I will say this. I think it's already been brought up in our committee, and the minister has been asked those questions by the party opposite, so I will give the minister the floor to continue.

3:50 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

Let me bring it back by saying three things: I've never been a lobbyist. I have never wanted to be a lobbyist, and suggestions in the story and around the table that I am are false. Finally, I've never used my position as a minister to help a lobbyist, and any suggestion like that is wrong.

Let's talk about where we are with the labour force, Mr. Long, because you asked about where we are with unemployment. We are at 6.1% as of the last data, which is up from 5.8% in the last period. However, in the five years since 2017 the average was 6.3%, so we are still at historical lows for our unemployment level. I did hear that people were interested in how we calculate our unemployment rate vis-à-vis how the United States does. We calculate our unemployment rate by scoping in 15- to 64-year-olds. We also take into account the people who are going to be employed in the next two weeks, whereas the United States calculates it for 16- to 64-year-olds and doesn't include that two-week calculation period. In fact, if you looked at our unemployment rate using the U.S. model, we would probably be a full point lower, so, there's a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison that happens when you cross the border.

What I can say, though, is that the economical fundamentals, as I said in my opening remarks, are strong. When we bring Stellantis, Dow, Volkswagen, Northvolt and all the others here, there will be thousands and thousands of well-paid jobs for Canadians, unionized jobs at prevailing wages or better, and that's very important for our economies and our regions.

3:50 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB

Thank you for that.

I want to switch gears to the temporary foreign worker program. You recently announced changes to it in response to what you said was a tightening labour market.

Minister, can you walk us through these changes and explain your motivation in making them?

3:50 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

Absolutely. We went from 20% to 30% for people in the low-wage stream to have access of up to 30% temporary foreign workers on their payroll when we had a million vacancies. Now we're down to about 600,000 vacancies, so that's the tightening of the market that we're talking about. Colleagues in this room would agree that we want to make sure that Canadians take the jobs offered by Canadian firms. What I want to make sure is that the temporary foreign worker program is a last resort. I want youth, indigenous, persons with disabilities, newcomers and now including asylum-seekers to be considered before somebody decides to apply for a labour market impact assessment.

To respond to the tightening labour market, we reduced, in the low-wage stream, the percentage that people can have in their companies from 30% down to 20%...with the exception of construction and health care because those are two priority sectors where there's a high degree of need in those sectors. The agricultural stream is not part of this, and neither is the seasonal agricultural worker program.

Everything that I've just said does not apply to the agriculture stream. In working in close partnership with Minister Miller, we made sure that we scoped in asylum seekers.

What does that mean, colleagues? It means that if you have a newcomer centre or a centre in your area that is responsible for asylum seekers, they can be connected to employers and get those jobs using their skills profile that we now have from IRCC. We have it at ESDC, and those temporary residents should be able to get those jobs before those companies can apply for an LMIA.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB

Thank you.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Mr. Long.

Ms. Chabot, you have the floor for six minutes.

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Minister, I thank you and the members of your team for your presence.

Mr. Minister, I'll read something to you, briefly:

Taking into account input received through consultations on the future of the employment insurance program, by summer 2022, bring forward and begin implementing a plan to modernize the EI system for the 21st century, building a stronger and more inclusive system that covers all workers…

Do you recognize this?

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

Absolutely, and I'm happy with the work we've done, but I suspect you have another question, Ms. Chabot.

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Mr. Boissonnault, do you admit that this is in your mandate letter?

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

Absolutely. It's in the mandate letter. It was in my predecessor's mandate letter, and it's still in my mandate letter.

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Why did you abandon this commitment to reform employment insurance? We're almost to the summer of 2024. We're looking at credits. We're studying the budget, and there's no sign of any possible EI reform.

Why have you abandoned this idea?

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

If you don't mind, Ms. Chabot, I'd like to clarify something.

We want to have a robust system, especially if we see that there could be a recession or a slowdown in the economy. Right now, we're in a good position, and we know we have to move things forward with fiscal prudence.

That said, we have extended EI sickness benefits to 26 weeks. As part of the budget, we also extended additional support for seasonal workers by five weeks, until 2026. This is an important initiative, because previously you had to apply to the minister every year. We're maintaining the benefits delivery modernization program. There's also the study you did here—

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

I'm talking to you about employment insurance reform, which calls for concrete measures on accessibility.

You're talking about pilot projects. I'll remind you that pilot projects have existed since 2018 and that the mandate at the time was to improve them and make them permanent. Since then, you've extended the payment of benefits by five weeks. That's 10 years without any improvement. This program no longer serves any purpose.

You met with groups of workers and the unemployed on February 1. Is it true, as you just said, considering the economic situation, the low unemployment rate, the fact that we're not in a crisis, that it wouldn't be appropriate to reform the employment insurance system, because that would give ammunition to the Conservatives?

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

I'm very pleased to be talking with you today, Ms. Chabot.

At this meeting, many stakeholders expressed the wish that my department and the government would put forward the creation of the new Employment Insurance Board of Appeal to better serve workers. It would be a tripartite board, if I can put it that way—

May 6th, 2024 / 3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Bill C‑37 has been introduced, but its study is being delayed.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

I urge you to be on the lookout in the days ahead.

Also, I think it should be noted that we have added new benefits for adoptive parents in the budget.

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Thank you.

My time is running out, Mr. Chair.

On February 15, after your meeting with workers and unemployed groups, you asked the various organizations to provide you with a list of the main changes they would like to see in anticipation of comprehensive reform.

They wrote to you and asked for three changes. First, they're asking you to reinstate the temporary measures for 2021-22—it's already in the EI schedule; you could already implement it. Second, they're asking you to end the discrimination women face in claims when maternity, parental and regular benefits are combined. Third, they ask you to adapt the employment insurance program to take into account the particular situation of rural regions that depend on seasonal employment.

This letter was addressed to you on February 15. Have you replied to it?

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

We are working with the department to respond.

However, regarding the second question—

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

It is May 6, Mr. Minister.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

Yes.

You can't imagine how long it takes to get an official response. Naturally, I don't want to answer that there hasn't been any progress on this front.

With regard to the benefits we can match in cases of maternity leave, this issue is currently before the courts.

I'm very sensitive—

4 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

This has been decided by the appeal court. The court's role is over.

4 p.m.

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB

No, they went further.

Since the case is before the court, I want to wait until it's over. At that point, we'll be able to respond.

On the subject of rural areas, this issue resonates with me. That's why I insisted that the extra five weeks be included in the budget. This measure will therefore be extended by two years. It's a very important improvement.

4 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Minister, you are facing an unprecedented mobilization from many groups.

The authors of the letter you received included all of Quebec's major central labour bodies, the Canadian Labour Congress and the main groups defending the rights of the unemployed.

Employment insurance reform is a 2015 commitment by your government, a broken commitment, Mr. Minister. Acknowledge it.

You're offering temporary measures in the absence of a comprehensive reform that should be implemented. The economic situation you speak of and low unemployment rates should, on the contrary, prompt you to reform employment insurance and not wait for the next crisis.

In the budget, your government even suggests that, over the next two years, unemployment rates may change. So it's time for reform.

Why not be proactive and announce a necessary reform to the media?