Coming from someone who has worked through school and everyday forward, someone who has only collected EI once in her life – and only for about two weeks at that time – I for one, think this is a good plan for Canada.

The federal government recently announced EI (Employment Insurance) reform is on the horizon and I say it’s about time.

Under the proposed reforms – which are expected to take effect early 2013 – the government’s definition for suitable employment will be based on six criteria: personal circumstances, working conditions, hours of work, commuting time, type of work and hourly wage.

The government will also create an enhanced job alert system that will email claimants twice a day with the latest career listings for their area of work from various job boards and other sources.

Canadians receiving employment insurance benefits could also be forced to commute up to an hour to their workplace and accept jobs with wages ranging between 70 and 90 per cent of their previous income.

If taxpayers like myself who are in the workforce didn’t see so much abuse of the system then maybe I wouldn’t feel the way I do about this topic, but the fact is, abuse exists – big time. There are people all over the country who not only plan on unemployment, the seem to revel in it. They’re not out looking for jobs, they’re kicking back collecting a free paycheck and enjoying the down time.

With that said, THIS ISN’T APPLICABLE EVERYONE who collects EI, I want to be clear about that. Some people legitimately need the assistance and it’s not these people I’m referring to.

It’s the ones who have zero intention of looking for a job, the ones who wouldn’t dream of “lowering themselves” to do something they feel is beneath them. It’s those who are living it up at our expense while the rest of us struggle to make ends meet – some working two and three jobs to put food on the table and pay the bills. It really just isn’t fair and if reform is what it takes to change the situation around, then I say good move. It’s about time.

Government programs should be in place for the people who need them, not for able bodied blood suckers who are too lazy to help themselves.

It’s time to cut back on needless spending and start putting dollars where they’re really needed.