Ottawa, ON – Today, the Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives, shared his plan to support parents. “The last thing I want new and expecting parents to worry about is their income or how they’re going to pay for essentials like cribs, car seats, and clothes when Justin Trudeau is driving up the cost of everything,” said O’Toole. “Canada’s Conservatives have a plan to help these parents keep more of their income and get relief when they need it most for these new costs.” Through Canada’s Recovery Plan, a Conservative government will: -- Improve Canada’s existing maternity and parental leave programs to allow new parents to earn and keep up to $1,000 per month without the government clawing back their maternity or parental leave. -- Provide expecting parents with the Canada Child Benefit starting in the seventh month of pregnancy to help them purchase essentials as they prepare for the arrival of their baby. -- Create a National Adoption Strategy that will include more generous benefits for adoptive parents, including an expanded EI benefit and an increase to the Adoption Expense Tax Credit from $15,000 to $20,000. “Making life more affordable for Canadians and ensuring our maternity and parental leave programs work for families in today’s modern workforce will remain top priorities for a Conservative government,” said O’Toole. “Only Canada’s Conservatives have a plan to secure the future for new and expecting Canadian families.”

Vancouver, BC – Today, the Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives, announced his plan to support 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 O’Toole. “Canada’s Conservatives will end the stigma and ensure parents have access to the financial support and time they need to mourn.” Currently, employment insurance parental benefits end immediately following the death of a child. A Conservative government will reform this to extend EI parental leave for at least eight weeks following the death of a child, ensuring that parents are not abruptly cut off from their benefits. Canada’s Conservatives will also provide up to eight weeks of paid leave from employment in the event of a stillbirth. To promote healing and family wellness, a Conservative government will also provide parents with three days of paid bereavement leave in the event of a miscarriage. “We will be there for grieving parents when they need us most,” said O’Toole. “Only Canada’s Conservatives have a plan to support families and secure the future.”

New conservative government to extend EI parental leave to parents in mourning

A new Conservative government will ensure that EI parental leave is extended for eight weeks following the death of a baby, affording parents experiencing unimaginable tragedy a much-needed opportunity to begin coping with their loss.

“With this policy, we hope to give grieving parents some much-needed support during a time of unimaginable loss,” said Blake Richards, Conservative Candidate for Banff-Airdrie. “The government can, and must, do more to support Canadians undergoing such trying times.”

The loss of a child is a situation no parents should ever have to face. Unfortunately, so many Canadians across the country are put in this terrible situation and parents are sometimes forced to return to work with no opportunity to begin to address the profound and recent tragedy that confronts them.

Currently, EI parental benefits end abruptly the week following the loss of a child, which comes as a shock to many. A parent’s sadness should not be compounded by financial worry, and these parents should not have to worry about their bottom line. Extending EI parental benefits is the least a government can do.

“There is nothing that can prepare a parent for this experience. We hope that by offering more time, parents will have the important opportunity to cope, to seek help, and to be comforted by those around then,” said Richards. “My deepest sympathies go out to parents who have struggled with the loss of a child. I am proud that a new Conservative government will do more to provide support and relief to Canadians experiencing such difficult times in their lives.”

Andrew Scheer, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives – “The death of a child, at any age is a painful experience – and the loss of a child is followed by the most intense grief. By extending EI benefits to grieving parents, a Conservative government will provide some relief to mourning parents.”