Evidence of meeting #23 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was first.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President, Canadian Public Works Association
Perhaps there is, as a facilitator. But the role might also be as navigator to make sure that the industries are paying their fair share.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
You have 30 seconds, Mr. Marston.
Ms. Simon did want to comment.
President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Thank you.
I just wanted to add that we also have to look at infrastructure that doesn't exist. Is Canada going to invest in the Arctic where infrastructure doesn't actually exist but is needed?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you.
Before I go to Mr. Adler, I want to check with our witnesses. We have four members who want to ask questions. Can we impose on your time to about a quarter after? Is everyone okay with that?
Okay. I want to thank you very much for that.
We're going to go to Mr. Adler.
Conservative
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank all the witnesses. This is a very interesting discussion.
I want to direct my first question to Mr. Whyte.
The one advantage you have over every other witness who has appeared before us is that everybody you speak to, including the members of this committee, probably started at one time or another in the food service sector or worked in that sector. So some of us have a bit of knowledge about working behind a counter or as a waiter, or whatever.
But I want to ask you this. This government clearly has a low-tax plan to promote the competitiveness of the Canadian economy over others, and to create jobs and to strengthen our economy. How would you and your members view an increase in corporate taxes? What would that do? Given the tight margins you're operating under right now, what would that do to your membership?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
We're on very tight margins, and it would be devastating. It would be very difficult, and that's why we're proposing this task force. It would be a death by a thousand cuts.
We're part of the solution here. We're a solution for investment, employment, agrifood, health, immigration, tourism, and community development. And we want to ask how you harness that and work into it.
We always get hit by one-off policy decisions. The classic was the HST harmonization in B.C., which was going to increase the sales tax on our industry by 7%. And we got nailed. Well, there was a consequence. Not only was it bad policy; it was bad politics, as I think people are finding out. That's a good example. You have to think it out. We want to pay more than our fair share--we do. But I think we have to think it out, rather than looking through just one policy lens.
Conservative
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
Just to reiterate, your industry is the fourth-largest employer in Canada.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Yes.
Conservative
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
And you're saying that an increase in corporate taxes would be devastating for your members and for the fourth-largest sector in the Canadian economy.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
It would stifle any growth we'd be looking at.
Conservative
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
Thank you.
My next question is for Ms. Bittman. Nobody around this table would question the professionalism and the expertise of the Canadian public service, about which there's no doubt. I think it stands head and shoulders above any other public service around the world. But you said a couple of things, and I have questions about them.
You're saying that we're not at the point of a recession just yet, and there's no need to sink any more money into stimulus at this point. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that your solution to not ending up in that predicament would be to expand the public service, to hire more people. That would solve the issue, and we wouldn't have to go into stimulus? We wouldn't have to go down that road?
Please clarify.
Vice-President, Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
No, as a point of clarification, what we're saying is that indiscriminate cuts to the public service are not going to do anything to help or sustain the economy. You need strong federal public service jobs in outlying regions of the country to sustain the local economy. You need strong public service jobs to, quite frankly, sustain the middle class.
Our opinion is that the government can find the savings and the efficiencies it's looking for by reducing the amount of money it spends on outside contractors. So the bottom line is that you only have to look to the nineties when there were widespread cuts to the public service and, ultimately, there were not a lot of dollars saved because the money, in turn, went to outsourcing.
Conservative
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
Thank you. You can stop there. I understand all of that.
Let me ask you about redundancies. You have to admit that within government there are certain redundancies. Would you be in favour of cutting those redundancies?
Vice-President, Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The institute has frequently offered to work with the government to help identify cost savings and efficiencies in government. We agree that the public service needs to do things smarter, just like everyone else.
Conservative
Mark Adler Conservative York Centre, ON
Thank you.
I have a yes or no question.
Was your union one of the sponsors or advertisers at the recent NDP convention?
Vice-President, Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
No.
Conservative
NDP
Alain Giguère NDP Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
We have received numerous submissions from aboriginal communities. They have informed us of many difficulties that, unfortunately, few people see or talk about. It is very unfortunate because, clearly, there is a serious problem. It seems to me that Canada, as a whole, does not see the problem and does not want to hear about it.
If people in any Canadian town or city were being poisoned by unsafe drinking water, the situation would be fixed immediately, Mr. Chair. If we were facing social problems linked to unsanitary housing, we would tackle the problem immediately. It has become clear that some people do not want to spend the money to help Canadians who are different from them.
The first thing to do when one makes a mistake, when one does something wrong, is to apologize. Many governments have already issued apologies to aboriginal communities.
The second thing to do is to tell them that they are loved. When one loves a friend, they do what it takes, no matter what the cost. It is a matter of public heath. People are suffering, some are dying, and all we can say is that it is unfortunate. We must stop saying that and do something to correct the situation.
I would like to hear from the witnesses. Please tell us how much you need, how we can finally reach out a helping hand and stop seeing suffering as an intangible thing.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
I think we'll start with Mr. Jock, then Mr. Jules, and Ms. Simon.
Chief Executive Officer, Assembly of First Nations
Thank you for the comment.
I would make a couple of follow-up points. One is that, in recognizing the situation that exists, part of what is required is transforming the relationship. That's what we're suggesting, as well, in terms of the fiscal relationship. But it's also about transforming the overall relationship. That will be an important part of the interest, but it will also address the inequity. That's why, in our discussions and in our call for actions, we have suggested, first, that we deal with the gap in education, that we address that gap immediately.
We've also pointed out the other areas within our pre-budget submission that require investments. The amounts of $85,000.... The gap in housing and the need to deal with infrastructure needs are all documented in our pre-budget submissions. We have a series of these.
But transforming the relationship is a key part of it, and introducing stability will also enable us to work in partnership and not simply to be at the table asking for more all the time. I think it is important to do that.
I would like to thank you for the question and to say that education and those key elements will be key investments that will in turn also help Canada. I say this because we do have the fastest growing population and do have a lot to offer in terms of the future labour force, and we are also situated next to most of the resource development opportunities envisioned for Canada over the next 10-15 years.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
I do want to give some time to Mr. Jules and Ms. Simon.
Mr. Jules.
