Evidence of meeting #36 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employers.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Christopher Worswick  Professor, Department of Economics, Carleton University, As an Individual
Martin Lavoie  Director, Manufacturing Competitiveness and Innovation Policy, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
Matthew McGuire  Chair, Anti-Money Laundering Committee, Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
Fred Webber  President and Chief Executive Officer, Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation
Guy Parent  Veterans Ombudsman, Chief Warrant Officer (Retired), Office of the Veterans Ombudsman
Sandra Nelson  As an Individual
John McAvity  Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association
Gregory Thomas  Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Blair Campbell  General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, PEI Mutual Insurance Company
Sean Reid  Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
Shaunna Jennison-Yung  As an Individual

5:40 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

I don't have the immediate number handy, but it's a significant portion. Virtually all of our members pay into—

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

You guys do track that, though.

5:40 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

We do. We all pay into a training fund that is robust.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

What is the participation rate? Would most of your members be involved in the apprenticeship and training?

5:40 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

It's about 95%.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

What about your commitment to hiring apprentices?

5:40 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

Apprentices are 35% of our workforce.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

Is that right across the membership?

5:40 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

That's throughout western Canada. The ratios in Ontario don't allow us to do 35%, but where we can, we have 35% in apprenticeship.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

Obviously, with the increase in the number of temporary foreign workers, I would imagine that the amount of money invested in training over the last six years would have increased considerably as well proportionally.

5:45 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

There's no question. Our membership invests substantially in training. We've been very supportive of the work that the federal government has done on training in the recent budgets. But, at the end of the day, again we're talking about significant economic enterprises out west that require a scale of workforce that we don't have.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

What percentage of your members will access and utilize the job grant?

5:45 p.m.

Vice-President, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Sean Reid

Our expectation is that it will be substantially leveraged by our membership. PCA has been a strong supporter of it.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

Mr. Campbell, I'll turn to you with regard to the whole situation around demutualization.

We're seeing our rural communities just sort of gutted, really, for a couple of different reasons. What kind of impact is this going to have on small communities across the country?

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

You have one minute.

5:45 p.m.

General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, PEI Mutual Insurance Company

Blair Campbell

I know that the availability of insurance affects the availability of credit to buy properties and to improve properties, farms, businesses, and whatnot. If the mutuals aren't there to provide the services that they currently provide....

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

Is there a risk they could be snapped up by outside buyers and—

5:45 p.m.

General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, PEI Mutual Insurance Company

Blair Campbell

That's a significant risk.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

—they would just sort of galvanize around one service provider?

5:45 p.m.

General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, PEI Mutual Insurance Company

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

The moms and pops are gone, and the big box providers are the ones that....

5:45 p.m.

General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, PEI Mutual Insurance Company

Blair Campbell

That's right.

Decisions will be made on a different street. They won't be made on Main Street in Summerside. They'll be made on Bay Street, perhaps. Decisions are made differently on that basis. I know from our own experience pricing is a big factor, especially in the rural areas.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you, Mr. Cuzner.

We'll go to Mr. Saxton, please.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC

Thanks to our witnesses for being here today.

I'd also like to begin by recognizing and thanking Mrs. Jennison-Yung and Mrs. Nelson for being here today.

I was, as many people were, moved by their story. I want to assure you that our government is serious about reforming this program to make sure that Canadians do come first. That's extremely important.

I'd just like to ask you what you think about the penalties we've proposed to employers who abuse the program.

5:45 p.m.

As an Individual

Shaunna Jennison-Yung

You'll have to let me know what—