Human Resources Committee on May 15th, 2014

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Yes, absolutely.

Just by way of example—

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

You believe in that. Okay, so—

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Roger, may I finish?

So that I'm very clear—

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

Mr. Chairman....

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Do you have a point of order?

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

No, but—

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Just let the minister finish her answer and then you'll have your answer. I'll add the time to this, but unless it's a point of order, let the minister speak, please.

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

By way of example, I became the minister on July 15, and in the third week of August I met with the tripartite. I sat down and had what I thought was a very constructive conversation. I continue to function in that matter. I think it's extremely important that all parties are represented at the table and that we receive meaningful input continually.

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

Bill C-525 changes the fundamental way that employees can organize, and the government supported it. Minister, you stood and supported it.

Mr. Calkins' claim at the time was that union organizers can be dismissed if it's a one-off thing, but that they see a mountain of complaints that end up in labour relations. This is concerning. We know, from CIRB, that the “mountain of complaints” was two complaints, out of 4,000 decisions.

Minister, surely you can't see that as a mountain of complaints.

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

So Bill C-525—a private member's bill, not government legislation—really focuses on democracy as a fundamental component of Canadian society. Based on feedback from stakeholders, and also from our government and from this committee, key amendments were made to that bill and it moved forward. We live in a free and open democracy. Individuals are elected to the House of Commons. It came to this committee for discussion and debate. Amendments were made to it, which I must say I was very pleased with. Also, I think many people from all parties were pleased. The amendments ensured that all federally regulated workers would have a democratic free right to a fair and secret ballot.

So I strongly encourage people to reflect on—

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

Madam Minister, I think, to a witness, for the most part, they mocked this bill. FETCO; Hassan, who you made reference to; and CLC said there was no need for this bill.

So really what you're saying is that ideology is actually trumping evidence, because there was no evidence of any need for this bill.

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Well, I think the evidence was that you passed the amendments at this committee. Amendments were brought forward because there was a thoughtful, constructive discussion here. I was not present for those discussions. It was a private member's bill. The amendments came forward and they went to the House of Commons as well and were voted on. That's what a free and open democracy does. It considers private member's bills as well as government legislation. Regarding bills that are brought forward by the opposition, I think our government has done a great job of evaluating those things on their merit. Evidence alone is that there have been opposition bills that have been openly supported by our government because they were good public policy.

So as I say, with Bill C-525 it was brought—

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

Could you name a couple of those?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

There was Elizabeth May's bill on Lyme disease.

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

One....

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

So let's be very clear—

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

One was her bill on Lyme disease, okay.

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I think Lyme disease is a very important issue to deal with. Don't you, Roger?

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

Yes.

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

As a physician, I do. I see it in clinic.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Okay. We're going to end it at that point. We're over time. I did add some time on there for you.

Now we are on to Mr. Butt for seven minutes.

[Brad Butt, Conservative, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, Minister and officials. It's great to have you here.

Just on the last points that were made, I actually asked the witnesses if they objected to secret ballots and they said no. So that's what we did. We did exactly what the witnesses indicated they had no objection to, with respect to Bill C-525.

I'd like to talk about occupational health and safety, Minister, if we can. You did say in your presentation that from 2007 to 2011 the number of disabling injuries for all federally regulated sectors declined by 22%. I think that's great. We're moving in the right direction. Having fewer and fewer injuries in the workplace is obviously where we want to be, and the goal is to get to zero, obviously.

Would you be able to explain to the committee what strategies the labour program employs to produce this level of success?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Thank you very much for the question. I appreciate it. As an orthopedic surgeon myself, I have to say that the health and safety components in the workplace are something I remain very focused on. Making sure that Canadians who go to work healthy return healthy is very important.

Our health and safety officers—individuals who are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with respect to issues that employees may be concerned about—do outstanding and dedicated work. These are individuals who understand the workplaces they are working in and work diligently with the employers and employees to make the environments that these workers are in even safer.

Our work, as mentioned, is paying off. Over the last 12 years, between 2000 and 2012, there's been a 30% decline in the rate of disabling injuries and fatalities for federally regulated workplaces. This is something that Canadians and our program should be very proud of.

Specifically with respect to items in the workplace, items that the labour program focuses on, one thing I will point out to individuals of the committee, and also to Canadians in general, is the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. I think it's an unknown gem, a great centre established in 1978 that promotes well-being and works with Canadians providing information, training, education, and management systems to support health, safety, and wellness in the workplace.

Kin Choi, our ADM, is the chair of that centre. It does outstanding work and I think has been truly the big contributor to making sure workplaces are safe across the country. A lot of its services are free, and I encourage all Canadians to access it so they can create a safer workplace.

[Brad Butt, Conservative, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Obviously we studied Bill C-4 as a committee, and there was some concern that was raised that employees in federally regulated workplaces will not be able to refuse dangerous work situations. I don't believe that's true, but obviously there was some concern.

Can you re-emphasize to the committee that the changes in Bill C-4 still obviously permit any individual who believes that they're working in an unsafe environment to refuse that work and to file a complaint in the appropriate way, either with their employer directly or through the labour ministry? Because I think there's a lot of misinformation going around that somehow all of a sudden thousands of people can't refuse dangerous work now as a result of the changes to Bill C-4. Can you re-emphasize what the rules are, the changes under Bill C-4?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I want to be absolutely clear, as I have been in numerous conversations including here in committee. Canadian workers can absolutely, unequivocally respond by saying that they can refuse work in the work site if they think it is dangerous. That has not changed. It is extremely important that Canadian employers understand this, and employees understand that they have this right to refuse work.

In addition to the right of employees to refuse dangerous work, which is paramount in the legislation, they also have a right to understand exactly what's going on, and to be educated with respect to it and what their workplace environment has. They also have a right to be educated on what those protections are on the work site. It's extremely important. This is paramount and a focal point of the legislation and that emphasis, that focus, that protection of workers, has not changed.