My question is - if you chose to take a seasonal position that pays more than a liveable wage - why is the government allowing you collect E.I.?

The amount of Iron Workers (and other Unionized blue collars out there) that make 100k+ in a year but are seasonal and drop onto E.I at the end of their contracts blows me away.

For the information of those who may never have had the thrill of collecting Employment Insurance, what you need to know, is that while we each pay into it the reality IS, it's just a loan.
What you draw is added to your taxable income and clawed back when you file a tax return.
Don't ever think EI is a benefit (as in a freebie).
It is inappropriately called insurance and certainly isn't a handout as some might have you believe.

Your 100k per year seasonal iron worker is going to give most of his EI back to the government for a net gain of not-very-much.

Gino Under