The Conservative Party is promising, if elected, to extend employment insurance parental benefits to parents experiencing the trauma of a miscarriage, stillbirth or loss of a child.
“Every year, thousands of Canadian parents struggle with the loss of a child, but our current benefits system does not provide the proper support for grieving parents,” said Erin O’Toole, leader of the Conservative Party, in a press release. “Canada’s Conservatives will end the stigma and ensure parents have access to the financial support and time they need to mourn.”
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The Conservatives are promising to extend EI parental leave for at least eight weeks following the death of a child. In addition, the Conservatives said they’ll provide up to eight weeks of paid leave from employment in the event of a stillbirth and three days of paid bereavement leave in the event of a miscarriage.
New Zealand amended its maternity benefits legislation this March, providing couples the right to three days of paid leave after a miscarriage or stillbirth, making it one of the first countries in the world to do so.
Currently, EI parental benefits in Canada end immediately following the death of a child; however, women whose pregnancies end before the 20-week mark can receive sickness benefits and, if they lose a child after that time, they may be able to receive maternity benefits.
Read: New Zealand now offers paid leave for miscarriage, should Canada follow suit?