Human Resources Committee on May 1st, 2020

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Considering the fact that most of the deaths are happening in seniors' care facilities, you're putting that only on the province. Have you no role to play in the safety PPE of those workers?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

No, I wouldn't say that. The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued guidelines on standards, and the premiers of each of the provinces and territories have, in my mind, accepted them. I think that's a fantastic start federally where they're showing leadership and saying what they need to do. In addition to that, we have provided $2 billion as a federal government.

On the point you made, I can appreciate that because we have the same thing happening in my community where people who have PPE and are able to offer it do so. More than that, it's asking companies that if they can retool, if they can do something a little differently, then do that.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

I know Medicom was mentioned in one of the committee meetings. They're going to be retooling, and I don't know at what cost to Canadian taxpayers. They upped their production of masks in their U.S. and French facilities back on February 7 without any extra dollars. We hear a lot of talk about Canadian companies retooling, but we're giving them money and they won't even be able to start making those masks until, I think, June. That was the information we had.

I'm really worried about that stockpile not having been properly cared for. What grade would you give PHAC on its pandemic preparedness?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Minister, we're out of time, so could you make the answer very short.

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

The stockpile is a different issue. We have to go way above and beyond in this pandemic. We need to work together in innovative ways, and I think our government is showing strong leadership in this regard.

The Minister of Innovation has taken unprecedented steps, and I want to thank Canadians—I've seen it in my own riding—who are stepping forward, who are making changes to their companies on their own dime and then retooling to provide the PPE. Yes, the government will buy that PPE from them if they satisfy Health Canada's standards, but Canadians are responding to this in an absolutely stellar way.

I want to assure you that this is all hands on deck. We are doing everything we possibly can to ensure that every worker has the PPE they need.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Minister, and thank you, Ms. Jansen.

Next we have Mr. Long for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good afternoon from Saint John to all of my friends and colleagues.

Minister Tassi, it's certainly great to see you. As you alluded to earlier, we did a lot of great work on HUMA in our first term as MPs. We did the poverty reduction study. We did the temporary foreign workers study. We did a lot of significant studies that certainly had a strong and meaningful impact on Canadians' lives.

I want to ask you a question, Minister, about essential workers.

Certainly, what we've seen over the last couple of months has opened my eyes, raised my awareness and certainly raised my appreciation of front-line essential workers and the serious, essential role they play in our economy. They're not just health care workers. They're grocery store clerks, security people in the mall that my office is in, taxi drivers, pharmacists, take-out workers, hardware store workers and truck drivers. These workers are out there every day, putting themselves in danger at times to ensure that Canadians are fed, get supplies and are taken care of.

I believe it's important to acknowledge the important work that these essential workers, these great Canadians, are doing, and how they're contributing to our society and our country. Minister, can you please elaborate on the federal government's plan to recognize these amazing workers for their work on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

MP Long, thanks for that question.

I think it's very important that we take a moment to recognize the times we're in and the dedication and commitment of workers across this country. There are workers who have gone into this and assumed roles where there might be some level of risk. I think of health care workers. The pandemic has raised this to a whole other level. Then we have other workers who now have this risk, some of whom you've mentioned, whether they're driving trucks, stocking shelves at the local grocery store or working at the checkout counter so that we can put food on our table.

We want to show them that we appreciate what they're doing and that we want to support them. These are absolutely unprecedented times. We wanted to, as a federal government, demonstrate the support and the gratitude and appreciation that we have.

The federal government has announced that we will be working with provinces and territories to provide a top-up of salaries for various essential service workers. This is something that is, again, very collaborative. It's going to be worked out with each of the provinces and territories. Ontario and Quebec, I think, sort of have a framework. I don't know that it has actually been finalized, but the idea here is that we want to recognize the heroic work. I'm very happy that you've asked the question.

In addition to this—I think of, for example, some students who are working at the local grocery store part time—we've also allowed workers who earn $1,000 or less to be able to collect the emergency response benefit. I think this is really important, particularly for workers such as PSWs, who were working three positions and are now down to one. They can earn $1,000 at their work and still be eligible for the emergency response benefit.

The last thing I would say on this relates to the point that MP Doherty brought up. It's about my conversations with stakeholders. I have to tell you that my time is spent in dialogue and in conversation, across party lines, with my PT partners in labour and industry. I am getting input first-hand from these groups. There was a real need to recognize the work that these front-line workers were doing.

