Knock, knock. Who's there?
It's the federal government.
Unfortunately, that line has struck a number of people as less than funny, after the feds sent workers to the homes of EI claimants to check on them.
Ottawa claims the visits are needed to protect Canada's EI program from fraud, although it's hard to see how a house visit could accomplish that.
Most job coaches will say that sitting at home isn't the best way of finding work.
The program smacks of intimidation, and does little that couldn't be accomplished by picking up the phone.
It also focuses energy in entirely the wrong place. Most people who are unemployed would prefer to be working. Fact is, the economic recovery has been painfully slow over the past several years.
Despite the fact EI is an insurance program that workers pay into, the federal government has in recent years made it more difficult to qualify for benefits and cut the length of time benefits are received.
None of which has done anything to help those who find themselves out of work through no fault of their own.
Contrast this with the kid glove treatment recently afforded to Conservative senators who have apparently been claiming false residences in order to collect a special housing allowance at taxpayers' expense.
Recently Mike Duffy said he'd repay tens of thousands of dollars in housing allowance after falsely claiming a cottage in PEI was his principal residence.
Seems a few folks in the Red Chamber could benefit from a government-sponsored house call.
