Evidence of meeting #24 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was program.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Brad Butt Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Oh, still? All right.
Can you please explain to the committee what the role of the labour program is when an accident or injury is reported in a federally regulated workplace?
Conservative
Kellie Leitch Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
With respect to specific operations on the ground, this is something that part II of the Canada Labour Code covers, and I'll have Kin Choi walk through what the specifics are so that everyone has a clear understanding. We also have—it's easy to find in the code—a specific outline if you'd like to refer to it.
Kin Choi Assistant Deputy Minister, Labour Program, Compliance, Operations and Program Development, Department of Employment and Social Development
Thank you.
I often say to the minister that we're the good guys. We come into the workplace to ensure that health and safety is being adhered to. We take a graduated approach and a proactive approach. We use our knowledge of the industry, of what's dangerous, and we go out and we talk to both the employer, the employees, and their representatives and create a facilitative compliance environment.
Where there are dangerous situations, we will address them. We will provide at first, if it's not a high-risk type of situation, what we call an ABC. It's a voluntary compliance system where both parties will commit to a hearing to improve the situation, from formalizing with a direction that the employer has to fix a dangerous situation all the way to prosecution when there are major injuries and fatalities. So we're quite proud of the work that our health and safety officers do every single day. They're available 24-7 to ensure that workplaces are healthy and safe.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Phil McColeman
Thank you very much. We're right on time.
Now we move to the second round, which is the five-minute round.
Madame Groguhé.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would also like to thank the minister and her advisors for appearing here today.
My first question is about asbestos.
Conservative
Kellie Leitch Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Excuse me, but I can't hear the simultaneous interpretation.
I understand 60% of what people are saying, but—
The other 40% I may not get, so....
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
It looks like the simultaneous interpretation is working now.
My question is about asbestos.
In 1997, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique recognized that asbestos is a carcinogen. Consequently, France prohibited its use, sale and importation. Seven other countries did so as well: Germany, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway and the Netherlands.
In 2005, the World Health Organization stated that this was a necessary measure for the protection of human health and life.
Can you explain why, in 2014, the government continues to authorize and even promote asbestos if used appropriately?
Conservative
Kellie Leitch Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
I guess what I'll speak to, as I mentioned before, is our view at the labour program that asbestos is a long-term health risk. Because of that, we view it as an imminent danger in the workplace and we encourage any employer and employee to come forward with those concerns and refuse work.
The labour program is very clear. If you consider yourself to be put in a challenging circumstance, whether it be with regard to a chemical or a circumstance of work, or whether you think you may be put in a position where you may be injured, bring that to the attention of the employer and also to the attention of the labour program, so that we can intervene.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Madam Minister, obviously, if the employee has the right to refuse work, that's a good thing and we are happy about that. However, the INRS, WHO and the countries I mentioned earlier have forbidden the use, sale and importation of asbestos.
Why doesn't the government want to take things a step further with respect to asbestos?
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
I wonder if we're drifting a little from the main estimates when we're heading into WHO and those sorts of issues. I know that health and safety is important, but again I think we're drifting a little from the main estimates here.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Phil McColeman
Your point is taken. Typically my experience has been that we allow some latitude when the minister is here, but I will point out to the member to try to get to the point of why the minister is here, which is review of the estimates.
I'll let you have a little latitude, but please get to the point of how this affects our discussion today, which is around the main estimates.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Okay, Mr. Chair.
I think that the use of asbestos is a significant hazard that some employees could be subjected to. That's why I'd like to know if the government plans to reduce the use of asbestos, as many countries did years ago.
Conservative
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
As my honourable colleague knows, mining is within the jurisdiction of the province. We are here talking about federally regulated workplaces, and we're also talking about the estimates as they relate to the labour program.
So again, to drift into areas of provincial jurisdiction I think is probably not appropriate at this time and would, again, hope that we stick to what we're supposed to be focused on.
Conservative
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Mr. Chair, I would just like to say that we can't not consider asbestos to be a hazardous material. For me, this is a major issue that concerns worker health and safety.
I will move on to my next question.
The budget implementation act will update the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, which is a good thing. However, Canada committed to implementing the measures in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals by June 1, 2015.
Why delay? Why not move forward now and implement the globally harmonized system? What are the reasons for the delay?
Conservative
Kellie Leitch Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Well as I mentioned before, in economic action plan 2014, we actually are moving forward with respect to this, which I agree with you is essential. We're moving forward in compliance. I will do one thing. Kin Choi is the assistant deputy minister who is responsible. He can probably give you some more details with respect to it. But as I mentioned, it is a priority for our government that is mentioned in economic action plan 2014, our budget this year that we're moving forward.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Labour Program, Compliance, Operations and Program Development, Department of Employment and Social Development
Thank you.
To build on what the minister has said, she's absolutely right. That was part of the economic action plan; this Health Canada leads. The implementation takes effect when the legislation is passed and there's regulatory work to be done. We've been working very closely with Health Canada and with the provinces and territories. We've had some advance work in what we call the model OSH, so that all jurisdictions will be implementing in a similar way.
The minister mentioned earlier the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. They've also been involved with setting up training so that we're ready to train employers. I'm pleased to say that this work is well under way, and I expect that employers will be ready and we'll be able to meet our deadlines.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Phil McColeman
Thank you very much.
That's the end of that round.
Now we go to Mr. Mayes for five minutes.
Conservative
Colin Mayes Conservative Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Minister, and departmental officials for being here today.
Minister, you are a key player in our free trade agreements, and of course, our government has had an aggressive expansion of trade agreements. It gives Canadians an opportunity to find new markets for their goods. Also, it helps those countries that we sign these trade agreements with. Many are developing economies, so it helps them become more prosperous.
Minister, you incorporate some of the principles of Canada's labour standards in those agreements to assure us that the people we're trading with respect labour standards. I think this is very important, so I wonder if you could expand on this as far as our trade agreements go, and expand on why it's important. I think it's important to Canadian workers, too. I think it's important to our national economy. Could you kind of expand on that?
I'm also not too sure about the monitoring after the agreement. Is that under your department?
As we increase the number of countries we're dealing with, with free trade agreements, is that going to cause any stress on the costs for people to make sure that's funded?
