Human Resources Committee on May 5th, 2009

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

That was with the money that existed for the previous period of time?

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

That's correct.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I want to ask about EI eligibility. Everybody seems to suggest that we should be extending that. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Canadian Labour Congress, anti-poverty groups, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, which has indicated so in their pre-budget, the TD Bank, the C.D. Howe Institute, the Minister of Finance's wife, and most of the provinces have all indicated that EI eligibility should be extended.

What would it take for this government to extend access to employment insurance?

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

We already have increased access to employment insurance, and we've extended the benefits rather considerably.

Some 32 of the 58 EI regions have seen improvements, increases in eligibility and accessibility. They've also seen increases in benefits of anywhere up to 13 weeks improvement, and that is in response to the changes in the economic circumstances.

As part of our economic action plan we added, as Canadians asked for, an additional five weeks of regular benefits, up to a maximum of 50 weeks at the end. So we have done exactly what you're asking for.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

No, you have not done anything of what I or most Canadians are asking for.

I'll pass it over to Ms. Minna.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Ms. Minna, you have two minutes.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will be very quick.

To the two ministers, to pick up on what my colleague was just saying, access means people being able to access EI at the front end, because if you can't get it, you can't benefit from any of the other programs, and that's just in terms of the hours.

I want to go to Minister Ambrose if I may. In the estimates, for the Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal, the chair says that she feels compelled to note at this point that however optimistic she is with respect to the board's hard work, because they cannot form a quorum they have a problem doing their job. Could the minister tell us why this board, which looks after a tremendously large number of our artist industries, is looking at operating problems because they can't get a quorum, because they don't have enough members on the board? Why are there no members?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

At this point the president had resigned, so we're looking for a replacement.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

This is not an issue of quorum, I'm sorry.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

And we have applications that we're reviewing right now.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Okay. It's just that it sounds as though this has been going on for some time.

Just quickly, there are one or two other things. I'll ask both questions so you can answer quickly. One has to do with the wage earner protection program. I wonder, given the environment and the economic situation, if you could give us an idea of how many workers in fact have benefited from this plan thus far and how well it's working.

The other question has to do with worker replacement. Given the fact that Telus had problems and was bringing in workers from the U.S. and all over the place when they had a lockout, could you tell us if this program has had a review recently and whether workers have been used to undermine trade unions' capacity to engage in bargaining and represent their members?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

That's all the time we have, but I'm going to ask for a short response to the question.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

I'll give you some updated information. As you know, the wage earner protection program, WEP, was launched in July 2008. In budget 2009 we expanded the coverage to severance and termination pay in the economic action plan. To date we've received 7,069 applications, and as of May 3 we have paid out approximately $4.7 million, if that's helpful.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you very much.

We're now going to move over to our next questioner. We have Mr. Lessard for seven minutes, please.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Hold on just a second, please.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

I apologize.

Maybe the minister can answer my other question, on worker replacement, when she comes back to someone else.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Sure, we can work it in.

Mr. Lessard, the floor is yours, sir.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My question is for Ms. Finley.

Ms. Finley, last year, the House passed Bill C-50, and it received royal assent on June 18, 2008.

That royal assent authorized the establishment of the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board. It was a new organization that was supposed to be able to set up a separate employment insurance fund.

Furthermore, the act confirmed that the Canada Employment Insurance Commission was being maintained. Its role is to make recommendations on the EI program, and the board's role is to manage the premiums.

In the last budget, which was sanctioned and approved by the Liberals, you froze the EI premium rate at its lowest level since 1982; you also decided which EI measures would be enhanced.

Two years ago, representatives of the organizations spoke up and said that the two establishments, especially the board, would only serve to ensure that the Conservatives retained control over the fund. Are we to understand that those concerns are founded?

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

Mr. Chair, I'm very sorry, but my translation channel doesn't seem to be working.

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

Mr. Chair, please do not deduct that from my speaking time.

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

I apologize; I think I have it going now.

Could you just repeat the last part of the question, please?

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

I want to point out that you put forward the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board, on top of the existing Canada Employment Insurance Commission. One makes recommendations on the EI program, and the other manages the premiums in order to determine the premium rate—providing a balance.

This bill was passed by the House and received royal assent on June 18, 2008.

To everyone's surprise, in the last budget, you set the premium rate at its lowest level since 1982 and decided which EI measures would be enhanced.

Does that not confirm the concerns of the organizations that spoke up and said that they would just become two puppet organizations? They added that this would allow you to make the decisions in the place of those whose job it was to do so, and that the organization in question could not do anything for another two years.

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

I will give my answer in two parts.

Yes, we established the commission to avoid situations that had existed previously, where the premiums were not consistent with the expenditures, which created a large surplus.

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

For those listening to us today, that means that you did not consult the commission or the board before making your decision.