Finance Committee on Nov. 21st, 2013

Evidence of meeting #9 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was jobs.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Pre-budget consultations 2013

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Alex Ferguson Vice-President, Policy and Environment, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Michael Atkinson President, Canadian Construction Association

Martin Lavoie Director, Manufacturing Competitiveness and Innovation Policy, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters

Norma Kozhaya Director of Research and Chief Economist, Quebec Employers' Council

Jayson Columbus Director, Finance and Administration, Northam Brands Ltd.

Julie Labrecque Vice-President, Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerce du Québec

Brenda Kenny President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Energy Pipeline Association

Angella MacEwen Senior Economist, Social and Economic Policy, Canadian Labour Congress

Garth Whyte President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

Éric Pineault Professor, Institut de recherche et d'informations socio-économiques

Jim Stanford Economist, Unifor

Erin Weir Economist, Canadian National Office, United Steelworkers

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

What I describe in the text is that of the 200,000, a share of them are normally going to be there. Even a fully utilized labour market will have some vacancies in a healthy setting.

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

That's four million. Are there four million unemployed people in this country?

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

As I described in the text, there are over two million—

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

I'm asking you a question, Mr. Stanford: are there four million unemployed people in this country?

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

No, there are over two million effective—

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

So your statistic wasn't—

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

[Inaudible—Editor]...unemployed—

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

—accurate then, right?

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

My statistic is entirely on track—

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Thank you very much.

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

—because I say 200,000—

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

I have another question.

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

—shouldn't be in the denominator.

1:15 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

On a point of order, let the witness answer the question.

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

This is my time, Mr. Rankin, thank you very much.

1:15 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Yes, but there's a matter of—

1:15 p.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Peggy Nash

If you're going to ask a question, give the witness some time to reply, but we only have five minutes, so I'd ask people to keep their—

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Chair, with all due respect, I only have five minutes and I would appreciate a direct answer, not something where's he's trying to be evasive.

1:15 p.m.

An hon. member

Ask a direct question.

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

I asked him if there are four million people in Canada unemployed. It's a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Are there?

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

I said no.

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

Thank you very much. Your claim then during the course of your presentation was inaccurate.

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

My claim was accurate. If you read the...[Inaudible—Editor]

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON

You just said that...[Inaudible—Editor]

1:15 p.m.

Economist, Unifor

Jim Stanford

Effective unemployment as a ratio...[Inaudible—Editor]