"Self-employed parents can voluntarily opt-in to the employment insurance system in order to qualify for parental benefits, but the study notes take up is low."

So there IS a system in place but people aren't choosing to enroll... likely (both common sense as well as several articles that have been put out on this) because they don't want to pay into the system.  Now the government wants to "fix" the "problem"?  Simple solution: mandate that self-employed people pay into EI.  It is the epitome of unfair for people to get a free ride ESPECIALLY when they literally put themselves into the situation.

But since this predominately plays with female voters, expect Lil' Trudy to put billions into it and shaft the masses to cover some of the cost.