Evidence of meeting #6 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sector.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:05 p.m.
Bloc
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné Bloc Terrebonne, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to hear more from Ms. Prégent.
Good afternoon, Ms. Prégent.
This morning, Minister Freeland came to talk to us at the committee. She said that, in Bill C‑2,the cultural industry is included in the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, which is quite broad.
Ms. Prégent, do you believe that most members of the Union des artistes would be covered or would it simply affect self-employed artists and workers in the arts generally?
5:05 p.m.
President, Union des Artistes
We have to be careful, because a lot of artists are not part of any association or any union. Those who are not represented are generally the most vulnerable, the ones who have no RRSP, no safety net, no insurance and so on. That is why, in our opinion, the Fondation des artistes would be a good vehicle, because we want to make sure that everyone benefits from fair and equitable coverage, especially the artists who are not members of any association.
For me, the worst thing that could happen is that the money does not go through the associations and the unions, because I don't see how the employers, the entrepreneurs, could reach the members of the Union des artistes, let alone the artists are not members. If there's no link through employment, it's impossible to reach them.
5:05 p.m.
Bloc
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné Bloc Terrebonne, QC
You gave some very interesting figures about the issue that, at the same time, were very sad. For example, people were considering abandoning their careers in culture.
Can you tell us about any cases that you know of and the impact that those who give up will have on the cultural industry?
5:05 p.m.
President, Union des Artistes
Unfortunately, I will never be able to talk to you about people leaving the sector. Neither will you actually, because you will never know who they are. I do not like talking about particular individuals, but if, say, Fred Pellerin had not started to write and had not managed to touch people's hearts, no one would know of him and his work would not exist. In the sector where we operate, the problem is that, when people don't exist, their words don't exist either. They are just not there. Artists who are not working become non-artists; they have to do something else in life.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Thank you.
Now we'll move to the NDP and Mr. Blaikie for two and a half minutes.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Thank you very much.
Ms. Prégent, in Bill C‑2, there is a tool called the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, which applies to self-employed workers in arts and culture only if there is a lockdown order in their region.
According to the government, all industry sectors that need exceptional assistance are included in Part 1 of the bill. I am wondering whether it would make sense simply to provide access for self-employed workers in arts and culture to the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit even if there is no lockdown order in their region, because we recognize that the industry is suffering even without a lockdown.
Do you see that as a possible solution for the government?
5:05 p.m.
President, Union des Artistes
I would have to give it some thought because I have not looked at that possibility from that angle. I can come back to you with a more specific answer. Instead of giving you a wishy-washy answer, I would really like to study the issue. I have asked myself the question as well but I have no answer. I can come back to you with a reply quite quickly.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
You could send your detailed reply to the clerk. He will then send it on to members of the committee.
Thank you very much.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
If I could, Ms. Kobluk, for the 45 seconds, I'll go back to you. I know you were cut off in your last answer, so if you want to share some of those reflections, you have about 30 seconds.
5:10 p.m.
Senior Policy Analyst, Income Security Advocacy Centre
I have 30 seconds to say that I've heard during this committee that we're talking about hotels and investments. I just want to impress on you that there is a whole group of people across this country who, when these benefits are clawed back, are losing their homes. They do not have the luxury of travelling. They are really in a completely different situation during this pandemic. We are just forgetting them. They're not in this bill. They have lost their recovery benefits. They have had clawbacks.
They can't wait. With every month that goes by, we're going to see less food security, less health security and less housing security. I would ask the members, what are they going to put in this bill to ensure that this doesn't happen, that we don't have another roll-off catastrophe that will go on for months and years to come?
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Thank you, Ms. Kobluk.
We are moving to the Conservatives now for five minutes.
I have Mr. McLean.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll go back to Ms. Grynol again.
Have you experienced any wage inflation amongst the people who have to come in to supply the services at your organization's hotels?
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Hotel Association of Canada
I don't think I would call it wage inflation. Wage inflation is part of it, but we have experienced inflation all across the board. Insurance costs in some cases have gone up by up to 400%. We have been affected by the supply chain, so that has an effect on getting materials into the hotels, as well as on food prices, etc. There has been an increase in costs across the board, including wage inflation.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Okay. Thank you.
Are there any issues on the inflation and availability of labour versus the fixed costs?
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Hotel Association of Canada
I'm not sure I understand the question.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Hotel Association of Canada
We're deeply concerned with the availability of labour in this country. We're in this middle ground right now where we don't have enough demand to be attracting and rehiring as many people as we possibly can, so we're trying to hang onto as many employees as possible.
Those employees are with us, and the point of this bill is to try to maintain the employee/employer connection. They would already be on payroll with us. Those would be long-standing relationships. Our goal is to maintain those employees.
But as it relates to rehiring as we get into the spring and summer periods, there will be an increase in wage inflation at that time when we get into the true rehiring period.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Thank you very much, Ms. Grynol.
Mr. Saretsky, can you give us an estimate of the percentage of properties sold now that are investment properties?
5:10 p.m.
As an Individual
I think it's hard to figure out what that percentage is. All I can say is that I work in the inner city of Vancouver, and 50% of units are investor-owned.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
As an Individual
It's fifty per cent in the inner city if you're talking about condos. I think it's close to that number, yes.