Finance Committee on May 18th, 2023

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

That makes a lot of sense, but what I am asking...and if you don't know, that's okay, too. I genuinely welcome your advice. If you were sitting in my shoes, or if you were sitting in the shoes of the finance minister, what are the things...? We want to eliminate the need for food banks. I think that's what I heard you say—or something along those lines. There is no question that food banks play a critical role, and they need to be supported. I hear you on all of that.

My question is this: What are the things we can do to eliminate the demand for food banks? Do you have any thoughts on that?

[Rachael Wilson]

We know that a guaranteed basic income would support many people. We saw it when the CERB came in. We saw our numbers drop off significantly—the number of people accessing food banks. We see it when seniors are able to access that basic income, and we see it with families that are now accessing child tax benefits as a basic income.

We know that is the critical piece. It's about income, and we would encourage all governments to focus on income-based solutions.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you very much for being here with us today, Ms. Wilson.

What I'd like to do now is go to the Centrale des syndicats démocratiques. Am I correct that there is somebody there from...?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

There is.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Forgive me. I can't see everybody at the table. I apologize.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

You can continue, Mr. Baker.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thanks very much.

Under the budget implementation bill, the deduction for a tradesperson's tools is being doubled. Will that really help your members?

[Kaven Bissonnette]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Would you repeat the question, Mr. Baker?

[Kaven Bissonnette]

In English.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Sure.

The budget implementation act provides a doubling of the tradesperson's tools deduction. Will this help your members, and if so, how?

[Kaven Bissonnette]

We'll check that and come back.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Mr. Baker, that's the time. They're going to come back to the committee with a written answer for us.

Thank you.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

That's great. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Now we are going to Mr. Ste-Marie.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Bissonnette, in your opening remarks, you talked about the Employment Insurance Board of Appeal. My understanding is that Bill C-47 basically replicates what was in Bill C-37 with respect to the appeal board. We know that a real appeal mechanism is needed.

I gather that you support the same proposal, but you think the details need improving. You feel that the hearings should take place in person and that the chairperson shouldn't be involved.

Would you mind explaining that again?

[Kaven Bissonnette]

You are correct. We don't think the reporting should be done through anyone because it could affect the board of appeal's overall performance. We want to ensure the credibility of the process and the tribunal.

There's another consideration, and I'm not sure I mentioned it. Having access to the capacity required is important. I'm a lawyer. We want to do things the right way, but we aren't certain that the capacity necessary will be available throughout more remote regions and sectors. Workers in every region need access to the tribunal, the tripartite appeal board. That's something we are concerned about as well.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Thank you.

Obviously, the EI system needs reforming, as I said, to make sure it meets the demand and covers the people who need it. That was promised for last summer. Then last summer, the government said it would happen in the fall. Last fall, the government said it would happen eventually.

My understanding is that the consultations have happened. Meanwhile, what we find in Bill C-47—the one-year extension—doesn't solve anything. It is indeed a temporary measure to address the gap in the targeted regions. The board of appeal is fine, but it could be better, given the points you raised.

[Kaven Bissonnette]

Precisely.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Thank you, Mr. Ste-Marie.

Now we will go to Mr. Blaikie.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Bissonnette, do you think the government would be better off keeping the temporary EI changes introduced during the pandemic until it modernizes the system as promised?

[Kaven Bissonnette]

Yes, especially for eligibility at 420 hours or 12 weeks of work. That's what we are recommending.

I think it's worked well and hasn't bankrupted the government. It was effective. It's a sustainable model.

It's something we've long been calling for, so we don't understand why it wasn't put in place permanently. We have been recommending this for years. EI has to be accessible to workers.

I'm going to repeat what I said earlier: most of the people affected by this eligibility barrier tend to be women or people in the service industry—those who work in pharmacies, grocery stores and so forth. These aren't places where workers are exactly the highest paid.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Do you think shifting $25 billion in debt stemming from the Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB, to the EI account is a good or bad idea? Shouldn't that money come out of the government's general account instead of the EI account?

[Kaven Bissonnette]

I think the government should cover it. If I remember correctly, the account had a huge surplus at one time, and the government had no problem dipping into the EI fund.