Thank you so much for this opportunity.
We're all very aware of the challenges that lie in MPs playing a dual role, one foot in their riding and the other in Parliament at all times, two demanding aspects of their job that are often at significant geographical distance from each other, placing significant strains on MPs' personal lives. The result is that MPs confront two imperfect choices, both entailing significant costs in terms of the time that can be spent with their families. This is a price that should not necessarily be paid by those wishing to participate in public service. We do welcome the serious attention being focused on establishing a work-life balance with concrete initiatives, and we hope that this is only the beginning. We're excited to work closely with you.
At one of the orientation sessions for new MPs and their spouses, we received some stark warnings and some anecdotes from past MPs, some of whom had chosen to not continue in parliamentary life. I think it's a warning that I'll never forget. I remember one quote in particular. They said, “If you have addictions, this will be the year when you go to rehab. If you have relationship issues, this will be the year that you have a therapist or get a divorce.” It was just very direct, but it was refreshing. I think that's one of the main points. Empowering the spouses and the new MPs from the very beginning with any knowledge and experience is one of the most crucial aspects. I can imagine I wasn't the only one Googling for any news article, or report, or study, or paper on balancing work and life for members of Parliament in Canada. There's not that much out there.
I will point out, though, that there is the Samara organization, which you're probably familiar with. Their paper, “Balancing Family and Work: Challenges Facing Canadian MPs”, which gathers a bunch of MP exit interviews, was quite enlightening and a good starting point, for me at least.
The good news is, though, I think we're currently experiencing a great atmosphere of collegiality and camaraderie among MPs across party lines. There's a really fresh energy to look at improvements, and the fact that there's time and resources being invested in this is very encouraging and refreshing.
Concretely, I think one of the easiest ways to allow MPs to feel less stressed about missing opportunities with their spouse and with their young children or with their families is to possibly look at the ability to expense some claims for family participation. I know that for our rural riding it's a constant—country fair, spaghetti dinner, church services, this and that—where sometimes the gas, or the accommodation overnight, or the entry fees, or donations really add up. Certainly, not all of them will be eligible, but rather than just the MP claiming their personal expense for that, to see where family can come as well. I know that's one way we try to creatively plan the family time so that the children can spend time with the MP. That would be one item.
Other spouses have mentioned additional points for family travel. They feel that in some cases there's not enough.
In the 10 or so responses that we received from the questionnaires that were circulated to the spouses, there seemed to be a resounding agreement on the need for calendars to be synced. Unfortunately, right now, unless I don't know something, we seem to have the family calendar, which constantly needs to be updated with the parliamentary calendar. That can be very frustrating for the MP's staff as we try to update, and it's in constant flux. It would be great if we could find some technological solution.
I'm certainly not the one to suggest it, but even talking amongst other spouses, they've said they've put it into Google. Anyway, I think that would be a great one because we just need to alleviate that stress for the staff and for the MPs as well.
Another item that has been raised is regional support groups for spouses. While we do have this wonderful association, a lot of people can't make it to Ottawa all the time, so by having smaller splinter groups regionally for areas like the greater Toronto area, Montreal, etc., there can be that feeling of support.
One interesting point that was raised was how easy it can be to get sucked into the vortex of endless receptions, events, and functions, losing sight of priorities such as exercise or family dinners.
In light of some of the stark warnings received regarding addiction issues, and I don't know how it could be conceived but we need some kind of comprehensive review of consumption habits, particularly alcohol, and their impacts on family and health. These are very alcohol-centric events in the receptions in the evenings. We don't expect to see a smoothie bar or a juicing station anytime soon, but perhaps baby steps toward alternative spirits.
As well we were also getting a lot of support on the idea of a proxy, a remote, or a different electronic system of voting. People felt that idea, along with the parallel secondary debating chamber, could be helpful. They thought that sitting periods could be shortened, and it would allow members extra opportunities to speak on certain bills, or reports, and at the same time free the chamber for debate on other matters.
That said it doesn't necessarily address the underlying problem of such demanding schedules. Compressing the sitting week by eliminating Friday doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be a lighter schedule. The more critical point would be increasing the efficiency of the time spent in the House by shortening those sessions overall, employing a different system of the on duty roster, and perhaps starting the voting period earlier.
The child care facility point would only be successful if it operated with extended and creative hours, with half-day and full-day drop-in rate options, and in a perfect world evenings as well for the many functions that go on in the evening. If there could be that drop-off option of course it presents challenges for the operators of the facility in terms of figuring out those staffing schedules. A survey of all MP's families to see what the true needs are would be the first step. Possibly to make it economically feasible it would need local community participation as well, which might raise security issues.
There is also a concern about adequate parking spaces. As a side solution, perhaps we need some kind of babysitting central where it's on-call parliamentary babysitting services where certain babysitters have been approved, and they're there and available. I know this is a very specific thing, but it's something that people raise all the time in terms of being able to balance all of that.
I know that's something our association could certainly help with. There was a realistic reaction to the parental leave feasibility, most thinking that it wouldn't be realistic to have a very long period, but certainly wanting to encourage an attitude of it not being stigmatized, and not being penalized, and certainly that it should be offered. I wonder how much time I have left.