Evidence of meeting #26 for Finance in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was plans.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Further, Mr. Georgetti, you recommend rescinding the personal income tax reductions of $1.885 billion that were made in the 2009 budget. Have you actually surveyed your membership on this? Have you taken a vote within your membership to ask them if they'd like a tax increase?
President, Canadian Labour Congress
We talk to our members regularly and we meet every three years. Our affiliates have that policy. We would prefer that the money be used for other purposes than those minuscule tax deductions that no one feels on their cheque.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Okay. You indicated earlier that 23% of people not represented by unions have a pension plan. Who is in that group?
President, Canadian Labour Congress
Well, it's everyone who is not in a union.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
But it would include people who are self-employed, correct?
President, Canadian Labour Congress
It would include all the executives.... Everybody, yes.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Sometimes when we throw numbers around, they're misleading. You indicated in a release following the budget that 60% of the unemployed weren't getting benefits and that they weren't going to get them now. Who is in that 60%?
President, Canadian Labour Congress
That's someone who doesn't get EI. It's everyone who is unemployed who doesn't get EI.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
I realize that it's everyone who doesn't get EI, but it's misrepresenting. Shouldn't we really be talking about the people who have paid into the plan—the people who are working, the people who are laid off? That's the number that Statistics Canada reports.
President, Canadian Labour Congress
Our numbers are for all people who are unemployed—who work for wages, become unemployed, and can't get EI. Of those people who become unemployed, I think 41% get EI benefits, and the rest don't.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
This would include people who don't pay into the plan.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Well, if you're including people who are self-employed, they don't pay into it.
President, Canadian Labour Congress
I said people who made EI contributions off their cheques and then are not entitled to get unemployment insurance.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Your position is that 41% of people who are paying contributions don't get EI?
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Do get...? Oh, so you're saying that only 40% of people who paid into it actually received it?
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
So what you're saying is that Statistics Canada is absolutely wrong by double.
President, Canadian Labour Congress
I'm not saying anything about Statistics Canada. I'm saying that the reality is that almost 60% of people who become unemployed and who have paid EI premiums don't get EI.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Thank you very much.
One thing I'm sensing from everyone is that we're looking for certainty, for assurances. There is one thing I've learned. I'm not that old yet, but I've learned that there's no such thing as a sure thing in life. But there's a delicate balance that has to be struck.
