Small business urges Government and Opposition to help, not hurt, with EI
changes

Social media plays major role in the campaign

OTTAWA, Sept. 29 /CNW/ - Alarmed at the prospect for significant and ongoing hikes in Employment Insurance (EI) premiums, Canadian small business owners have joined their employees in a massive petition and social media campaign.  CFIB is also calling on Opposition parties to drop their support for Bill C-308, which goes to an important vote today.  This Bill would dramatically increase the cost of EI for the foreseeable future.

Over the past several weeks, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has received:

• 10,000 EI postcards from small businesses across Canada
• 8,000 employee signatures from EI posters that were posted in small businesses
• 3,000 fans on CFIB's "Stop the Tax Grab" Facebook page
• 2,000 views of CFIB's EI video on YouTube
• Thousands of visits to CFIB's special EI webpage

"Small businesses and their employees are speaking out on the plan to increase EI premiums at the maximum allowable level starting in January 2011," said Dan Kelly, CFIB's senior vice-president. "In reviewing the hundreds of comments on CFIB's Facebook campaign, entrepreneurs are worried about the impact a payroll tax increase will have on their ability to hire and on the economy. 

In a few days time, the Canadian Employment Insurance Financing Board (CEIFB) will have no choice but to recommend a 15 cent increase for employees and a 21 cent increase for employers per $100 in payroll. As premiums are expected to continue rising until 2014, CFIB's calculations show these payroll tax increases could result in as many as 170,000 lost jobs.

Later today, MPs will be voting on Bloc Québécois MP Yves Lessard's private member's bill that, if adopted, would lock in massive rate increases for perhaps a decade or more.  "We're calling on Opposition MPs to join our call to avoid an EI premium hike," Kelly said.  "Small firms will be outraged if they turn around and support a giant expansion of benefits at this time."

In addition to social media and petition campaigns, CFIB has met with 50 MPs and Ministers across Canada to discuss EI, including the Prime Minister, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and EI Minister Diane Finley.  "Our political leaders have been listening carefully to our EI concerns, and we're optimistic this will turn into action in the weeks ahead.  We're asking Cabinet to reject this job-killing payroll tax increase and have put forward several alternative approaches to government," Kelly added.

• CFIB's EI postcard, poster, Facebook page and video can all be found at www.cfib.ca/EI
• Join CFIB's Facebook campaign at: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Stop-the-Tax-Grab/143354902352849?ref=sgm
• Follow CFIB on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/CFIB

As Canada's largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses, CFIB is Powered by Entrepreneurs™. Established in 1971, CFIB takes direction from more than 107,000 members in every sector nationwide, giving independent business a strong and influential voice at all levels of government and helping to grow the economy.

For further information:

To arrange an interview with Dan Kelly, please contact Linnet Forand at 613-235-2373 or via[email protected]