Government Operations committee  Yes. An update was posted on the Canada.ca website in November.

Government Operations committee  I can answer that question, if I may. The Treasury Board gave guidelines to the departments to help them answer any questions pertaining to 699 leave claims. It's important to emphasize that decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Each public servant is in a different situation.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for that question. It's difficult for me to discuss the approach taken by the bargaining agents, and the claims being made, but we know that it's a priority for the unions and we are proceeding collaboratively on this matter.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question. I referred to this the last time we met. We work with all departments on return-to-work plans. The departments are responsible for managing their employees, and for their welfare. The support we give them consists of clarifying certain things and guiding the departments on how to envisage their working environment following the pandemic.

Government Operations committee  It's going very well. You might call it a strategy, but in fact what we are providing to the departments is support. This support focuses mainly on technical aspects, such as how to administer the various issues surrounding data security, or how to reach decisions about the workplace for every public service position.

Government Operations committee  I apologize. I'm by no means an expert when it comes to collective bargaining. I'm really representing the expertise of my colleagues in the office of the chief human resources officer on this. I understand that notice has been given to collective bargain, that plans are well under way to begin that process this summer, and that my colleagues are very much looking forward to that opportunity.

Government Operations committee  It's very hard to say in terms of a timeline. The nature of negotiations is that they don't lend themselves well to precise timelines. As I mentioned, what I do know and what I can say is that negotiations are planned to begin this summer. I have no doubt they will continue into the fall.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair. It's a pleasure to speak a little bit about it, given the fact, also, that benchmarks are amongst the precedents of five priorities on diversity and inclusion, including revisiting them as part of that work. The benchmarks that exist are, as I mentioned before, workforce availability.

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, the goal is not to have a lower percentage than where we're currently at. The goal is always, as is the case with many of the departmental results that one will find in the departmental plan, continuous improvement. Even in circumstances where—

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, I don't have the report directly in front of me, but I can see the table in my mind's eye. I do recall that when it speaks to the target on the page itself, it says “at least”, and then the percentage. What that indicates is that the goal isn't to lower, for example, the representation to that rate.

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, thank you again for the question—

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, the benchmark is actually calculated based on the data that is available on labour force availability. Essentially, they're technical adjustments that are made to calculate, not just determine willy-nilly, for example, what we think a good percentage is, but to calculate exactly, or as exactly as possible, what the available workforce is for the four EE groups that departments have at their disposal.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question. The public document submitted by Ms. Joly sets out the government's vision. It outlines changes the government is proposing as part of the modernization of the act. The document contains several proposals in this regard. I'll focus on the proposal to increase the responsibilities of the Treasury Board to ensure compliance by federal institutions.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Chair. Just to clarify, the figures that are provided in the departmental plan are the workforce availability figures. Those are calculated to basically determine the workforce that is available when it comes to the four employment equity groups that are named in the Employment Equity Act.

Government Operations committee  Yes, thank you, Minister. So—