This bill was last introduced in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in September 2008.
This bill was previously introduced in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session.
Peggy Nash NDP
Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)
Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of Oct. 16, 2007
(This bill did not become law.)
This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.
This enactment ensures that the minimum wage in Canada is not less than ten dollars per hour.
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I see, Mr. Speaker. I will be quick.
The second petition, put forward by hundreds of Canadians and regarding the federal minimum wage, calls upon the Parliament of Canada to ensure that the workers in the federal jurisdiction are paid a fair minimum wage by passing the NDP private member's bill, Bill C-375, which would establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have two more petitions I would like to table. The first is signed by residents of Burnaby—Douglas. They point out that the federal minimum wage was eliminated in 1996 by the then Liberal government. They note that a $10 an hour minimum wage just approaches the poverty level for single workers and say that this would establish a best practice for labour standards across the country.
Therefore, they call on Parliament to ensure that workers in federal jurisdictions are paid a fair minimum wage by passing Bill C-375, tabled by the member for Parkdale—High Park, to establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to present two petitions.
The first petition is signed by people who note that the federal minimum wage was eliminated in 1996 under the Liberal government and that a $10 an hour minimum wage just approaches the poverty level for a single worker. The petition calls on the Parliament of Canada to ensure that workers in the federal jurisdiction are paid a fair minimum wage by passing Bill C-375, as presented by the member for Parkdale—High Park.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by 41 constituents in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-375, to re-establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
There are more than two million Canadians who make less than $10 an hour, and we know the impact of poverty on health, social development and our economy as a whole. We know that a federal minimum wage can lift minimum wages across the country, and that since the federal minimum wage was abolished by the Liberals provincial wages have been stagnant.
This petition is urging the re-establishment of a federal minimum wage and setting it at $10 an hour.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, the third petition is signed by hundreds of petitioners in Red Deer and elsewhere who have joined thousands of others across Canada in calling for a federal minimum wage that was eliminated in 1996.
The petitioners call on the government to pass Bill C-375, in the name of the member for Parkdale—High Park, to re-establish a federal minimum wage and to set it at $10 an hour so that people can be paid a fair minimum wage and have a quality of life. Thousands of these petitions are coming in from across the country.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, my second petition is signed by 340 people from my riding of Parkdale—High Park who recognize that the federal minimum wage was eliminated in 1996 by the Liberal government, that a $10 an hour minimum wage would just approach the poverty line for a single worker and that the federal government, if it established a minimum wage, would set a benchmark of best practice in labour standards right across Canada.
The petitioners are calling upon the Parliament of Canada to ensure that workers in the federal jurisdiction are paid a fair minimum wage by passing my Bill C-375 to re-establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, my third petition is signed by hundreds of people in British Columbia who note that the federal minimum wage was eliminated in 1996 and that to have a federal minimum wage is a very important matter to ensure that workers get a decent living wage.
It calls upon Parliament to ensure that workers in federal jurisdictions are paid a fair minimum wage by passing the NDP's Bill C-375 to re-establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, the third petition, with 285 signatures, concerns the federal minimum wage and it recognizes that the federal minimum wage was eliminated by the Liberal government in 1996. A $10 an hour minimum wage just approaches the poverty level for a single worker. A federal minimum wage would extend beyond the numbers of workers covered federally because it would serve as the best practice for labour standards in the country.
The petitioners call for the Parliament of Canada to ensure the passage of Bill C-375, my bill to re-establish a federal minimum wage set at $10 an hour.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition has 387 signatures. The petitioners are calling for the federal minimum wage to be reintroduced and raised to $10 an hour. The minimum wage was abolished in 1996 under the previous Liberal government. A minimum wage of $10 an hour would just approach the poverty level for a single person. If a minimum wage were established at the federal level, the influence would extend beyond workers in the federal jurisdiction because it could serve as a best practice for labour standards across the country. The petition calls for passage of my minimum wage Bill C-375.
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I am presenting a petition from approximately 100 of my constituents and other residents of the city of Windsor and the County of Essex.
The petitioners call upon the government to support the minimum wage bill that has been presented to the House as a private member's bill by the member for Parkdale—High Park, known as Bill C-375. They note in the petition that by raising the minimum wage, which was done away with by a former Liberal government, it would have the effect of moving at least an individual above the poverty line at that rate of pay.
I submit it on that basis and thank them for having presented it.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from citizens of Dundas, Hamilton, London and Tavistock, Ontario who are asking the government to consider positively the private member's bill, Bill C-375, put forward by a member of our caucus to establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House a petition of 239 signatures from my riding of Parkdale—High Park in Toronto on the federal minimum wage. A poll released last week showed that three out of four Canadians believed the minimum wage should be at least $10 an hour.
The petitioners recognize that the federal minimum wage was eliminated in 1996 by the Liberal government, that a $10 an hour minimum wage just approaches the poverty level for a single worker and that the importance of a federal minimum wage would extend beyond the number of workers covered by it because it serves as a best practice for labour standards across the country.
They call upon the Parliament of Canada to ensure that workers in federal jurisdiction are paid a fair minimum wage by passing my Bill C-375 to re-establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by constituents from London--Fanshawe. The petitioners call upon the Parliament of Canada to reverse the elimination of the minimum wage by the former Liberal government and ensure that workers in federal jurisdictions are paid a fair minimum wage by passing Bill C-375, the private member's bill from my colleague in Parkdale--High Park.
Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today on behalf of hard-working families on Hamilton Mountain who are increasingly recognizing the existence of the prosperity gap in Canada. They do not feel they are benefiting from the economic growth they keep hearing about. This is especially true for the many Hamiltonians who are working full time but are still living below the poverty line.
To that end, they have asked me to table a petition calling on the House to restore the federal minimum wage which the Liberals eliminated in 1996 and to pass NDP Bill C-375 to set the minimum wage at $10 an hour as a first step in moving toward a living wage. I am delighted to present this petition on their behalf.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-375, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (minimum wage).
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise in the House to introduce an act to amend the Canada Labour Code. This bill would re-establish a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 an hour.
Canada is unfortunately and quite unnecessarily considered a low wage country with high rates of poverty. It is time for Parliament to show leadership at the federal level in the area of income security. The Arthurs report, which was released this morning, clearly calls on us to make fair and equitable labour standards a national priority. It also strongly suggests that we re-establish a federal minimum wage in this country.
It is my sincere hope that this bill will find support among MPs from all political parties in this House. The second reading of Bill C-257 to ban replacement workers shows what we can do when we reach across party lines to accomplish results for working people.
I hope that all members in this House will support this bill and other measures to ensure that in a just society, no one working full time and for a full year should find themselves living in poverty.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)