Evidence of meeting #41 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was volunteer.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Gina Wilson  Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, Department of Canadian Heritage
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Caroline Bosc
Rachel Wernick  Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Stephanie Hébert  Assistant Deputy Minister, Program Operations Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Paula Speevak  President and Chief Executive Officer, Volunteer Canada

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Could we have a little order from both sides, at the moment?

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

I'm going to move on. I want to move on.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

I'll give the minister 15 more seconds to answer that question.

Go ahead, Madam Minister.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As I publicly stated, $19.5 million was for WE Charity for the initial 20,000 placements—

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Okay—

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON

—and $10.5 million was for the supplement cohort, knowing that local not-for-profits wanted to participate.

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

I didn't hear the answer, Chair, so can I move on to my final question?

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Charlie, order, please.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON

Because the committee is asking for information, I've added information to make sure that the information is available for—

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Come on.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

We'll go back to Mr. Angus.

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I had asked the first question—

3:45 p.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Chair, the interpreters can't do their job when people speak over one another.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Is this a point of order, Mr. Fortin?

3:45 p.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Yes, it's a point of order, Mr. Chair.

I would ask that everyone show a bit more discipline, because the interpreters can't do their job when both people are speaking at the same time. With all due respect to the minister and my fellow member Mr. Angus, I would ask that everyone be mindful of that. An interpreter's job is hard enough as it is. I watch people speaking for half a minute before I get to hear what they're saying. I'd like the person interpreting for me to be able to do a good job.

I would also ask that people speak a bit more slowly.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Your point has been made.

July 16th, 2020 / 3:45 p.m.

The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Caroline Bosc

Mr. Chair, if Mr. Angus could hold the mike closer to his mouth, that would make the interpreter's job a little bit easier when he is speaking. That's just a heads-up.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Okay.

We will not take that time from you, Mr. Angus.

You have time for a couple of quick questions. Go ahead.

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Thank you so much for that.

I did ask what the per-student placement fee was. The minister refused to answer, so I think that's an outstanding question.

I want to ask whether or not they got a legal opinion on this. If a post-secondary or master's student goes to work doing data entry, which is one of their positions, and works 70 hours they get zero. If they work 170 hours they get 60% less than minimum wage.

Did the minister get a legal opinion on whether having people do paid work and paying them less than minimum wage...? Did anyone in her department raise a red flag about that? If they weren't raising red flags about the Trudeau family's connections, were they raising red flags that this might not even be legal and would put charities in a potential liability situation?

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Madam Minister, there are two questions there. Go ahead.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, on the preamble, I guess, that the member has provided, it varies. The number of hours that a student would volunteer would determine how much each placement would cost. Obviously, grants were between $1,000 and $5,000, as we have shared publicly.

Second, when it comes to the legal opinion, I am confident that the public service, who work really hard and who really have been working with the government—

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Don't throw them under the bus.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON

—to deliver these numerous programs—

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Don't throw them under the bus.

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Mr. Angus, order. The minister needs time and a little peace and quiet in order for us to hear the answer.

Minister.