Claimants are not normally considered to be available for work when running for an election in the near future, and while spending most of their time on the election campaign, especially in cases where they temporarily left their employment for this purpose. Employment Insurance benefits were not designed to provide compensation for the loss of wages in such a situation.
In the case of claimants who contend that they remain available and keep looking for work, even while organizing their election campaign, the personal efforts made to obtain work in the meantime, among other factors, will be used in determining their availability. If the claimant’s willingness to accept work depends on the results of the election, then availability is not proven until at least, the day after the election. In a particular case, it was determined that running for election, when included with other job search efforts, could be considered as a valid job search activity during the campaign. However, in another case a claimant did not establish her availability for work during a 12 week period while running for City Council, after she admitted that, had she had any job interviews during that time, she would have advised them that if elected, she would have to resign the employment.
Source: Canada.ca / https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/digest/chapter-10/personal-business.html#a10_15_1
