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

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

You've been a long-term employee, yes or no?

6:05 p.m.

As an Individual

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

Were you laid off?

6:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Shaunna Jennison-Yung

I was dismissed.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

You were dismissed. You're not employed, but the temporary foreign workers who were working at the time are employed. That's through no fault of their own, by the way. It's not their fault.

6:05 p.m.

As an Individual

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

Right. Thank you.

Do you have bills to pay, or did your bills just stop the day you lost your job?

6:05 p.m.

As an Individual

Shaunna Jennison-Yung

No, ma'am, I have bills.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

You have bills to pay.

What we have here is a situation in which you have a Canadian person living in a community for a long time, not working through no fault of their own, and instead what we have is an employer who has brought in workers who he can treat in a very different way because they are vulnerable.

Thank you.

I'll hand it over to my colleagues.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Thank you.

I also just want to say, Ms. Jennison-Yung, that I appreciate very much your being here, and I want to say that we've heard today that the minister is very concerned about how the temporary foreign worker program is going.

Have you been told by any federal officials that any new laws would be made backwards in time to fix your situation?

6:05 p.m.

As an Individual

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Okay.

I'd like to ask a question of Mr. Thomas.

First of all, Mr. Thomas, welcome. It's nice to see you again. Thank you for raising the tone of the debate with a Latin phrase to begin. That was very good. I also appreciate your efforts with the giant balloon of Senator Duffy across Parliament Hill recently. That was very, very funny as well.

You've heard from Ms. Nelson and Ms. Jennison-Yung today. On behalf of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, do you think what you've heard is either fair or good public policy for Canadians?

6:05 p.m.

Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Okay. Thank you.

I want to ask Mr. McAvity something.

Your organization is an important one. I know it well. We've met before.

I wasn't very clear about your proposed subsection 193(3) of the Museum of History's legislation, which may support other museums if they have a complementary purpose. You weren't consulted on some changes. Could you elaborate? I wasn't clear on what you were suggesting.

6:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

John McAvity

First of all, we were not consulted on or aware of the transfer of two very major programs to the Museum of History. We have all the faith in the world in the Museum of History. It's a very well run organization.

The question is what does “complementary to” mean? We're arguing that that should be a very broad definition. What is history? Whose history are we talking about? Is there a beginning and an end? How do you define that? It is an elastic word.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Your organization and, I think, a number of organizations for which you speak have hired students for internships over the years. Could you comment on any changes in federal funding that may have affected that?

May 15th, 2014 / 6:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

John McAvity

Actually, we previously recommended to this committee that additional funds be put into internship programs. We operate on behalf of the Government of Canada what is called Young Canada Works. It is so oversubscribed and it is so important to developing skills by younger Canadians that we are turning down 90% of the employers' applications, not those of the young people—that would be a ginormous figure—but 90% of those of the museum employers across Canada.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Why are you turning down 90% of the employers' applications?

6:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

John McAvity

There is insufficient funding to meet the demands of the program.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

In the past, who has provided that funding to you?

6:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

John McAvity

The Government of Canada has.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

And it no longer provides that funding?

6:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

John McAvity

No, it still does. It has been consistently funded. We have started going out actively to the private sector and bringing in some corporate and private money to help with internships. That's a major challenge for us, but at least we're showing entrepreneurship in doing that. The Government of Canada has been investing more and more in youth employment. We've simply not seen any benefits from the recent $50 million and the previous $40 million that were added.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

And 90% are now being turned down as a consequence.

6:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

John McAvity

Ninety per cent of internships are. Yes.