Canada's employment insurance system ranks near the bottom among 29 advanced economies in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), according to a report released today by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA). 
“In general, the report is useful in bursting Canadians’ bubble of self-satisfaction regarding our vaunted ‘welfare state’,” says Timothy Smith, Professor of History at Queen’s University.  “There is a fine line to walk between having virtually no system (Canada) and having an overly generous system which encourages the long-term receipt of benefits and discourages work-seeking (France).”
A PDF of the report can be found on the CPA website.  http://www.policyalternatives.ca/~ASSETS/DOCUMENT/National_Office_Pubs/2009/Canadas_Declining_Safety_Net.pdf
To arrange an interview with Timothy Smith please contact me at 613-33-6000 ext. 78725, stacey.tm@gmail.com or Stephanie Earp at 613-533-6000 ext. 79173, stephanie.earp@queensu.ca, Queen’s News and Media Services