Human Resources Committee on Oct. 16th, 2023

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.

I want to go back to some of the comments that have been made around the table today about how this is an important program for social services in our communities.

As well as the skills and abilities that are learned, it also does support a lot of the community-building work that happens in our communities. With that in mind, we see it's over-indexed for women and girls and over-indexed for the not-for-profit sector, so I'm concerned. We know we need to get people together more and we need more community-building happening. We know that postpandemic there's just more work to do in that area.

I'm wondering if it's your plan, Minister, to increase the funding for this program next year, and to what levels. I'm interested in what information you've used to determine how this program should look next year.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Thank you so much, Bonita, for the question.

We will make sure the program functions into next year the way it is functioning right now. I am always advocating for this program, and not just as a minister but as an MP.

I also understand what this program is. When you take 70,000 jobs and look at the checks and balances that have to happen with those 70,000 jobs and you have 338 MPs with their local priorities, it's a lot. This is huge. I have to say that only so much is possible. The reality is the reality.

Will CSJ continue? Absolutely. Will I always advocate? Absolutely I will, as a minister and an MP.

We also have to recognize it is huge. It is popular. At the centre of everything, it really is the kids who are being served. For these kids to get the best experience that they can over the summer is what it's about.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I'll take this opportunity to reiterate that any cut in the program does disproportionately affect women, girls, indigenous youth and youth with disabilities.

I did note you had some data there from different ridings. If I could ask you to provide the Port Moody—Coquitlam information at the end of this meeting, that would be awesome.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Yes.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I want to go back to the wage gap question that I asked earlier. Is there data collected around the wage gap by gender?

I'm very interested to know because we know that the not-for-profit sector is heavily made up of women. Pensions are not a thing and wages aren't necessarily as high as they are in other markets, so I just want to make sure that we're not setting up girls and young women in salaries that are not competitive.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

We know that from province to province it's minimum wage, so there wouldn't be a disparity there, but we can get you some more numbers for sure.

I will just quickly give you your numbers. In 2019, Bonita, it was 718,083. In 2023, it was 775,673. I would be pleased to give you more numbers as you need them.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo.

We'll adjourn the first hour with the minister at about 12:05, because we started a few minutes late.

I'm going to give four minutes to the official opposition and four minutes to the government. I understand it will be Mr. Morrice.

We'll now go to Ms. Ferreri for four minutes, please.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Thank you, Minister, for attending the committee today.

Can you table with the committee the new mandate letter that was issued to you, because there was a shuffle in cabinet by the Prime Minister?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

My mandate letter is unchanged.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Is it unchanged?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I have the same ministry.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Were there no new mandate letters issued or...?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Not for me.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Thank you.

One of the issues that we've heard today is how the program is being rolled out. You said in your opening remarks that you want to make changes and do so by listening and learning.

I would like to share with the committee a letter from my riding and the Township of Selwyn. There was a motion that was carried. I'm going to read into the record a bit of what was said:

Whereas in 2023, the Selwyn Public Library, as well as other libraries in Peterborough County, did not receive this federal funding valued annually (Selwyn’s case) at approximately $6,300, and did not learn that funding was not approved until mid July and that given the late notice had to use fundraising dollars to fund summer students to support library programming;

You can imagine how challenging it would be to not have any answers when you are banking on money that you would have received and also have to deal with a program that's not giving any correspondence, any information, until mid-July.

I guess what I'm asking here, on behalf of the township, Minister, is this: How do you reconcile the inefficiencies in the system and the communication gaps that are clearly happening and are impacting what is supposed to be the mandate with ensuring that students are becoming employed and that the businesses are benefiting from these students being employed?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I would ask, first, where was the library with regard to your priorities? Members of Parliament have the tools to do that. I know as an MP that I list the organizations that I believe should benefit from this program, and then there is another round.

I'm just trying to understand where the Selwyn library was in all of that.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

For sure, it was prioritized. It was at the top of the priority list.

The other point that needs to be made is that only 10% of the local priorities.... In 2018, the committee's study on Canada summer jobs had a recommendation to respond to national and local priorities to improve access to the labour market, and it goes on from there. The scoring criteria give only 10% to local needs that are balanced and serving communities well.

Do you think that is fair? It's 10%.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

As I said before, Michelle, I'm trying to understand where Selwyn was.

You said it was prioritized—

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Of course.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Where? Was it prioritized in the first round, and on top of the list, and it was told no?

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

It wasn't told anything. That's the whole problem. There was no communication. It wasn't informed of anything until mid-July.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I shouldn't be delving into specific cases, but what I will do, Michelle, is we'll talk after this, because that concerns me. I want to understand what happened, okay?

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

For sure, and I do appreciate that.

That's one of the big concerns. We've heard from across the way, and there are supposed to be benefits here and 100%, but I would challenge you greatly, Minister, when you're saying that this program is run by MPs. With all due respect, Minister, it is run by your ministry. It is not run by us.

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

There is no other program that has the type of MP involvement. I know that as an MP—

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

MP involvement is significantly different from saying we run it. That's what you said on the record, Minister—that we run this program.