Human Resources committee  Commentators in both countries over the years, especially decades ago, raised questions about the challenges of unionization in the government sector. It is a reality. It's not the same as in the private sector because the people who pay are not at the table. I understand that elected officials and the people who work for them are representative of them, but it is not the same thing when the taxpayer's pocket can be reached into through deficits and debts to a great extent.

Human Resources committee  Yes, and design influences use.

Human Resources committee  I'm just going to reaffirm what I said in my remarks. This needs to be studied and worked on. I did it as a human resources professional in multi-billion dollar businesses. It can be done in this government and in can be done in partnership with the unions, but we can not endlessly defend people who are real problems and need to be addressed to the denigration of the good work of the other people who pay the price.

Human Resources committee  I know, I know, the audacity of me. Avoid games with numbers in particular. Please, avoid games with numbers and work together diligently for the benefit of all. If you take the time to truly track what is going on and to think about the people who are absent and how you can help them, as well as the people around them and the public that is affected by it as well, we will have a better civil service.

Human Resources committee  Thank you. Prior to my 17 years as the president of LabourWatch and 18 parallel years running a management consulting firm, I spent 15 years in senior human resources roles. I was the head of human resources and other departments for the Vancouver family that started and ran Future Shop, and it had stores at that time in both Canada and the United States.

Human Resources committee  There was nothing wrong with the secret ballot vote bill. We have votes for decertification, but we don't have card check decertification. This government is going back to a dishonest, non-level playing field for workers by putting it back to the old way where they have to get 50% plus one and endure a vote, and the unions are going to get the card check system back.

Human Resources committee  The fundamental difference remains that nobody has to fund us, and nobody has to join the Retail Council, or the CFIB, in order to operate a retail business or to operate a small business in Canada. Once again it's apples and oranges to compare the power unions have in statute law.

Human Resources committee  No, we don't.

Human Resources committee  It's the totality of the system.

Human Resources committee  —call lawyers to try to get help against their union, the members of CALL say, “We're not going to help you because we act for unions, and we're not going to act for you against the union.” Then, when you call the management side of the bar, this is what they tell workers: “We act for management and we don't act for workers”.

Human Resources committee  No, because I'm not going to lie.

Human Resources committee  It's only had one modification since 1959.

Human Resources committee  There were the 2003 amendments.

Human Resources committee  Everything has a starting point in terms—

Human Resources committee  —of legislation and the comprehensiveness of it.