text: It's interesting that excepting Newfoundland and Labrador, none of the benefits went to residents in provinces east  of Ontario.  So mostly the provinces that don't share equalization payments except for Manitoba and  Ontario (which get relatively small equalization payments) got benefits.  
  This should be a one time thing until the next commodity boom and crash cycle as one can't collect EI forever without working once in awhile. No surprise that the government got the amount wrong but I give them credit for implementing the program.