Human Resources Committee on June 6th, 2006

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Please... We already know all of that!

I just want to know whether you will be establishing a stand-alone fund, as your party promised to do during the election campaign. I only need a yes or no answer. That way Ms. Lavallée will have time to ask her question.

Yes or no? With all due respect, we have all heard your explanations. Are you planning to establish a stand-alone fund that will ensure that the money is only used for employment insurance purposes? Yes or no?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

That is a possibility in the future. It won't be happening immediately. There is a separate fund set aside at the moment--not a fund, per se, but separate accounting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I'm sorry, we're out of time there. We'll move on to the next question.

Ms. Yelich, five minutes, please.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yesterday Statistics Canada released a report on participating, volunteering, and giving, and it certainly was, from what I could understand, a worthwhile report. I'd like to know what your department plans on doing with that report from Statistics Canada.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

The report that came out yesterday was very revealing. It showed that almost every single Canadian actually contributes in some way or another to his or her community, whether that's through time or through money, to help other people. Canadians are very generous.

One of the ways we're going to be using that is through our work with the voluntary sector. Our department has the primary lead on dealing with the voluntary sector, which actually contributes over 8% of our GDP. So it's important that as we develop programs, we work closely with the voluntary sector, the not-for-profit sector, because there is so much they can do to help this country and are willing to do if they're given the tools necessary. We believe that working with them is good for the community because it's local people who are doing these activities to help others, because they choose to.

One of the best roles for the government is to make sure they have the resources necessary to do that; otherwise, the alternative economically is pretty daunting. So we're going to be using this data to help work with the voluntary sector to help them achieve their goals.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Allison, I have a question.

With regard to the foreign credentials assessment agency, I'm very enthused, Minister, that you took that on and included it in your ministerial plans. Are there any plans within that assessment agency to assist with the real challenge we have with the doctor shortage? Many new Canadians have a real challenge meeting the cost of their equivalency exams. How does that relate to small communities where the doctor shortages are more acute?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Specific programs are in place right now to try to alleviate the doctor shortage, because it's happening right across the country. Coming from rural Ontario, I know there's a very severe doctor shortage; it's at the GP level. Somebody said the largest town near us is missing five psychiatrists. Specialists are really hard to come by. We want to make sure, though, when we have people come in who have had their medical training in other schools, it meets Canadian standards. Because we do not want to compromise Canadians' health care.

But we do have a program. Doctors are one of our top three priorities right now in terms of targeted professions. Engineers are another one. And other medical providers--for example, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiologists--are all in that other medical group. Those are the top three we are working on right now because we recognize the shortage.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We've got two speakers left, and we're almost out of time.

Mr. Martin, and then I've got Mr. D'Amours.

[Tony Martin, NDP, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

I have a couple of quick questions.

Going back to the social economy, given that it's a broad but sometimes invisible sector of non-profit and co-op businesses that adds significant social and economic value and provides necessary cost-effective products and services to rural and urban communities.... It's flowing in Quebec, but it's frozen in the rest of the country. I guess I'm wondering, how is that fair? That's my question.

I also wanted to ask a question on SCPI. Across the country we have a number of programs delivering very valuable and crucial supports to the homeless and people looking for affordable housing. If SCPI isn't renewed in my own community, we have three programs that will be without money and will end, and we'll again have the reality of growing homelessness in our communities. I'm wondering about the status of SCPI. I also want to know if it's fair that the social economy money is flowing in Quebec and yet it's being reviewed in the rest of the country.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

In terms of what we're doing in funding for the social economy programs, anywhere there's a contractual obligation to provide the money, it's flowing. So whether Quebec has had a special designation or whether it's through contractual obligations, I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that because that's being handled by the regional agencies, and I haven't kept track of what they're doing in that regard. But we are honouring all contractual obligations at the moment; that money is flowing.

You asked about SCPI. No problem: that's going forward. That's all been blessed and approved. You were talking about homelessness and these other programs. The national homelessness initiative has been extended also.

We recognize the importance of these sectors and the dependence they have on federal funds. That's the value of these programs; they have been reviewed, and that's why we're going ahead with them.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you, Mr. Martin.

