Human Resources Committee on June 1st, 2020

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

We're talking. I'm asking the Minister of Canadian Heritage every week about this: What is he doing for the small newspapers that might not even be eligible for the $595 million from the bailout?

I also get those calls. What would you do—?

[Jerry Dias]

By the way, they should be saved. There have been 250 small newspapers that have closed in the last 10 years, and I will argue that the Conservative government did next to nothing.

You are right. The federal Liberals need to get money quickly into the pockets of the newspapers in order to fund the journalists. The 2019 money hasn't come down yet and neither has the 2020....

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Yes, in a year and a half.

[Jerry Dias]

The bottom line is, you should speak to your friends who are running the newspapers and find out what they're doing.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

That's all I have time for, Chair.

It now goes to the member for Regina—Lewvan.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

He has left you a minute, Mr. Steinley.

Go ahead.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

I want to ask Mr. Diaz and Mr. Neumann a question.

Good afternoon, gentlemen. I represent a large portion of the Evraz workers, and refinery workers out in the Co-op Refinery and Evraz mill.

Mr. Neumann, I'm not sure if your mike will work well enough to answer this.

What I would like to know is this. During the last campaign, you were on a couple of radio shows out west talking about new green technologies for the Evraz steelworkers so they could have new employment and different options with the steel mill. Time after time while doorknocking, union members have asked me to ask you about the following today.

How can you say that you're supporting your local membership when you have been supporting parties that are anti-pipeline, and pipelines are what the Evraz steelworkers do well? I'm proud to represent them. I'm proud to support them. I'm hoping we can work together to get pipelines built in this country with good Canadian steel and to keep these men and women working in the jobs they want to work in for now and a long time into the future.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Mr. Neumann, he used his full one minute for a question, but you can answer it.

Very briefly, please.

[Ken Neumann]

First of all, let me be straight. The fact of the matter is that we fight for our steelworkers across the country no matter where they are. We were at the forefront to make sure that the tariffs were removed. You've never heard us say that we're opposed to pipelines. We want pipelines built. We want our bridges built as well.

The fact is that we want Canadian steel to be included in procurement measures. The fact is, we're the ones who stand up for the workers, be they at Evraz or Tenaris, or any other steelworkers across the country. Going back two previous governments, why is it that the Montreal bridge and the Vancouver bridge were built with Chinese steel? That's what you should be focusing on in making sure that you preserve the jobs. We're going to continue to fight for pipelines.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

One hundred per cent, Mr. Neumann. I'll just need your help with that as well, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, both.

Mr. Long, for six minutes, please

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

For our witnesses today, I have the privilege of asking these questions from Saint John, New Brunswick, which has a very strong labour movement and a history of union activism.

Mr. Dias, I want to thank you for joining us today to share your thoughts, insights, expertise and, of course, the questions and concerns of the 315,000 Unifor members across this country. I have the privilege of working with Unifor leadership like Erin Howell Sharpe, Adam Costain, Trevor Young, Grant Charlton, Tamara Davidson-Kelly, Tammy Moore, Martin Melanson and Tom Clarkson.

I'm not here to take potshots at unions. I'm not here to attack unions. I have questions for you.

Mr. Dias, here's my first question. During your appearance before the finance committee on May 21, you noted that provincial governments across the country have undermined several hard-won labour law reforms in recent years, including the right to paid sick leave. Last week, the Prime Minister announced that our federal government will work with provincial and territorial governments in order to ensure that all workers in Canada have access to at least 10 paid sick days in the course of a year should they need them.

How would you and your members like to see federal and provincial governments approach this issue?

[Jerry Dias]

That was a great question, because the federal government is going to have to provide much leadership on this issue, given that there are very few provincial governments that will.

On the 10 paid sick days, I think it's importance is clear during this pandemic. If you take a look at the recent elections in Ontario and Alberta, you see that the first thing those governments did was to walk backwards on labour law reform. They froze minimum wages. They cancelled paid sick days.

Now here we are in a pandemic, and who's being punished? Health care workers and workers in long-term care facilities and grocery store workers, many of those workers who need it today more than ever. I'm pleased to see that Jagmeet Singh raised that and it was adopted by both the federal NDP and the federal Liberals.

It's going to be this type of collaboration, but like I said, it's going to have to start with the federal government. It can't just be during the pandemic; it should be permanent. Then, obviously, it's something that's going to have to be discussed with a variety of provincial governments, based on collective agreements, workers, and provincial jurisdiction versus federal jurisdiction. It's a very welcome announcement and is showing leadership during a time when it's most needed.

