Finance Committee on April 25th, 2013

[Dr. Daniel Muzyka]

I think some of it involves having dialogue with professional bodies about minimum requirements, ensuring that we have good processes, and looking at educational opportunities. Some of the requirements that professions have relate to education. Finding ways for these folks who have come in from other countries to progress into a career here and to gain the required skills very quickly is very helpful.

I think those are things that aren't necessarily costly. Some of it involves just saying, this is what we need and here's how we're going to deliver it, in terms of knowledge.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Very good. Thank you.

I do want to address something Professor Corak mentioned. You mentioned that in your wish list you would see a leave from work for families so that they could just do what they deemed to be important for their family.

Have you talked to businesses about how the heck they would actually be able to continue to thrive and do business if families are simply deciding, “Well, this is important, so I'm taking a leave”? We have a labour shortage in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

I'm just curious to know how you think this is going to work for employers. Are you expecting employers to basically eat the cost of this?

[Dr. Miles Corak]

“Eat the cost of it”; I'm not sure what that means, Madame.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I'll explain what it means. If you take people out of the workplace, you have to put others in. If they're on leave, they're still being paid. The new ones also have to be paid. Who's paying for this?

[Dr. Miles Corak]

We already do that in the system, and this is nascent in the system as it is. We have parental leave. We have leave for child care.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

You're saying increase this?

[Dr. Miles Corak]

Yes. It would be to build upon that precedent.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

So how much is it going to cost, and who's going to pay for it?

[Dr. Miles Corak]

It is designed.... Maybe “paternalistic” is too strong a word, but children need the inputs from their parents, not just in the early years—

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I understand that, sir. We already have these in place, and you want to increase them. I'm asking you very specifically if you are expecting the employers to pay for this and how much it is going to cost.

[Dr. Miles Corak]

No. In my brief I suggested that we could put in personalized accounts in the system, so that—

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

So taxpayers pay.

[Dr. Miles Corak]

No, the individuals themselves pay. I contribute to EI. I don't necessarily use it. A surplus is developed in that envelope. Then I have the freedom to use that surplus.

The labour market is much more flexible than it was, and employers seem to have accommodated maternity and parental leave positions without any concerns.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

On behalf of the committee I want to thank all our witnesses who are with us here today in Ottawa, and Professor Wilkinson for joining us from the United Kingdom.

If any of you wish to consider anything further, we are putting all the briefs online on the finance committee website. If you wish us to consider posting anything online, please submit it to the clerk and we will ensure that happens.

Thank you so much.

The meeting is adjourned.