Government Operations Committee on Dec. 7th, 2023

[Ryan Weiss]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We do expect post the January change and the last major change there to be within target service standards. Again, we've talked about those, which are continuing to answer calls within one to three minutes and paying claims within about two to three business days. Again, I want to be clear: after that January cutover period, we do expect to be within target services.

We do still expect elevated volumes. However, our staff can handle those, and those volumes will continue to decrease to what we project in late 2024 to return to historical standards.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Late 2024.... Okay.

I mean, there are always challenges with—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Let me interrupt you there, Mr. Bains. You will have your time.

We have the bells ringing. Can we have consent to continue?

Majid, are you saying yes? Or would you like to speak?

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

I'd like to speak.

There's no unanimous consent. We had agreed to have two and a half minutes for the Bloc, two and a half minutes for the NDP, and then to pass the committee budget and adjourn.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Is that fine?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

No. Nobody's giving unanimous consent to that if you give time to the Bloc and the—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

It's that, or we just end it.

You're saying that after Mr. Bains, we have the Bloc, the NDP and then we're done?

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

To be honest with you, we just heard that the UC that was going to give us a little bit of a break in the middle of the vote tonight got rejected, so we need to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

This UC or a different UC...?

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

No, a different UC. We really need—

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

This is a partisan matter they're bringing in here, so why should I give it to them?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

It's that, or we end right now.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

No.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Do you want to end right now?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Johns?

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I'm going to try to negotiate here.

Why don't the Liberals just eat their five minutes? That way Ms. Kusie would get her five minutes, we would get our two and a half each, and then we'd be done five minutes early.

Please, let's just get through this if we could.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

What a sensible solution from Mr. Johns.

[An hon. member]

Can we do that?

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We are adjourned then.