![]() |
![]() |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
Home > | |||||||||||||||||
![]() Background The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) is an entity under the umbrella of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development (known as Human Resources and Skills Development Canada or HRSDC). Its main role is to assist HRSDC in managing the Employment Insurance Program. Today, the Commission finds its basis for existence under the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Act (assented to on July 20, 2005). Under section 24 of the departmental Act, the Commission, as required by the Minister of HRSDC or by an Act of Parliament (e.g. the Employment Insurance (EI) Act), exercises such powers and performs such duties and functions in relation to:
The Commission can also be called by order of the Governor in Council or by or pursuant to an Act of Parliament to exercise powers and perform duties and functions in relation to other matters. The Commission is required to comply with any directions given to it from time to time by the Minister of HRSDC respecting the exercise of its powers or the performance of its duties and functions. The Commission has four members, representing the interests of government, workers and employers. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are respectively the Deputy Minister and Associate Deputy Minister of HRSDC and can be said to represent the interests of government. The other two Commissioners represent the interests of workers and employers. The Governor in Council appoints these two Commissioners for terms of up to five years, following consultation with organizations representative of workers and employers respectively. Mandate under the EI Act HRSDC manages many programs, one of the most important being the EI program which is delivered to Canadians at its Service Canada Centre across the nation. UI was changed to EI under Bill C-12 which introduced the EI Act, replacing the UI Act, as of June 30, 1996. Although the EI Act is replete with references to activities for which the CEIC is responsible, the program is primarily administered and delivered by HRSDC staff. There is a split in the administration of the EI Act between two government departments/agencies. HRSDC and the Commission are responsible for application of the benefit provisions whereas the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is fully responsible for all matter of insurability including the collection of EI premiums. Key areas under the Employment Insurance Act for which the CEIC plays an active role are as follows:
By November 14 of each year, the CEIC, shall set the premium rate taking into account three factors: However, in any given year, the rate cannot change by more than 0.15% ($0.15 per $100). For 2006 and 2007 the rate must not exceed 1.95% ($1.95 per $100). Stakeholder Relations The two Commissioners, for Employers and Workers, establish and maintain consultations and working relationships with a variety of private sector organizations and individuals that are clients of, or affected by, HRSDC programs and services, particularly in regard to EI. These relationships fulfill the representational responsibilities of the Commissioners and enable them to reflect internally the concerns and positions of the private sector regarding the administration of legislation, policy development and implementation, and program delivery. Origin of the Commission The Commission first came into being as the Unemployment Insurance Commission (UIC) which was created in 1940 with the passage of legislation which introduced Canada's first unemployment Insurance (UI) program. The UIC was responsible for the operation and administration of the UI program. In 1977, the UIC integrated into the new Department of Employment and Immigration under the Employment and Immigration Department and Commission (EIDC) Act. It became the Canada Employment and Immigration Commission (CEIC). The EIDC Act laid out powers in regard to:
The EIDC Act also required the CEIC to comply with any directions given to it from time to time by the Minister of Employment and Immigration. Under the EIDC Act, the Deputy Minister and Associate Deputy Minister became the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson respectively of the CEIC. Two other Commissioners representing the interests of workers and employers were appointed by Governor in Council for terms of up to five years, following consultation with organizations representing workers and employers respectively. In 1994, the immigration program was transferred to the newly created Department of Citizenship and Immigration. The human resources and social programs from five other departments were combined to create the Department of Human Resources Development of Canada or better known as HRDC. The Canada Employment and Immigration Commission was maintained. In May 1996, the Commission became the Canada Employment Insurance Commission under the Department of Human Resources Development Act. In July 2005, the Commission was maintained under the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Act.
|
|||||||||||||||||
Printer version | |||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|