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More British Columbians receiving unemployment benefits

By Andrew MacLeod January 27, 2009 10:14 am 6 comments

The number of out of work British Columbians receiving Employment Insurance benefits was up 24.6 percent in November 2008 from a year earlier.

According to figures Statistics Canada released today, only Ontario had a greater gain, with a 28.2 percent year-over-year increase. The average increase across Canada was 12.3 percent, or about half the jump in B.C..

Finance minister Colin Hansen and premier Gordon Campbell have argued that B.C. is well placed within Canada to weather the global financial crisis.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.

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6 Comments:

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  • quarry bay

    3 years ago

    Why....

    do you have to end the story with some lies spewed by Campbell and Hansen.

  • Andrew MacLeod

    3 years ago

    Quarry Bay

    I could have written the story in the other direction: Hansen and Campbell have insisted BC is well placed to weather the global economic downturn, but today's Statistics Canada figures show the number of people out of work is increasing faster in BC than in the rest of Canada (except Ontario).

    As posted above, does the last paragraph refute the StatsCan figures? I would argue the figures put Hansen and Campbell's earlier assertions in a new context.

  • quarry bay

    3 years ago

    I am aware......

    I just get frustrated with Hansen and Campbell,everything that spews from their mouth is false, repeating lies over and over again doesn`t make it true!

    Perhaps that should be the BC Liberals election campaign theme.

    " We will repeat the lies until they come true"

    As I reported last friday,after listening to Campbell on CKNW--Gordon Campbell did more WAFFLING on a balanced budget than Aunt Jemina.

    I see Justine Hunter at the Globe n Mail has backed up and confirmed my assertions about BC in deficit.

    I take no issue with you Mr. MacLeod.

    I take issue with Premier "Green Jeans" who has flown to OTTAWA,with knee pads in hand, like a kid in the candy store,like spoiled Richey Rich,waiting for Santa Harper to come down the chimney with a sack of goodies!

    P.S. Campbell greatest wish from "santa" is for unwemployment benefits to be extended,god forbid, or should I say the "Fraser institute" forbid that anyone have to collect welfare.

  • Van Isle

    3 years ago

    When oh when is someone in

    When oh when is someone in the establishment going to just come out and publically say that our Provincal and Federal Governments have been completly unresponsible in handling our financial affairs? It seems that most people have amnesia on how Harper spent money like a drunken sailor in Quebec just after he became elected and Charest became his new best friend. Campbell's antics are only remembered by people who pay attention. (a lot of them read the Tyee) It's like the bumper sticker says; "If you're not outraged then it's obvious that you haven't been paying attention".

  • sunshine coast girl

    3 years ago

    EI recipients may be up 24.6%

    in November from last year, but that doesn't even start to take into account those who don't qualify for either EI or Social Assistance.

  • Wilfred Laurier

    3 years ago

    Statistics

    Interesting statistic. However, BC still has a very low unemployment rate of 4.9%

    http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/lss/lfs/ur0812.pdf

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    Off the Throne

    About The Hook

    The British Columbia legislature resumes sitting this week, but not before Premier Christy Clark outlined her spring agenda in an appearance on the Vancouver radio station where she used to work in what was pitched as a replacement for the throne speech. That agenda amounted to staying the course: focus on the economy, no money for teachers or anything else, and no higher taxes.

    This from a premier who won the leadership of her party on a "change" platform. Perhaps appropriate then that the government didn't bother with a more formal speech from the throne at a time when polls suggest an increasing number of people are wondering if the premier's going to, as they say, piss or get off the pot.

    -- Andrew MacLeod