Finance Committee on Oct. 18th, 2017

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I call to order the meeting for pre-budget consultations for the 2018 budget.

I know there are some witnesses before the committee starts at nine o'clock. We also have an open-mike session 15 minutes prior to nine and 30 minutes after our last witnesses on the second panel. That open-mike session gives the public an opportunity to present a one-minute statement with no questions from committee members. It gives the opportunity for the public to get their issues on the record to be considered as part of the pre-budget consultations.

Welcome, all. Thank you for coming.

I'll start the first open-mike session with Shawn McGuirk. Welcome, Shawn. The floor is yours.

[Shawn McGuirk, As an Individual]

My name is Shawn McGuirk. I represent the non-profit science policy exchange and I'm a Ph.D. student in cancer research at McGill University. I'm also representing over 1,000 students who have signed a petition to support the findings of the fundamental science review, which has shown that Canada is the only country in the G7 that has seen a decrease in the funding for fundamental research over the last 10 years.

We support the findings of the review. We support their recommendation to increase funding by $1.3 billion over the next four years, which will return funding to 2007 levels. This is important not just for covering research and maintaining our competitiveness on an international scale, but it will permit the training of hundreds of thousands of skilled workers across Canada in every field. We have also been endorsed by organizations representing over 300,000 graduate students across Canada.

Thank you for your time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you very much, Shawn.

Now we have Nathalie Lemay. Welcome, Nathalie.

[Nathalie Lemay, As an Individual]

Good morning.

My name is Nathalie Lemay, and I represent ONE Canada.

Ladies and gentlemen, members of Parliament, today, 130 million girls are not going to school. At this time, Canada is allocating about 2¢ per Canadian, per day, to education throughout the world. According to the Education Commission, it is imperative that we double our contributions to education if we want to give every one of these 130 million girls the opportunity of going to school. Doubling our contributions would mean that with only 2¢ more per Canadian, Canada could lead the way.

Today, we are asking Canada to contribute to the Global Partnership for Education in 2018, in order to allow millions of girls from the poorest countries to get the education they deserve.

In closing, allow me to quote the words our new Governor General, Ms. Julie Payette, spoke in her inauguration speech. She said that “Education for all is the key to all societies”.

Let's invest in quality education for every girl in Budget 2018.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you very much, Nathalie. I believe we've heard from the ONE group at every location, including Yellowknife.

Now we have Bridget Doherty. Welcome.

[Sister Bridget Doherty, As an Individual]

Thank you. I'm here on behalf of the prison farm campaign. Investing in the revitalization of Canada's prison farms is an opportunity to reduce recidivism rates, create safer communities, and offer much-needed programming in our correctional institutions.

As a stepping stone toward release into communities across Canada, these minimum-security farms offer an opportunity to bridge the gap between incarceration and freedom, and an opportunity to develop specific programming for offenders with special needs, such as inmates with mental health issues, indigenous offenders, as well as youth. Revitalizing the farms offers an opportunity to introduce new and improved programming. Farms offer multipronged rehabilitation programs that include skills training leading to trade certificates, anger management, and soft skills such as communication and teamwork to prepare offenders for the workforce upon release.

Investing in the revitalization of Canada's prison farms is an opportunity to stop the revolving door of the justice system, corrections, community, and back to the justice system, a very costly cycle for taxpayers, and most importantly, for victims. I urge the finance committee to seize the opportunity and support the revitalization of the prison farms. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you, Bridget.

Now I'd like to welcome Nathalie Michaud.

[Nathalie Michaud, As an Individual]

Thank you.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the committee.

My name is Nathalie Michaud, and I am a psychosociologist who specializes in the settlement and integration of newcomers.

I am here to share with you my lack of understanding as to the low percentage of our national wealth that is devoted to official development assistance. Our level of official development assistance in Canada is at its lowest in 10 years. It's disgraceful.

I have lived in African villages that benefited from Canada's help for the construction of schools. When I meet some of the children who have newly arrived here, in Canada, and are behind in their schooling, I can only conclude that the percentage of our aid budget is insufficient to allow, among other things, access to quality education for all.

Why does our level of assistance not reflect the values of equality and compassion we are known for, and why does it not honour our promise to devote 0.7% of our national wealth to the development of the poorest and most vulnerable populations of the world? We have to increase the percentage we allocate to official development assistance, if we are to have the concrete means to have an important and sustainable effect.

I implore you, dear members of the committee, to recommend an increase to the international assistance we provide in Budget 2018.

I am a citizen who is impatient to see that Canada really is back in the international arena.

Thank you for listening.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you, Nathalie.

Next we have Julie Poupart.

[Julie Poupart, As an Individual]

Good morning. Thank you for this opportunity to talk to you. I am here to represent the Canadian Association for Neuroscience. We have over 1,000 members. We're all scientists from across Canada.

