Human Resources Committee on April 29th, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Welcome to our committee meeting, as we return from the two-week break.

Today we are going to review the report that we've been working on about improving aboriginal outcomes in the labour force.

Prior to that there's one piece of business that I'd like to get off the table, and that is to adopt the subcommittee report, to the effect that the subcommittee met and agreed upon our schedule going forward. I'd like to put that on the table to see if there's any discussion, but I'd just like the committee to adopt this report.

This will enable our clerk to go forward and invite witnesses for our next study. Do I see any opposition to adopting this as a go forward strategy?

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We'll go to Mr. Cuzner and Ms. McLeod.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Chair, in light of the most recent controversy with regard to the temporary foreign worker program, I think it would be wise to do the following. We've had several opportunities as a committee to seize this issue, study this issue, and bring back recommendations, and we've come up short. So this is yet another attempt to try to bring some focus to this issue, so that we can make recommendations to the government and hopefully improve the situation by identifying shortfalls and problems.

The motion I put is to hold televised hearings on the problems of the temporary foreign worker program and that the witness list include, but not be limited to, the minister, Sandy Nelson, and Shauna Jennison-Yung. We're aware of the two ladies who lost their jobs in Saskatchewan, and so I put that before the committee here today.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Ms. McLeod.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

As we are aware, we do have the minister coming to discuss the main estimates. I know that the opposition often doesn't speak strictly about the mains, but if this is for further discussion of committee business, and given that we've just adopted a plan, I move that we go in camera.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

We have a motion on the floor to go in camera. We need to proceed immediately to a vote. We don't need a recorded vote.

All those in favour? Opposed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Proceedings continue in camera]