Evidence of meeting #35 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was parents.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
You would also be asking for the elimination of the maternity benefit and a complete parental.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
So you're asking for 50 weeks, and then for biological parents they would still get the additional 15 weeks of maternity.
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
10:45 a.m.
Board Member, Adoption Council of Canada
We don't want to replace it, though, per se. We don't want to start a fight with—
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
Well, it would have to be eliminated in order to get the same 50 weeks. Do you understand the difference here? I know it's a technical issue, but if you give 50 weeks of parental, you can't give it only to adoptive parents; it would have to be to biological parents as well.
10:45 a.m.
Board Member, Adoption Council of Canada
Okay, so find a name and call it another 15 weeks of adopted parental leave then.
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
There are unique aspects to adoptive parenting that aren't present for biological parenting. For one, adoptive parenting doesn't always involve an infant. Are there others? Can you talk about that and the need for an additional benefit that would be the same number of weeks as maternity, perhaps, but would have to be called something different, like transition leave?
10:45 a.m.
President, Adoption Council of Canada
I like your idea of transition leave, something like that. I think people have made the case here that there is a reason for needing this extra time, similar to biological reasons.
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Candice Bergen
Great.
Again, I just want to thank all of you for being here and for the information you've provided.
And thank you so much to Jessica. Jessica, I'm going to ask, you before you go, if you wouldn't mind coming to sign your picture, because then I'll have your signature.
All right. Thank you very much. Yes, we actually have someone with a camera, so maybe we can get a photo.
Thank you very much. Our meeting is now adjourned.