Evidence of meeting #12 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was migrant.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Anthony Cochlan  Partner, ACT Immigration and Business Consulting Ltd.
Barbara Byers  Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Labour Congress
Val Litwin  Chief Executive Officer, Whistler Chamber of Commerce
Elizabeth Kwan  Senior Researcher, Canadian Labour Congress
Gina Bahiwal  Member, Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada
Gabriel Allahdua  Member, Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada
Jatinder Sidhu  Executive Vice-President, Coast Spas Manufacturing Inc.
Jayson Hilchie  President and Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment Software Association of Canada
Ethel Tungohan  Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, York University, As an Individual
Ericson Santos De Leon  As an Individual
Chris LeClair  Senior Advisor, Maritime Seafood Coalition
Jerry Amirault  President, Lobster Processors Association of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Maritime Seafood Coalition
Francisco Mootoo  Member, Temporary Foreign Workers Association
Lucio Castracani  Community Organizer and Member, Temporary Foreign Workers Association

6:25 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

That would require work permits then as well for anybody who is of adult age?

6:25 p.m.

As an Individual

6:25 p.m.

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, York University, As an Individual

Ethel Tungohan

Can I just add something?

I think with respect to having the family members of caregivers coming with them, certainly there have been pilot projects showing that has been successful, and as other studies have shown with respect to family class migrants, they are not burdens, they also work. When you look having spouses arrive with caregivers they will also be a potential source of labour for the Canadian economy.

I think very highly of such proposals.

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bryan May

Thank you very much.

I'm very sorry, but seeing as the clock says 6:30 I do have to wrap up now.

Committee, if you can just hold on and bear with me for just a minute, I would like to thank all of the members of the committee. I know there were some via teleconference and questions were not asked of you, but I encourage you to submit, if you have not already done so, any thoughts, comments or concerns in writing to this committee and we will make sure those get to the committee members.

For those of you who have travelled, again, thank you very much.

I just have a quick statement here in closing. Unfortunately, Ms. Ashton has left and I would have preferred her to be here, but earlier in today's proceedings Ms. Ashton accused this committee of not being transparent, suggesting that we've refused to televise these sessions. For the record, these sessions are streamed live and are open to the public to view live, and of course transcripts are available online. It was this committee that has moved this study up in the schedule given the urgency that has of course been demonstrated today.

Regarding the request to televise, this has not been rejected. My hope was to put it to the this committee to see if any concerns exist. In the meantime staff have enquired for availability for this to be televised. I can report that I have confirmed that all parties here are in agreement and we will continue with this request and televise where possible.

Thank you very much. The meeting is adjourned.