economy of the tiny Gulf of St. Lawrence archipelago is heavily dependent on seasonal jobs. Three thousand fisheries and tourism workers are currently collecting benefits. But one of les-de-la-Madeleine's mayors, Joel Arseneau, said the upto five-week extension that's kept benefits going until March or April has been cancelled. In a few weeks benefits for those 3,000 workers will stop.

Arseneau said there are no jobs to be had, withonly three to fivelistings currently on help wanted sites. He is bracing for the worst economic crisis he's ever seen.

Arseneau said the unprecendented rally didn't get the attention of government. He's hoping a face-to-face meeting will. The group has asked to meet with the federal minister in Ottawa late February.