I'm here to urge the government to act on the recommendation of Canada's fundamental science review, which was chaired by David Naylor and launched by the science minister, Kirsty Duncan.

The number one recommendation of this report was that the federal government should rapidly increase its investments in independent, investigator-led research. This would be one of the best investments for Canada. First, it's good for the economy. Fundamental research leads to discoveries that fuel the innovation and knowledge economy that generates jobs for Canadians. Second, it's good for our health. Fundamental research is the way to find cures and treatments for diseases that affect all Canadians.

After years of declining funding in science, it is time to really show that science is back in Canada. The situation is currently critical. Canadian scientists are struggling to keep their labs open and to continue to do the work that benefits all Canadians.

Canada used to be a leader in supporting investigator-driven research, but this has changed. In 2003, Canada invested 2% of the GDP in this. This was down to 1.7% in 2016. According to the OECD, Canada is now second to last in the G7. We are behind the U.S.A., behind the average of all European countries, and behind even small countries like Iceland and Slovenia.

I want to finish with a quote from David Naylor, from the report. This is found on the www.sciencereview.ca website:

This report sets out a multi-year agenda that, if implemented, could transform Canadian research capacity and have enormous long-term impacts across the nation.

Supporting the full implementation of the Naylor report would be one of the best investments we could make today for Canadians.

Thank you again for this opportunity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you, Julie.

Next is Daniel Morin. Welcome.

[Daniel Morin, As an Individual]

Good morning.

I represent the Montreal chapter of the National Association of Federal Retirees.

Today, I would like to highlight the three best ways of helping seniors and their families: ensure retirement security, provide judicious health care, and adopt a national seniors' strategy.

Regarding retirement security, I urge the government to withdraw Bill C-27. This bill would introduce a new type of pension plan, that is to say the target benefit plan, while diminishing pension security and eliminating defined benefit plans that are valid, for which people have worked, and which provide benefits to local and national economies. Let's not forget that seniors, who are increasingly numerous, actively participate in the country's economy.

As for Budget 2018, I think that the federal government should establish a national strategy for seniors based on investment in home care and seniors' housing. That strategy should include national measures on palliative and end-of-life care, as well as better pharmacare for seniors. We must continue to invest in infrastructure with an eye to senior-friendly communities.

Finally, the government should appoint a minister responsible for seniors, in order to ensure that public policy decisions always take seniors' viewpoints into account. These measures would contribute to improving productivity and strengthening the economy, not only for seniors, but also for their families and for Canadian communities as a whole.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you very much, Daniel.

Now I'd like to welcome Ms. Casey Ferriter.

[Catherine Ferriter, As an Individual]

My name is Casey Ferriter and I'm a volunteer on behalf of Engineers Without Borders.

In budget 2018, we ask that Canada commit to a timetable of predictable annual increases to its international assistance envelope that would bring Canada's development assistance to 0.31% of the gross national income within this government's first mandate. Canada's current level of development assistance is 0.26% of GNI, and it's the lowest in recent history.

While development assistance globally has increased 9% in the past year, according to the OECD, it's disappointing that Canada's own contributions have declined by 4%. Increasing aid will help Canada achieve the sustainable development goals and increase economic growth. Forthcoming research from the Canadian international development platform suggests that countries receiving development assistance tend to import more Canadian goods than they would without aid. We hope that budget 2018 can correct this downward spending trend so that Canada fulfills its global commitments.

Thank you very much for your time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you very much, Casey.

We've heard from Engineers Without Borders in every location as well, except Yellowknife, and that was our fault because the individual had to leave early and we were running behind time.

I want to thank each and every one of you who came to the open microphone. That information is important to us.

We'll start, then, with panel one. Before we do, I would ask the members here to introduce themselves so that you have an overview of where we're from in the country. It gives you a bit of an idea of where the MPs are from and what they represent.

We'll start with our two Quebec representatives first, Mr. Fergus and Mr. Boulerice.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Good morning everyone.

My name is Greg Fergus and I am the Liberal member for the riding of Hull—Aylmer, which is in the Outaouais, in Quebec, just opposite Parliament.

I am a native of Montreal. It's a great pleasure to be back home where my roots are.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Go ahead, Mr. Boulerice.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Good morning everyone. Thank you for being here with us today.

My name is Alexandre Boulerice and I am the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, which is not far from here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Next we have Raj.

[Raj Grewal, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My name is Raj Grewal. I'm the member of Parliament for Brampton East, just 15 minutes outside of Toronto. I was not born in Montreal, but I love coming here every time. It's great to be here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Go ahead, Ms. O'Connell.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

My name is Jennifer O'Connell. I'm the member of Parliament for Pickering—Uxbridge, which is just on the east side of Toronto.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Next is Mr. Kmiec.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Good morning everyone.

I am the member for Calgary Shepard, which is a region of Calgary. My riding has the second largest population of all of the ridings in Canada. It has around 170,000 residents.

Thank you for coming to testify here today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Over to you, Dan.