We don't have access to those stats.
Evidence of meeting #92 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #92 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:50 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
We don't have access to those stats.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
5:50 p.m.
NDP
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Thank you very much.
I want to thank all of you for your presentations. My questions are mostly for Ms. Reynolds and Ms. Brisebois.
Although we agree when it comes to fees charged in the case of credit cards and debit cards, I have to disagree with your statements on supply management. I come from a riding and a region that depend heavily on family farms, especially in the dairy sector. Supply management is currently the only way for those farms to survive. That's not a form of subsidy, but a way to ensure that the prices paid to producers are not as volatile as in the United States, for instance.
Two factors come into play—the first of which is volatility. In the United States, between 2006 and 2008, milk prices almost doubled in a span of a few months. Prices then dropped by about 75% or 80%. That kind of a situation makes it very difficult for family farms to plan ahead.
The second factor is the following. In the United States, prices are temporarily lower—and once again, that depends on how volatile the market is—but producers are heavily subsidized. However, we are no longer subsidizing our farms, our producers. Since the U.S. does subsidize, major discrepancies periodically occur between the prices paid to producers and consumer prices.
I am interested in your reaction to the arguments you are advancing regarding supply management. I can understand that you are looking after your own interests, but production is directly affected, especially when it comes to family farms.
5:50 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
First of all, it's in our interests as an industry to have a healthy dairy and poultry industry here in Canada. We are very dependent on the dairy and poultry industries. Unfortunately, what's been happening over the last several years is that these products, particularly dairy, are being priced off our menus. If you look at restaurant menus in the U.S. and in other countries, you see far more dairy on the menu. In light of declining consumption, we think it's within the interests of that sector, as well as our sector, as well as consumers, to come up with a reformed system that will allow us to grow the industry here.
5:50 p.m.
NDP
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
I have a question about that. I understand what you are saying, but we don't agree on the extent of the problem.
You are probably familiar with the figures provided by Dairy Farmers of Canada. For instance, the farmer receives only about 9% of the money a restaurant owner makes on a glass of milk. So if the amount is $2.25, the farmer receives about 21¢. The same goes for pizzas sold at restaurants. They cost $18 on average, but the farmer receives only 67¢.
If supply management is so problematic when it comes to prices, why are farmers receiving so little money? Since the producer's price is apparently seen as the main issue, we may expect them to receive more money. For the time being, this will contribute to a difference of a few cents on the product.
5:55 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
I can assure you that the margins in the restaurant industry are a whole lot lower than they are for the average dairy farmer. If it is so advantageous for restaurants to have these items on their menu, why are they disappearing from the menus of restaurant operators? Why are they trying to find ways to offer a cheeseless pizza? Mozzarella is considered gold in the industry.
5:55 p.m.
NDP
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Once again, this is a situation where those prices—
5:55 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Why is it being...?
5:55 p.m.
NDP
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
As farmers are subsidized in the United States, the prices are maintained there. They are not maintained here. If we eliminate supply management, prices will drop, but family farms will disappear. They will no longer be able to compete with the United States.
I would like to know how you can reconcile your demands and the existence of family farms.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Can you reply very briefly, Ms. Reynolds? Then, Ms. Brisebois, you may want to comment on this.
5:55 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
We are all in favour of freer trade and fewer subsidies in all sectors. I think that's our major point. Although it isn't the government that subsidizes the dairy or poultry industry in Canada, consumers do, to the tune of billions of dollars. So there's definitely a subsidy program here.
To our mind, we need to have fewer subsidies and freer trade for all agriculture products.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Do you want to comment briefly?
Okay. Thank you.
We'll go to Mr. Van Kesteren, please.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you all for being here today.
Ms. Gouin, you have a very interesting submission. We all admire the work that your organization has done and we want to congratulate it on 100 years. Was it last year or this year?
5:55 p.m.
Manager, Research and Public Policy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
Big Brothers Big Sisters is celebrating 100 years next year.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
5:55 p.m.
Manager, Research and Public Policy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
We, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, are older. We're 113.
6 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Wow!
In your submission you talked about young people getting the skills they need to enter the workforce, including computer, communication, basic reading, and writing skills. You're absolutely right; I think everybody agrees.
I want you to tell us how the Skills Link, Career Focus, and Canada Summer Job programs have helped to improve the participants' employment levels. What results have you seen from youth who have participated in these programs? How many of them go on to post-secondary education or find higher levels of employment?
You also mentioned that your organization would liked to see the Skills Link program enhanced. What enhancements would you like to see?
6 p.m.
Manager, Research and Public Policy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
Our hundred clubs are all independent. I don't have a full picture of everyone who has received funding from the Skills Link program. I know that clubs talk about it a lot.
As to the summer jobs programs, many of them rely on these programs. They train young people. For instance, the Winnipeg Boys and Girls Clubs run a summer learning program. They hire young people to work with the summer learning program and to help make sure that young people don't lose ground over the summer. Young people who are living in neighbourhoods that have high levels of poverty lose ground, we know, during the summer. These young people are benefiting from the summer program. They are going to the local universities and studying in education, so this is supporting their learning as they go along. Most of them are in education training already, in teacher training. That's one example.
I'd have to check to see how many go on, but because we're a fixture in communities, because people know us, one thing they do is build relationships with the people in the clubs. We can offer more than just a job experience; we can offer a mentorship, a connection to their communities that can last for years over and beyond the employment programs.
Anecdotally, the Kingston Boys and Girls Club ran a Skills Link career program as well and have said that they are excited about running more.
So people are going on to post-secondary or employment, but I don't have any numbers for you.
6 p.m.
Conservative
6 p.m.
Manager, Research and Public Policy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
I saw that there have been enhancements to these programs and a commitment to increasing it by $50 million for two years. I'm wondering, after these two years, what the projects are for sustaining it at this level, because I don't think we'll be resolving the issue of youth employment. It would be great to resolve it in two years, but I suspect it'll take longer.
6 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
You're looking for a continuation of the program.
6 p.m.
Manager, Research and Public Policy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
That would be a good start.
6 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Okay.
Really, now that you've worked with the program, you have no suggestions with respect to something we could do a little bit better.
6 p.m.
Manager, Research and Public Policy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
Yes. I also saw that in the last call for proposals most of the funding was going to the career side. I want to make sure that we don't forget about the skills link. For sure there's a long way to go for those young people, but we need every one of them to be ready and employed.