The Conservatives are proposing changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) system that may help the growing ranks of self-employed Canadians by allowing them to pay into EI to be eligible for maternity and parental benefits.

- Please note "extend EI special benefits including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits" means those are the only benefits the new program will provide.

Self-employed individuals will have the option of joining the EI program anytime after Jan. 1, 2010 -- but there is nothing forcing them into the program, ever.

If you opts to join, your premiums will be the same rate as salaried employees, currently 1.73% of net income up to $42,300, or a maximum of about $730 a year. 

Although you won't have to pay the employer's premium, you have to pay employee premiums for at least a year before you will be eligible to collect special benefits for maternity, parental and sick leave equal to 55% of normal earnings up to about $450 a week.