David’s Cause close to becoming reality
Seven years ago, Kathy MacNaughton of Westville made a promise to her dying partner David Fraser.
She vowed that she would fight to have his life remembered by changing the way sickness benefits are paid to people like him who are fighting a critical illness or injury.
If all goes according to plan, this year could be the year that promise is fulfilled.
It was David's suffering that showed Macnaughton a gap in the system exists. Sickness benefits under the existing employment insurance (EI) system only last 15 weeks. So, if someone has to stop working because they are critically ill, EI only covers them for a little better than three months.
David was just 50 when he died of esophageal cancer in August 2014. Less than a year prior, he had been working in Rainbow Lake, Alta., when he was diagnosed and advised to come home. When his EI sick benefits ran out, David was told to file for his Canada Pension because EI said he no longer qualified.
In eight months, he went from a monthly income of around $6,000, down to $1,600 a month in EI sick benefits and then to $852 a month from CPP. Because of it, his last days were filled with worry about finances.
As his death neared, bills were on his mind and he took a job putting down laminate flooring so he could earn money to help contribute.
“A month and a half before you die, that's not something you should be doing,” MacNaughton said.
David, like most people who are facing a serious illness, wanted to work and would have returned as soon as he could have, Macnaughton said.
When his life ended, MacNaughton's fight for change began. She reached out to the local representatives. She started with some positive conversations with her local MLA Tim Houston who pointed her in the direction of her federal representative.
Then in August 2016, Central Nova MP Sean Fraser hosted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Glasgow Square for a barbecue. Macnaughton was among the thousands who showed up.
Her shirt, which read, “Ask Me About David's Cause” caught Fraser's eye, so he did exactly what it said and asked her about the meaning behind it. It was the start of many more conversations that would lead to change.
Until Fraser started helping, Macnaughton said few people wanted to listen to her and she hit more brick walls than open doors. But she kept pushing. When Fraser got involved, he was able to connect her with the people she needed to talk to at a federal level and also got the Canadian Cancer Society on board with campaigning for the changes. He brought the issue to the House of Commons and added his voice to MacNaughton's fight.
In 2019, they both celebrated when the Liberal platform included a pledge to extend sickness benefits through EI from 15 to 26 weeks.
With the Liberals in power, albeit with a minority, MacNaughton is optimistic that the changes could be included as soon as this spring federal budget.
Even it is not included in the budget, Fraser said it could be approved as a standalone piece of legislation later this year.
The Canadian Cancer Society has launched a national campaign sharing Macnaughton's story and advocating along with her to make it happen.
“It is time to alleviate this burden on people who are living with a disease as serious as cancer,” stated Kelly Masotti, vice-president of advocacy at CCS in a news release. “That's why we are calling on the federal government to follow through on its commitment to extend the sickness benefit to at least 26 weeks. People living with cancer can't afford to wait any longer.”
Masotti pointed out that the average length of treatment for people with breast and colon cancer — two of the most commonly diagnosed cancers for Canadians — ranges between 26 and 37 weeks.
“We must provide additional support for people living with cancer,” Masotti said. “No one should be forced to choose between a paycheque and cancer treatment.”
Fraser agrees. He says it is unconscionable that someone who is let go from their job receives better EI benefits than someone who is fighting for their life.
While he said in a minority government situation you can't take anything for granted, he's hopeful that all parties will see that this is a cause worth supporting. He said he's personally been talking with people within his own party including Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland as recently as Feb. 25 and is encouraged by the support there is.
“I'm optimistic that it's going to happen,” he said.
When it does, Macnaughton will feel like her promise has been kept.
“It's going to be a gamechanger for everyone,” Macnaughton said. “It's not just cancer, it's heart and it's stroke and serious car accidents.”
She encourages others who are fighting for a cause they care about to not give up.
“You just got to keep going. If you hit that brick wall, go around it and find another way.”
For her the driving force behind it all was David.
“It's because of him that this change is going through.”