Debates of Nov. 1st, 2006

Human Resources and Skills Development—Main Estimates 2006-07

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

It's a great Liberal program.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

It is wonderful. The idea is to bring various government programs and services together so people no longer need to run from one department to another level of government looking for what they need.

Today Service Canada offers Canadians access to more than 50 programs and services. Canadians can go to Service Canada to get a social insurance number, check up on their pensions, apply for employment insurance or fill out an application for a passport, and the list is growing. Best of all, Canadians can get access to the programs and services they need at any time and in any way they want to.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

That's the way the Liberals designed it.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Yes, they can visit Service Canada on line, they can phone, they can write, they can visit the Service Canada centre. In just a few years we have may have reached the point where accessing all government programs and services could be as easy as just one call, one click or a visit away.

We are not quite there yet, but Service Canada is moving in that direction.

Over the past year, Service Canada has added 157 points of service to its delivery network. Most of that increase has been achieved through outreach and mobile services.

We are very fortunate tonight to have officials from the department with us here. I cannot help but wonder what they think, with all that noise that is coming from across there. These lovely ladies probably will never go into politics.

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

We are going to try to keep the responses somewhat in relation to the question that was asked and we will keep them at least similar to the length of time it took to ask the questions.

The hon. member for Barrie.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am fascinated by the response of the parliamentary secretary. Could I hear further from her on the great work of this Prime Minister and this government.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Chair, over the past year Service Canada has added 157 points of service to its delivery network. Most of that increase has been achieved through the new outreach and mobile services. As of September, Service Canada has had a total of 477 points of service to better serve Canadians wherever they live.

To facilitate access to programs and services, Service Canada has also brought together the 1 800 O-Canada telephone line and 23 other call centres.

I thought it is a good idea and I am glad that we have Service Canada for the increased number of points of service. It is a remarkable achievement in itself and I am confident there are more savings as we--

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Barrie.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Chair, I appreciated the response from the Parliamentary Secretary.

It is interesting to hear the Liberals make remarks from across the floor when for 13 years skilled trades were not a focus. I heard it referenced as 12 years and 2 months and I think a lot of Canadians would have preferred that it was even shorter than that.

Would the parliamentary secretary to expand on what Service Canada also offer.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Chair, I think Service Canada was an excellent idea. I am glad we are going to implement it. I will say it was not looking good for a while.

However, one of the things we need to do is ensure that we involve the provinces and the municipalities so we truly have a one stop shop. I was encouraged when I met with Service Canada in Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan they do--

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

That is the end of the time slot. We are going to try to keep it moving here.

The hon. member for Newmarket—Aurora.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Etobicoke North and the member for Winnipeg South Centre.

Is the minister aware of the letter from the leader of the Conservative Party, dated January 18 to the Premier of Ontario?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, no, I am not aware of any such letter.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, as a member of Parliament from Ontario, I always made it a point to fully appreciate the agreements that were made by my leader and my prime minister.

Let me explain the letter. The letter is from Stephen Harper to Dalton McGuinty, dated January 18, which is during the election, which commits--

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I remind the hon. member for Newmarket—Aurora not to use member's names, but their riding or title.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, it says, “we will be fully funding this agreement”; that is the Canada-Ontario agreement.

When will the government honour the Canada-Ontario agreement, the labour market partnerships in particular?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, as the hon. member can recognize, I am sure, the LMPA with Ontario is part of the broader agreement. Perhaps she heard in the House today that the finance minister acknowledged the program was truly and fully funded.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, maybe the Minister of Finance should indicate that to the minister responsible, Minister Bentley, that this agreement will be fully funded. I am sure he would be happy to hear that. As of today, he had not heard that this funding would flow toward the Ontario agreement and the labour market partnership agreements.

My second question is this. If he is going to honour those agreements, is he going to honour the labour market partnership agreements for Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, as the House is aware, we are here to discuss the programs for Human Resources and Social Development. Just now the member for Newmarket—Aurora was asking me about the intentions and the plans of the Minister of Finance.

I am sure she is well aware that I am not in a position to comment on the actions or the intentions of the Minister of Finance, even as they relate to this department. She has acknowledged that this is his decision.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, let me simplify the question. Will this minister commit to funding the labour market partnership agreements for Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba? The Prime Minister, the leader of the Conservative Party, indicated in the last election that those commitments, those agreements, would be fully honoured.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am sure one of the concerns the hon. member has is that education and training skills are developed.

I would like to read something if I may. It says:

It is in large measure lack of federal leadership that has made post-secondary education the poor second cousin in public policy and the country will pay a price for that lack of vision. As a reflection of Liberal priorities, the budget abandons education.

The LMPAs are about education. The hon. member Newmarket—Aurora made that statement.

[Belinda Stronach, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, let me ask that question again. Will the minister commit to honouring part of the Ontario agreement, the labour market partnership agreement, that was signed in November with the Ontario government for $1.4 billion over six years, which addresses apprenticeship programs, new Canadians, literacy, workplace skills development, programs for aboriginal Canadians, barriers to employment for older workers and persons with disabilities?

Will the government honour those agreements that were signed with the Ontario government, with the Saskatchewan government and with the government of Manitoba?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, as I indicated to the member just a few moments ago, the finance minister indicated in the House today that the Canada-Ontario agreement would be fully funded.

Given the broader fiscal balance issue, no decision has been made on the Manitoba and Saskatchewan situation.

[Roy Cullen, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, earlier I heard the minister talk about how she wanted to focus on the labour market, ensuring workers had the skills they needed.

I heard the member for Barrie say that we needed to encourage the trades and apprenticeships and he talked about the shortage of workers. As I listened, I could not believe my ears. At the same time those members are saying that, they are cutting programs that are accomplishing exactly those objectives.

We just officially opened a training centre In my riding of Etobicoke North. It is the Sheet Metals Workers International Association, Local 285. It benefited from the training centre infrastructure fund, which enabled it to buy a welding shop and some other equipment to the tune of about $180,000. That program has been unceremoniously cut. I know my colleague from York South—Weston had a number of projects in his riding that were unceremoniously cut.

How can the minister rationalize those cuts when she says she wants to focus on the labour market and developing the skill sets that are needed?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, Canada's new government has taken decisions that will make substantial investments in developing the skills of people in the skilled trades. These are investing in the people through our apprenticeship incentive grant, our employers incentive grants to hire employees and our the tool tax deduction for those working in the trade. That will benefit 800,000 tradespeople.