Mr. D'Amours.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I have to say that I was disappointed to hear a minister representing an economic development agency imply that anti-scab legislation undermines investment, while, at the same time, speaking of the importance of achieving balance. Balance, however, has to reflect the needs of both businesses and workers. I believe that the question of respect for workers is an important one, and is key to harmonious relations.

That being said, I would like to move on to discussing employment insurance with the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. Last week, it was decided to extend one of the pilot projects by 18 months. The intent of the pilot project in question is to allow workers weathering a difficult period to receive up to five additional weeks of employment insurance benefits.

The pilot project was due to end last week. It was supposed to be wound up on Sunday. It must have been an anxious time for some workers who did not know if they would continue to benefit from this very important provision.

I also hope that the problem pertaining to economic zones will not reach calamitous proportions. As you know, Minister, a pilot project was established to help the Madawaska region in New Brunswick and the Bas-Saint-Laurent region in Quebec. The project was established as these regions were put in economic zones that place them at a disadvantage; it allows them to participate in all employment insurance pilot projects.

Minister, I would like to know whether, over the next few days or weeks — because it cannot wait until the project ends in October — you intend to indefinitely renew this pilot project. It would allow us to ensure that these regions would not be disadvantaged in the future. I also think that it would be a good idea to redefine the economic zones to allow the Madawaska and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions to benefit from employment insurance pilot projects.

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Chairman, in answer to the member's first question, I would urge Mr. D'Amours to be cautious on the matter of anti-scab legislation. It is important to maintain a balance, not to force the issue. That is an extremely important principle Canada wide.

A Montreal Economic Institute study showed that investments dropped by 25 per cent in provinces with anti-scab legislation. That is an important piece of information. It is important to look at the bigger picture, rather than allowing one group to impose their will at the expense of others.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

That is not what is happening at all.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

If I may, I will respond to the numerous questions that you put to me.

You were very gracious in assisting with the analysis and decision-making on the five weeks project. You know the process we went through. We went through analysis, we waited until we had data, then we did the analysis, and then we reviewed it. We then saw there were opportunities to do it better, smarter, even more effectively and more responsibly. That is the approach we're taking with all of our pilot projects. We're trying to get the facts, analyse them, assess them, and look for alternatives that may be even better.

In terms of the projects you mentioned, they do expire in the fall, but we will be waiting until we've got the data, and then we'll do the analysis. Then we'll take a look at the alternatives and see if they're worth while or if there are better ways they could be handled. And those decisions will be made in the fall.

Before we conclude, Mr. Chair, if I may, I would like to thank the other person who is at the other end of the table with me today, Ms. Karen Kinsley, who is the head of CMHC and joined us today as well, even though she's had a pretty easy ride of it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Twenty seconds.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chairman, I would like to draw the minister's attention to the following problem.

It can be difficult to fully appreciate the problems related to economic zones if one is not personally familiar with the affected area. My riding is called Madawaska—Restigouche. Some of my constituents live in the Madawaska region, while others live in the Restigouche region. Some people are penalized not because of where they work, but because of where they live. There are people who live in the Madawaska region, but who work in the Restigouche region. However, those who both live and work in the Restigouche region enjoy benefits that those who live in the Madawaska region could loose if the pilot project is not granted permanent status, or if the economic zones are not redefined. I have already sent a letter to the department making the suggestion. I argued that people should not be penalized because of which of our riding two regions they choose to call home. Some really good work was done on this matter by the previous liberal government and, in particular, by my predecessor, after the 2000 election.

Minister, I would invite you to come to my riding to see the situation for yourself. The main industry in our riding is forestry, and people have to work in factories. Some of my constituents have to travel for work, and they could find themselves disadvantaged if this pilot project is not renewed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We're out of time.

I want to thank the ministers and the deputies for coming today, as well as the departments. I'll just remind the committee that we can certainly have the minister back in the fall when she goes over her plans and priorities, as well as the supplement.

Thank you once again for attending today.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Lessard.

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether this is the appropriate time for me to table my motion, but I wanted to suggest that we invite the ministers to come back to the committee, separately, before the summer recess.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We'll discuss that when we meet on Thursday.

The meeting is adjourned.