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

Thank you very much, Minister.

There are two groups that I didn't mention. In a previous life, I used to work for a company called Canada Packers and then an aquaculture company Stolt Sea Farm. Certainly, the front-line workers in our beef plants across the country and seafood and fish processing plants also—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

I'm sorry, Mr. Long, you're out of time.

Mr. Doherty is next for five minutes.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Minister, following on Mr. Long's comments, wouldn't you agree that the number one thing we could be doing as parliamentarians and you as the Minister of Labour is to ensure that our front-line workers, our essential workers, those who are keeping us safe, keeping us informed, keeping us healthy, keeping our supply chain moving and our grocery stores stocked are working in safe and secure environments?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

My focus, MP Doherty, on this has been about the health and safety of all of our workers.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Would you be agreeing with me then?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

My main priority and what I've heard in all of my conversations has to do with two things. One is identifying what is needed, and the other is doing the best that we possibly can in order to protect workers.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Minister, what have you done in terms of our federal prisons, federal prison workers, and the health and safety of the Correctional Services guards as well as the, let's say, guests who are staying in our federal prisons? There are 118 cases in the Mission federal prison and over 300 cases nationwide. The union is calling for assistance from the federal government. What have you done to assist that?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

With respect to the situation with Mission, I know that Correctional Services Canada brought experts in. Minister Blair is the lead on that, but I am aware of the situation. The experts were brought in, and changes were made in order to accommodate the issues that were identified by employees in order to provide—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

I'm trying really hard not to interrupt you. Minister, where do you step in? Where does your mandate step in, and where do you do your job? The questions I've asked previously you continually defer to other lead ministers, and I agree there are other lead ministers, but when do your office and you step in to fulfill your mandate?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Let me assure you that I'm working with my colleagues on each of these issues. The letter that you referred to, for example, with Minister Garneau.... We are working together. With respect to public health and safety and corrections, I am working with Minister Blair.

In answer to your question, yes, we are working together to get the PPE and to help get those supports in place, but for the transport issue, that's Transport Canada.

Finally let me say that if, for example, a Correctional Services officer has an issue and says they don't feel that it is a safe work site, they have the ability to make that complaint through the Canada Labour Code.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Minister, we're still talking about receiving PPE. We're over eight weeks, maybe even 11 weeks, into this process, and we still have not received the PPE. While we have Canadian operations that are trying to do their best to do that, we still haven't received enough PPE, and we're still asking our front-line workers to reuse and recycle.

Minister, do you feel that is a responsible way of handling a global crisis?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

I would say in response to that question that we are working extremely hard to assist all levels in order to get them the PPE. PPE is being provided to various sectors, and I am working with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement. I have done assessments with respect to all the stakeholders that I have identified and what PPE is required. FETCO, for example, has provided me with a list and other union leaders have provided me with lists, and we then respond to what is needed.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Minister, have you worked on any of the issues that have been brought forward with respect to our truckers who are working under incredible conditions keeping our supply chain going? There are no washrooms available for them. They are not being provided with PPE along the routes. It's a well-publicized issue, and I'm asking you if have you done anything for our long-haul truckers who are helping to keep our stores stocked. Are they receiving the attention that they require?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Yes. I'm very happy you asked that question. I have weekly calls with Monsieur Laporte of Teamsters Canada and the trucking association. I have regular calls as well in order to determine what the needs are.

In terms of rest stops, my team has made calls, as Minister Garneau has, in order to assist in having certain rest stops along all highways open up so that truckers can have access to those rest stops. Together, as I mentioned previously, we did have industry and labour meet. A joint statement was issued with respect to how we are working collaboratively and sharing information. I think that's really important, because we have to know where the needs are so that we can best respond to them.

So yes, we've done quite a bit in this regard. We'll continue to work together in order to ensure that our truckers have the support they need.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Minister, and thank you, Mr. Doherty.

Mr. Vaughan, you have five minutes, please.

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

Thanks very much, Chair.

I'd just like to review some of the questions asked and get clear answers on them.

In terms of the health guidelines, we heard about problems in British Columbia, about how British Columbia labour laws are being enforced or not enforced in old age homes or in seniors care. Is that an area of exclusive provincial jurisdiction?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

It is. It's exclusive jurisdiction. In addition to that, though, the Public Health Agency of Canada has worked with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Seniors and provided guidelines suggesting—