Evidence of meeting #45 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Again, this is critically important, because we're seeing an economic downturn.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
I rule this one as contrary to the principle of the bill as well.
We'll move on to your next one.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
This amendment seeks to add an item to the list of information the minister must provide; namely, it is a provision that the minister also provide a plan to pay to the board an amount of the employment insurance account when the account has a positive balance. It is contrary to the principle of the bill, so I will rule it that way.
We'll introduce--
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Sorry, I have to do this one more time. May I challenge the chair, please? And I want a recorded vote on whether the chair will be upheld.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?
(Ruling of the chair sustained [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Conservative
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Again, this is that clause 127 be amended by replacing line 40 on page 117 with the following, “rate for the following three years”.
Conservative
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
That's okay.
The Liberals might change their minds on supporting something for the workers. Actually, I am mistaken; this whole EI change started with the former Liberal government.
Conservative
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Yes, I'm discussing about...you might as well let me speak once.
I can speak five times, five minutes each.
We have in front of us a question about whether to put aside a measly $2 billion rather than the over $50 billion of funds that the employees, mostly the employees, through from the nineties to now...as EI changed, this fund technically belongs to the workers.
What has happened in the past is this money has been taken away and has been...I can see why the Liberals are not happy listening to this because thousands of workers could have used this employment insurance. They no longer qualify, and just in my hometown, Toronto, 75% of the people who qualified for employment insurance used to be able to get some money. They weren't forced onto welfare.
What has occurred from the nineties to now is that only about 20% to 30% of people qualify for EI. Setting up an arm's-length agency and giving them a small amount of money will not do the job, and the entire amount really should go back to the employees for retraining, to increase their employment, whether they're in the forestry industry, which is facing massive unemployment, the manufacturing industry, where a lot of people...or whether they are auto workers.... We are losing a lot of manufacturing jobs, and this is the time for an EI change that would take that money and use it to retrain workers.
It's really unfortunate that a lot of our motions are either ruled out of order or are defeated because of the Liberals abstaining. I certainly hope some of these motions will pass.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Thank you very much. You've made a point. We'll now vote on the amendment.
(Amendment negatived)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Now we'll go to the main motion.
(Clause 127 agreed to)
(On clause 128)
Conservative
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Line 6 on page 119 is to be amended to say there should be a payout.
Is this in order, Mr. Chair? It's 70.1.
Conservative
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Could I have a recorded vote on this one? It's so reasonable, it's hard to believe it won't pass.
(Amendment negatived: nays 4; yeas 3; abstentions 3)
(Clauses 128 to 130 inclusive agreed to)
(On clause 131)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
We have some amendments to clause 131 and we'll allow those to be introduced at this time.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
There are two amendments, Mr. Chair. Let me do the first one. It's 3512790, and it is that clause 131 be amended by replacing lines 9 and 10 on page 121 with the following:
The Minister of Finance shall authorize the payment
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
This one would be contrary to the principle of the bill and would be inadmissible.