Protesters target Canadian Liberal leader

TORONTO, June 19 (UPI) -- Some 150 protesters marched at Canadian Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff's Toronto office Friday, alleging he caved to Conservatives on unemployment benefits.

A leftist coalition of 35 groups organized the event two days after Ignatieff struck a deal with Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to create a bilateral panel to study Employment Insurance reforms during the summer. Parliament recessed for the season Friday.

Canada's unemployment rate is 8.4 percent and the recession continues to batter several industries, particularly manufacturing. Ignatieff has been pushing for shortened wait time for EI eligibility and more uniformity in claim requirements across the country, but the protesters claimed he backed down.

"You should have used your power in Parliament to negotiate EI relief for us," said protester Fa Lim, an unemployed former auto parts maker. "Your deal with Mr. Harper to take a holiday while we still can't find work and are falling into debt is shameful."

In a release, the Good Jobs for All Coalition cited federal statistics showing the EI surplus stands at $57 billion, while in May, only 46.78 of unemployed people throughout Canada were receiving EI benefits.