Evidence of meeting #34 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was trade.
11:35 a.m.
NDP
Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC
Okay. That's an interesting one. Thank you. That's useful.
Mr. Regan has a bill to that effect in the House that I'm going to be supporting, and that does what you've said about the access grant, extending grants on a needs basis.
11:35 a.m.
President, Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
Yes. And we do address the aboriginal need there as well, so it should be in your handout.
11:35 a.m.
NDP
Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC
Did we get that? It's in there. I haven't had a chance to read it yet.
Do I have more time or have I run out of time?
11:35 a.m.
NDP
Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC
Thank you very much. There's a lot more to be said, because I wanted to hear more about that recognition system. That's key to eliminating some of the backlog. Any final wise words on that?
11:35 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society
I want to come back to the tax incentives, because my colleague Barbara has mentioned two things to me. One is similar to the targeted wage subsidy under the EI system. We now have targets for different employers. The other one is diversity training for our employers. So those two.
Thank you.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
11:35 a.m.
NDP
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dean Allison
Thank you very much, and have a safe journey back.
Mr. Regan, five minutes.
11:35 a.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Chairman, I can't feel too bad for Ms. Savoie. She lives in this beautiful province, and she has to go to Victoria today. We have the best weather in the country I think, so my sympathy is diminished by that.
But we'll look forward to seeing you back in Ottawa.
By the way, Ms. Yelich was talking about anti-replacement worker legislation at the federal level. It's being considered. It's actually coming before our committee soon. That will apply to things like telecommunications, railways, ports, the things under federal jurisdiction. That's why perhaps you haven't heard of it. Just so you know what she was talking about when she said replacement workers, that's what she meant.
With respect to my bill, by the way, the Speaker has ruled that it requires a royal recommendation. That means it involves an increase in money, to increase the Canada access grants to all four years for people who are low income or people with disabilities. Therefore, it requires that a minister give this a seal of approval. I'm hoping my colleagues will convince the finance minister to do that as this goes on. Even doing it in the next budget would be pretty good. Even if it isn't my bill, just getting it to happen would be good. We'll see.
I want to ask about a couple of things.
You were saying that there isn't a shortage of workers in your field. In terms of looking forward, what's the average age of tradesmen--you were talking mainly about the Kootenays and the interior, and there's a lot going on right here--just so I understand whether the picture is going to change a lot in five or ten years.
11:40 a.m.
Business Manager, District Council 38, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
The average age of my membership right now is 46, so it's up there.
11:40 a.m.
Business Manager, International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers - Local 97
Ours is slightly lower. We've had quite an intake of young people. We put a school together, and we've really done a lot of recruiting, so it has lowered our age.
According to Canada's own statistics, there's a requirement for only about 100 additional ironworkers per year over the next three years. That's easily met. As well, there are ironworkers from across Canada who are available.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
I'm going to turn to Mr. Chan for a minute.
One thing I've heard in recent months is that we are starting to see signs of decreasing immigration from places such as China and India, because of the economic activity there. In some cases, people are choosing to go back, and in some cases they are choosing to stay for various reasons. What do you foresee in that regard? What's happening, and what should we be doing about it?
11:40 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society
Thank you for the questions.
Let me put it this way. Under our current skilled worker point system, we're attracting people who to some extent are already established in their own country. They have certain expectations when they come here. They want to settle down. They want to be part of Canada. Then, when the come here, their credentials are not being recognized. They can't find jobs. To them, it's like Canada has opened its arms and invited them to a dance party, but when they come, not only can they not find a partner, there's not even music being put on. So they decide to go home. When they go home, they tell their friends.
That's why the interest has slowed down. That's why I said earlier that adaptation has to be mutual.
11:40 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society
Both sides, not just one side.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
There was an interesting paper written a couple of years ago--I mentioned it when we were in Halifax--by the fellow who was arguing that in Atlantic Canada, for example, we want more immigrants. We have to do a better job of not only tolerating people but welcoming people, because it's a matter of the heart, where you decide to go, moving somewhere new. We have to do a better job of that. That's part of the argument.
Let me ask you about illegal workers and the answer to that situation. As I said, we heard a lot about it in the U.S. election. On the one hand, there's the argument that we need workers--in some sectors, at least. On the other hand, there is the view, particularly by people who have been immigrants to Canada, that people should get in line and follow the process the way they did.
One of the great worries is that people who are here as illegal foreign workers are perhaps being treated very badly or that they don't have any protection. That's a real worry. What do we do about that?
11:40 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society
That's an interesting question to answer. What I'm saying may not be representative of what my agency believes in. Today is my fifth day on the job.
I believe we should allow amnesty for people who are illegal here as long as they have been paying taxes, have a legal job, and have regular employment. There are people who say that if we do that it will simply open the floodgates. But if we look back in history, Canada has a number of times allowed amnesty for people who are here. I remember that in 1973 and 1974 we allowed people who were here as students to have a six-month period to apply. At that time, the critics said if we did that everyone was going to come here and take advantage of it. History has proved that didn't happen.
I remember when we found a group of people who came here on a rusty ship that washed ashore on Vancouver Island. People said that if we let them in and didn't send them back right away, we'd be inundated with other refugees. It did not happen.
So I think it's something I would recommend.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
11:45 a.m.
Business Manager, District Council 38, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
I support Mr. Chan's position on an amnesty of some type, as long as they have a job here, are not in the black market economy, are acting in every way, shape, and form as Canadians contributing to the fabric of society, and are paying taxes.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
But isn't the bigger problem people who are in the black market? They are the ones who are most likely to be abused and everything else. My focus is on them, because it seems to me that if they're paying taxes, they're less likely to be illegal. I don't know about that.
11:45 a.m.
Business Manager, International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers - Local 97
There is a solution. The solution is to certify your contractors, because most of this is in the construction industry. It's so easy to launder money. It has all broken down. That's where there are a lot of illegal immigrants. Because they're temporary jobs, a lot of them are cash only. You go up the street here to Quebec and Second Avenue and the sidewalks are lined with people who work for cash in the morning. I've seen that in San Francisco too. Guys hop in the back of a pickup truck and away they go. They get $50 cash for a day's work.
But it's the contractors--that's the answer. Stop it there. You're always going to have people coming here who are desperate to get into North America one way or the other, but it's the contractor you have to deal with.
11:45 a.m.
Business Manager, District Council 38, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
The black market economy doesn't affect just foreign workers. There are Canadians who are pretty active in the black market economy because they want to avoid taxation.