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

I will comment that certainly in New Brunswick we're having challenges with Premier Blaine Higgs and his support for these same sick days.

I would now like to take the time to thank you for the answers and then share my time with MP Kate Young.

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you, MP Long. I really appreciate this.

I would like to thank all of our witnesses for appearing today.

Mr. Dias, I'm from London. As you well know, London has been hard hit in our manufacturing sector over the years, but the incredible work that Canadian manufacturers have done just in the last three months in retooling and changing very quickly to produce personal protective equipment has been quite remarkable. It shows how we can all work together in a very short period of time.

What do you see as the long-term use of the manufacturing sector when it comes to protective equipment? Is this the way of the future?

[Jerry Dias]

It is absolutely the way of the future.

First of all, this pandemic showed us how ill-prepared we were as a nation—and are—to take care of ourselves. We outsourced all of our personal protective equipment. At the end of the day, we were left scrambling for the vital resources to take care of ourselves.

I'm always fascinated when I listen to the arguments of those who are saying that the manufacturing sector is dead in Canada. Frankly, as a result of the free trade deal that was signed 25 plus years ago, we've lost over half a million manufacturing jobs here in the province of Ontario. I'm fascinated that while everybody talks about the gig economy, the transformation and getting away from manufacturing, who was it that stepped up to the pump during the pandemic? It was the food industry. It was the auto parts industry. I can look at Bombardier in Thunder Bay. I can start to walk through the Hiram Walkers of the world. The manufacturing sector stepped up and transformed to provide some of the basics we need.

If we're going to have a strategy as we come out of the pandemic, it's clear that we're going to have to take a look at where the jobs really are and what it takes to have a stable economy. It's going to mean that the government is going to have to concentrate on a strong manufacturing sector. It's the only way to keep people employed. It's the only way, frankly, for us to stabilize our economy.

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

I also want to commend Unifor for your women's advocacy program, but, as you know, women are hardest hit through this pandemic.

[Jerry Dias]

They are more than ever.

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

What do you see as your role moving forward?

[Jerry Dias]

We have over 350 women's advocates in a variety of Unifor workplaces across the country. I personally sit on the board of directors for Halton Women's Place, which has women's shelters, and I know that the shelters today are running at over 100% capacity. As a matter of fact, it's gotten to the point where we've had to rent hotel rooms and different stuff in order to keep women safe.

If you take a look at the pandemic, you'll see that it really has exposed some of the structural problems we have here in Canada, because women, I would argue, are disproportionately impacted by this pandemic, as it relates to who is affected and who is working in essential services. It really shows the structural imbalances and the barriers to women. Women still make about 72% of what men make.

This is probably the best time I could even think of for a national child care strategy in this country, because if we're going to have true equality, we have to eliminate the barriers, because, as progressive as men claim to be, women still bear the burden of work in the household as it relates to child rearing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you—

[Jerry Dias]

Therefore, child care is a good start.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Dias.

Thank you, Ms. Young.

Ms. Chabot, you may go ahead. You have six minutes.

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to start by welcoming the representatives of the leading labour organizations we met with today, including Unifor, the United Steelworkers and the Canadian Labour Congress. I want to make a quick comment. I don't think any economic recovery or endeavour aimed at helping society is possible without the support of the major unions. Thank you for your contribution.

I wasn't too amused by the Conservatives' questions, so I hope it doesn't happen again. I can ask you all of my questions.

Today, when the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic was meeting, I asked, not once, but three times, whether the CERB was going to be extended. I think that's important. Not all businesses are going to open up again, and not all employees are going to return to their old jobs. Some businesses will take a while to get going again.

We talked about the tourism, hospitality and hotel sectors. If I understood correctly, that's a key issue for you, as well, as is a comprehensive review of the employment insurance program going forward.

Would anyone care to comment?

[Dominic Lemieux]

I'll start with the hotel, restaurant and tourism sectors. It is definitely essential, in our view, to protect those workers. Even though many of them aren't seasonal workers, the summer months account for the bulk of their hours to qualify for employment insurance. As everyone knows, things will be much quieter in the tourism sector this summer.

That's why we are calling on the government to extend the CERB or use the hours worked last year to determine employment insurance eligibility. Those are two things we are recommending to help those workers. I repeat, 90% of them experienced a loss of employment as a direct result of the pandemic.