On September 11, 2009, a Board of Referees appointed under the Employment Insurance Act ruled that when two parents, both of whom are eligible to receive parental employment insurance benefits, take time off of work to raise multiple children (twins, triplets, etc.), both parents can claim thirty-five (35) weeks of EI parental leave benefits. Government policy to date has precluded such parents from making more than one 35 week claim which is then shared between the parents. The Board of Referees held that the Government of Canada misinterpreted the Act and awarded a father of twins thirty-five (35) weeks of parental benefits in addition to those given to the mother. This is the first ruling of its kind in Canada. "The legal effect of this decision is simple: if two qualified claimants have multiple children, both claimants can take 35 weeks of parental leave and receive EI benefits for the 35 week period. The Government policy of restricting two qualified claimants to one 35 week benefit claim is not the law. Parents of multiple children can take an appropriate amount of time off of work to care for and bond with their children. This we believe is a significant victory for those parents", states Stephen Moreau and Robyn White, who represented the claimant Christian Martin before the Board. A copy of the decision can be read here.