Mrs. Jansen.
Evidence of meeting #52 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clauses.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #52 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clauses.
A video is available from Parliament.
8:05 p.m.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
I asked a number of questions about this previously. Maybe you've had more time to think about it, so I want to ask this question again. What exactly is the facility going to be doing between pandemics? I don't understand what the plan is, especially because this is asking for a removal of the cap on production. The concern now might be that you are suddenly in competition with other private companies.
Do you understand better what NRC will be doing between pandemics?
8:05 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Performance, National Research Council of Canada
Thank you for the question.
The intent of the facility is very much to complement the private sector and offer partnership opportunities to companies that might not otherwise have manufacturing partnerships.
Between pandemics, one of the roles of the facility will be to produce drugs and medical products for public health needs. This would include orphan drugs for example, where there's a niche need for something like that. Those are examples of the types of activities the facility would undertake between pandemics.
8:05 p.m.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Is it certain that you would be producing orphan drugs between pandemics?
8:05 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Performance, National Research Council of Canada
It will certainly be part of the facility's mandate. It's certainly something we're looking at and it's part of the analysis of options in the long term.
8:05 p.m.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
You're very specific when you talk about “drugs” and “devices”. Is that too broad? Is that too narrow? When you say devices, are you going to be making ventilators there? What does that mean?
8:05 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Performance, National Research Council of Canada
The terms “drugs” and “devices” were selected to be part of the legislation because they're defined in the Food and Drugs Act. As the name suggests, “drugs” refers to your typical vaccines and therapeutics. “Devices” was included to be very pragmatic. When the facility produces vaccines, just pragmatically, they will need to be put into something. “Devices” refers to things like vials and syringes.
8:05 p.m.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Packaging...so you would actually make vials and syringes as well.
8:05 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Performance, National Research Council of Canada
Yes, the intent would be to produce the vials and syringes into which the vaccine will go once it's manufactured.
8:05 p.m.
Liberal
8:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Thank you very much, Mr. Scott.
We are going to division 29, Department of Employment and Social Development. The lead is Ms. McCormick.
Just a heads-up to the committee, we have a hard stop at 8:30 Ottawa time, given the complications of Zoom, pressure on the translators and so on. We have 98 clauses left plus the title—four or five votes there—and 16 amendments. That is where we are.
In any event, do you want to explain clause 263, Ms. McCormick? We have one amendment on clause 264.
(On clause 263)
8:05 p.m.
Frances McCormick Executive Director, Integrated Labour System, Workplace Directorate, Labour Program, Department of Employment and Social Development
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This proposal is an amendment to the Department of Employment and Social Development Act to authorize the Minister of Labour to collect social insurance numbers.
The purpose is that it's part of the modernization of services to Canadians delivered by the labour program, with a particular focus on improving digital capacity. This is so we can move from paper-based to electronic systems of a protected nature. This is primarily behind the My Service Canada Account, which uses the SIN as a mandatory identifier within that system.
These services are for our federally regulated employers and employees to file reports of a protected nature. Upon enforcement of this, we will not be collecting the SIN until privacy impact assessments are done to ensure that people's personal information is fully protected.
I'm happy to take any questions.
8:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
That's pretty straightforward, I believe.
(Clause 263 agreed to on division)
Thank you very much, Ms. McCormick.
8:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I have a point of order.
Mr. Chair, the amendments that I'll be offering impact clauses 264, 265, 266 and 267, so I'd like to suggest, if we are continuing with the format of a brief presentation followed by questions, that we group all four clauses. I think it makes more sense. Then I would present all of the amendments at the same time.
8:10 p.m.
An hon. member
Agreed.
8:10 p.m.
Liberal
8:10 p.m.
Liberal
June 1st, 2021 / 8:10 p.m.
Nina Damsbaek Director, Policy and Research, Canada Student Loans Program, Learning Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Thanks very much.
I'm happy to address clauses 264 to 267 all together. In fact, I think that is wise. In fact, only three of them now have the effect of actually enacting the interest waiver on Canada student loans and Canada apprentice loans for a two-year period.
I'll start just by offering a little bit of context as to why. I should explain that, at the time of drafting these amendments, we actually needed to coordinate between two pieces of legislation. Members of this committee will recall that a one-year interest waiver was actually announced in the fall economic statement in November 2020.
8:10 p.m.
Bloc
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
The interpreters are reporting that the poor sound quality is making their job difficult. Can an adjustment be made?
8:10 p.m.
Bloc
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
The poor sound quality is making it difficult for the interpreters to work.