Evidence of meeting #126 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 information.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:45 a.m.
Banff—Airdrie, CPC
Okay, but there is something specific that they are directed to, whether it's dedicated only to that or whether it's part of something else. There is something specific.
I believe there is also a specific website or web page available to provide them with information as well.
9:45 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Yes, there is certainly web content available specific to the grant.
9:45 a.m.
Banff—Airdrie, CPC
How easy would it be to replicate that for parents in this situation of bereavement? Would that be something that could be done quite easily?
9:45 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
As I mentioned earlier, it's certainly a piece of work that we have already undertaken. The difference here is the fact that with the parents of young victims of crime, the frame around that is a specific grant. In this context, you're talking about a specific group of individuals who are within a different program, but it's certainly a piece of work that, as I've said, we've started to work on.
9:50 a.m.
Banff—Airdrie, CPC
The other thing I wanted to touch on—and this has been mentioned already this morning—is the experience of dealing with Service Canada. We have heard about this a number of times from some of these parents. They describe it as a cold or clinical type of experience. For example, we heard a story of a mother who was told, “Your child ceases to exist, so therefore the benefits cease to exist.” You can imagine how it must feel to hear that as a parent. We even heard a bit of that language this morning.
Are those kinds of situations, such as a mother being told she has to go into a bank to pay back benefits rather than do it online—that's apparently not something that is possible—the kinds of things you feel are acceptable? I understand that you've said there's monitoring and things like that, but what's actually done in those kinds of cases when something like that happens? What is done when an employee just continually can't seem to get this right? What's done about it?
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
I would frame all of it from the perspective that any time we receive feedback along these lines, feedback that the experience was less than optimal, we take that to heart, and certainly in the context—
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Certainly they do.
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
It could be a series of different things, depending upon the severity of the situation that took place.
9:50 a.m.
Banff—Airdrie, CPC
Can you give us an example, or some idea of what that would look like? What exactly would that be—
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
In a first instance, as I've indicated, increased monitoring would probably be taking place to ensure that they continue to deliver optimal service, but a series of training sessions takes place throughout the entire development of an individual, designed to equip them with the skills to deal with the public.
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Thank you very much.
Madam Sansoucy, you have the floor for three minutes, please.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Astravas, you didn't have time to answer my last question. I want to make sure that you are going to send us the information on the number of weeks of special benefits that people have used in the last five years, the number of people who have used the maximum of 15 weeks of benefits and the number of people who would have needed more than 15 weeks of benefits.
As my colleague Mr. Richards said, I hope you will not tell me that you are not the one I should be asking my next question.
I have great admiration for the work of the people at the Library of Parliament and for all the information provided to us. The document prepared for us refers to existing programs under Employment and Social Development Canada, including special benefits from employment insurance and the grant for young victims of crime.
The data provided has always been very reliable. Before I ask my question on another program, I must say that I am surprised that this list does not include the allowance—the name of which escapes me—to which you alluded in response to a question from my colleague Mr. Morrissey. I have a hard time understanding why it is not mentioned in the existing programs.
9:50 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
The allowance for parents of young victims of crime refers to the same benefit.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Okay, I just wanted to check.
Earlier, we talked about eligibility. What is interesting about this program is that the eligibility criteria are broader. You must have earned at least $6,500 in the previous calendar year, have a social insurance number and not have contributed to employment insurance.
Some witnesses told us that the program could simply be extended to all parents coping with the death of a child of a certain age, regardless of the cause of death. For Employment and Social Development Canada, would it be possible to extend the allowance so that more parents are eligible?
9:55 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
Thank you for the question.
I deal with employment insurance and I cannot comment on that, but I will forward your questions to my colleagues who handle those issues.
9:55 a.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Okay.
Mr. Chair, as my colleague Mr. Richards pointed out, the more the meeting moves forward, the more we see that Employment and Social Development Canada has misunderstood the scope of our motion. I find it unfortunate that Ms. Astravas is in a situation where she keeps having to say that it is not the responsibility of Employment and Social Development Canada and that she cannot answer. It is unfortunate that the department did not properly assess our needs for witnesses who could answer the questions related to our study.
I have another question.
9:55 a.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
At the first meeting, Andrew Brown, executive director of Employment Insurance Policy, said that there was an openness to the possibility of helping organizations that assist those who need special benefits and who turn to your department.
Since that meeting, has there been any progress on the possibility of helping those people?
9:55 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
I will answer in English.
The employment insurance program for EI part I benefits pays benefits directly to individuals. It does not pay them to organizations. What you are suggesting sounds like something that is different from what we currently do, so we thank you for your suggestion.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Thank you.
That takes us to the end of our second round. We do have the opportunity to go into drafting instructions. We're going to take advantage of that opportunity to do so. We will need to suspend briefly. Before—