Human Resources Committee on Oct. 17th, 2006

[Barb Byers]

Yes.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

I agree 100%, and that's what this committee is trying to address. You said that a vast majority of the $3.5 billion was designated for this, and that you had a strategy or game plan to address the issue. This is one of the crucial problems we are trying to resolve. It is pertinent to my riding in particular.

Obviously, it would take too long for you to tell us the entire strategy, but perhaps you could table with us the essence of the strategy or policy framework that you were going to spend the money on.

[Barb Byers]

We've tabled with your government all sorts of documents about what we see as important in workplace strategies. The work that was going to be done on labour market partner agreements, our efforts on the workplace skills strategy—these are things that, when you talk about how to get organizations to move, only come about when you get people working together.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Sorry, I don't mean to be curt, but I would like to see something in relation to aboriginal workers and people with disabilities. That's the area that interests me. Could I get you to table that with us?

[Barb Byers]

The money was aimed at a number of equality-seeking groups, including aboriginal people and recent immigrants.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Well, if I could see your strategy, maybe we could implement some of those things.

[Barb Byers]

Sure, we can drown you in documents.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Thank you.

[Barb Byers]

The question is, will you read them and will you talk to us about them later?

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

We'll express that dialogue later.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Ms. Lysack, I want you to explain how the spending reallocations adversely affected your organization. What dollar amounts have been cut from your organization, and how will this affect you?

[Monica Lysack]

At this point, no dollars have been cut from our organization. We have two contracts through the social development partnerships program. We were very surprised by all of this. We had no inclination that these were coming. When we heard it in the media, we actually had to scramble around trying to find somebody who could tell us whether we were being cut.

We will be allowed to carry on the two research projects we are engaged in. Overall, it's not the CCAAC that's going to be harmed by this. We will survive.

In response to the chill factor people have spoken about, I want to assure you that when we met with our members, who came from coast to coast to coast to discuss this issue and its impact on them, we talked about whether or not we would take a lower profile. Our decision was: in for a penny, in for a pound.

If there's one thing you can't take away, it's our voice.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

So you haven't been cut?

[Monica Lysack]

Our—

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Just clarify it for me, yes or no?

[Monica Lysack]

Let me be clear. We don't receive any core funding. As someone pointed out, CPRN has a unique funding arrangement. Unlike most of the voluntary sector, we receive no core funding,

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

During the previous Liberal government, how much funding did your organization receive? Was it hundreds of thousands, almost a million dollars?

[Monica Lysack]

Over our 25 years in existence we have certainly received--

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

In the last thirteen years.

[Monica Lysack]

I can't answer exactly about the last thirteen years.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Estimate the last five years.

[Monica Lysack]

We have received...I don't know, $500,000, maybe. I don't know.

Maybe somebody else knows.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

How many child care--

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

That's all, Mr. Lake.

I'm sorry, but we're out of time.

[Monica Lysack]

I do want to respond to that.