Finance Committee on June 1st, 2026

[Justin Brown]

It depends on the question.

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Okay.

This mainly concerns the Canadian Payments Act. The Bank of Canada is now being asked to be a key player in the payment system.

Can you quickly summarize for us what is being added to Bill C‑30 in this regard?

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

I would ask you to answer in 15 seconds, please.

[Nicolas Marion, Senior Director, Payments Policy, Financial Services Division, Department of Finance]

Thank you for the question.

Bill C‑30 essentially shifts the cost recovery measures in various acts to consolidate them under the Bank of Canada Act.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you, Mr. Marion.

Thank you, Mr. Leitão.

Before I go to Mr. Lemire, I would like to say to Department of Finance officials—and it's not you, because you are here—it seems to be a recurring theme that we don't get the officials who can necessarily answer all the members' questions. I would ask that in the future, we make sure to have the officials who can answer all of those questions.

Thank you.

Mr. Lemire, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Here's my first question.

Mr. Countryman, you're responsible for federal-provincial relations. In the spring economic update, the government provided $6 billion for the team Canada strong initiative, which would put in place a workforce training program through a wage subsidy.

What is the nature of the prior consultations with the provinces in the development of this measure?

Did you consult primarily with the Government of Quebec before developing this measure?

[Galen Countryman, Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations, Department of Finance]

Unfortunately, I'm not responsible for that measure in the spring economic update. I can consult my colleagues and ask them to provide you with an answer.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Perfect. We would appreciate that. You can send it in writing.

From what I understand, no one in the room took care of that component.

Is that the case?

[Galen Countryman]

Indeed, no one in the room today took care of it.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Were you aware that there has been an agreement between Quebec and Ottawa on workforce training since 1997 and that this measure could raise conflicts with Quebec, because workforce training obviously falls under Quebec's jurisdiction?

[Galen Countryman]

Again, I'm not an expert in this area. So I don't have an answer for you today.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Okay.

I'm still proceeding in the spirit of federal-provincial relations. You did not personally inform the Minister of Finance or his staff of the sensitive nature of the measure related to intergovernmental relations with the Government of Quebec.

Is that correct?

[Galen Countryman]

It depends on the question. I deal with—

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

This is still related to the training program, as well as to adding money and interfering in Quebec's jurisdiction.

In your role as director general of federal-provincial relations at the Department of Finance, did you raise the red flag to say that it might provoke a reaction from the Quebec side?

[Galen Countryman]

At the Department of Finance, we deal mainly with transfers to the provinces and territories, such as the Canada health transfer, or CHT.

As for questions about other programs, you'd have to ask my other colleagues at the Department of Finance.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Were you personally surprised when Quebec's labour minister, Jean Boulet, who is known as a supporter of the independence movement and is therefore a staunch federalist in Quebec, said he was struck by the number of federal measures encroaching on his jurisdiction when he commented on the economic statement the day after your presentation?

[Galen Countryman]

Again, I'm not involved in that file, so I don't have an answer to that.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I'll move on.

Could you confirm for me that the government doesn't want to impose conditions on the provinces for the proportional payment of the amounts earmarked for the team Canada strong initiative?

In other words, will the government commit to allowing Quebec to exercise its right to opt out with full compensation?

Are you going to make that recommendation?

[Galen Countryman]

Again, I'm not the person responsible for that measure. I think it's a measure administered by Employment and Social Development Canada.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

If you or someone in the room could pass on my questions to the appropriate people, that would be appreciated.

How do you intend to work with the Government of Quebec to ensure that the certifications it issues are recognized in the same way as your “Red Seal” certification?

One issue that is very sensitive in our region, as in many other regions of Quebec, is the issue of labour in relation to temporary foreign workers.

Measures are required, such as labour market impact assessments, or LMIAs. Since you're responsible for intergovernmental relations, you are no doubt aware that the Government of Quebec is already conducting this assessment to identify labour market issues, significant gaps and areas where gaps must be filled by using temporary foreign workers. In this context, LMIAs are a federal government requirement that only makes the process more cumbersome.

I put myself in the shoes of a small or medium-sized business, or SME, that wants to continue to be productive, but has to wait three to six months before getting the LMIA and completing the entire administrative process that makes it possible to create just one job. Particularly in a region like Abitibi-Témiscamingue, it is possible to prove very quickly that there is no good Canadian who wants to go and work for a given company in a given circumstance. That's why people turn to immigration. However, the process is very cumbersome.

As the person responsible for intergovernmental relations, do you acknowledge that Quebec already assesses the labour market needs of labour market partners and that this assessment could be sufficient rather than forcing a cumbersome administrative process that takes time away from public servants and undermines business productivity?

By suspending LMIA authorizations for a few years, could the productivity of businesses be improved?

Are you aware of this problem?

[Galen Countryman]

Again, I believe it's a program administered by another department, so I don't know the details.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I'm sorry I overestimated your role a bit, but I'm counting on you to provide answers to my questions.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you, Mr. Lemire.

Mr. Mazier, you now have the floor for five minutes.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Thank you, Chair.

My questions are for Mr. Holmes from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Mr. Holmes, Bill C-30 uses the term “food security”. However, that term is not defined in the legislation. What is the definition of food security, according to the government?

[Jay Holmes]

In developing this, we noted that there are several definitions of food security used by different organizations. It was decided when drafting the bill to choose one that was more all-encompassing in order not to bind our hands.