Human Resources Committee on March 16th, 2021

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

In terms of the projects that are on hold, that haven't been approved but have met the qualifying standards, are you familiar [Technical difficulty—Editor] if the opposition supports the budget that's upcoming?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Yes, absolutely. I am hopeful, and determined to make the case to have additional dollars for what has proven to be not only a very successful program but also a program that is very much needed from coast to coast to coast.

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

There are a significant number of projects on that list that a budget in four or five weeks, or whenever it is, we don't know.... A budget that comes sooner will allow us to get to those projects without a reapplication process, thereby reducing costs for the applicants. That's one of the goals we have as we move to end chronic homelessness in this country.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Yes. In fact, to answer the member's question, the number of applications, the number of viable projects that responded to the calls for proposals for the rapid housing initiative was simply incredible. It shows that the need is there, but it also shows that there are partners ready and able to put together shovel-ready projects, viable projects that are much needed.

I, along with the honourable member and others, believe that we should definitely try to find more money.

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

But if you want to boost your projects, you have to get the provinces on board.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Absolutely.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Vaughan.

Thank you, Minister.

Ms. Chabot, you have two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you.

My question is going to be about benefits and Service Canada.

As you said, Minister, there are many benefits that have been put in place to support workers or businesses. However, I want to bring to your attention the fact that many files stalled when workers applied for the Canada recovery benefit.

Service Canada would tell them that a file in their name was already open and that blocked their application. This happened to hundreds of thousands of people. There were delays of seven to eight weeks, even though people were entitled to benefits [Technical difficulty—Editor]. On this issue, there are still documents that say the forms are not tailored to their reality. Asking a self-employed person if he's looking for a job may not be the right question to ask. They are looking for clients. There are no jobs, because businesses are closed. All of this makes for delays.

Can you assure us of smooth and timely services?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Thank you for your question. I will ask Ms. MacDonald to answer it.

[Lori MacDonald]

Thank you for your question.

I'll ask Cliff Groen to come in.

[Cliff C. Groen, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Benefits and Integrated Services Branch, Service Canada, Department of Employment and Social Development]

Thank you for your question.

Up-to-date delivery of benefits is a very high priority for our department. That is why, since the employment insurance program was re-launched in October, more than 98% of all claims have already been processed and more than 94% were processed according to service standards.

On the other hand, we know that clients have sent applications to Service Canada and then to the Canada Revenue Agency. We need to work out a number of details with these clients, before we can determine if they can apply to the agency. The Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada have a process in place to handle these applications on a priority basis.

We are committed to addressing this issue.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Groen and Ms. Chabot.

Finally, we have Ms. Gazan for two and a half minutes, and then we're going to meet your hard stop, Minister.

Ms. Gazan, go ahead, please.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you so much, Chair.

I have often said, Minister, that the Manitoba provincial government has become the grandest excuse for the feds not to get around. I just want to remind you that this government gave Imperial Oil $120 million for workers, and handed [Technical difficulty—Editor] to their shareholders. Again, to me that is not an acceptable excuse when people are losing lives.

We know that the federal government has released funds here and there, and that's certainly been appreciated. I have a question about the urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy with indigenous-led governance structure and capital funding. When is this going to be released?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the honourable member for that really important question.

We have made significant investments in a distinctions-based housing strategy with the three national indigenous organizations. We continue to invest immensely in urban indigenous housing projects.

There is an effort now to consult and co-develop an urban, rural and northern housing strategy, but while we are doing that, the investments continue. As you have heard from Mr. Siddall, under the rapid housing initiative there are a substantial number of successful projects in indigenous communities.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Yes, thank you.

That doesn't answer my question, though. We know that even in the city of Winnipeg, as I mentioned, 9,000 indigenous families are in core housing need. We know [Technical difficulty—Editor] throughout the country, from frontline organizations and indigenous organizations, that we need an urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy now.

When will that be released?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I couldn't agree more with the honourable member.

We've made significant investments to support urban indigenous housing proponents, and we want to make sure that we continue those investments from the budget 2017 commitment of $225 million for the national housing strategy. We prioritized projects for indigenous communities across the housing spectrum—

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Yes, Minister, and I do—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Ms. Gazan.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you.

Thank you, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Minister, we've reached the end of the appointed hour.

We want to thank you, Minister. We know your initial appearance on the supplementary and main estimates was sidetracked by a matter that was referred to us by the House. We appreciate your making yourself available during a constituency week to come in and make sure that we got in under the deadline for reporting, so thank you for being with us.

We realize you're going on to something else right away. I am sure we'll be seeing you again before long.

I know many of your officials are going to be staying on to accompany Ms. Qualtrough, but for those who are leaving, thanks again for your support, and thank you for what you do.

We are going to suspend for two or three minutes while we do sound checks for the incoming panel.

Thanks, again, Minister. Have a good day.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

I call the meeting back to order.

Today the committee is meeting on its study of supplementary estimates (C) 2020-21, and the main estimates 2021-22.

I would now like to welcome our witnesses to the continuation of our discussion.

They will have five minutes to make their opening statements, which will be followed by questions.

We are pleased [Technical difficulty—Editor] the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.

She is joined by Mark Perlman, chief financial officer and senior assistant deputy minister; and Lori MacDonald, senior associate deputy minister at Employment and Social Development and chief operating officer for Service Canada.

Minister, welcome back to the committee. It's good to see you again.

You have five minutes for your opening statement, starting now.

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you for inviting me to join you again today.

Today, as was said, I'll be speaking to the supplementary estimates (C) for 2020-21, and the main estimates for 2021-22 for Employment and Social Development Canada.

The supplementary estimates (C) for 2020-21 request an additional $225 million in voted authorities, offset by a decrease of $708 million in statutory authorities. This decrease is due primarily to updated forecasts for the Canada emergency response benefit and the Canada emergency student benefit.

The 2021-22 main estimates present planned expenditures of $82.4 billion, which is an increase of $13.8 billion from the original planned budgetary expenditures for 2020-21.

Let me explain.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, our government has provided significant support to Canadians. In the Fall 2020 Economic Statement, we outlined our plan to enable a strong recovery in Canada. The requested funding will help us put that plan into action.

The main estimates include funding for our Canada recovery benefits. The supplementary estimates (C) include funding to support students, to improve youth programming and to improve gender and diversity outcomes and skills programming. They also include funding for Canadians with disabilities.

Let me provide you with more details.

Within weeks of the first lockdown, we set up the CERB, a keystone piece of economic support that helped more than eight million Canadians.

This past summer and fall, we outlined our plan to continue to support the nation's workforce throughout the pandemic. We transitioned the CERB to a simplified employment insurance program and introduced the Canada Recovery Benefit to provide income support to workers still affected by COVID-19.

For Canadians who didn't qualify for EI, like the self-employed and those in the gig economy, we introduced a complementary new suite of recovery benefits: the Canada recovery benefit, the Canada recovery sickness benefit, and the Canada recovery caregiving benefit.

At the time, we said we would monitor labour market changes and make adjustments as needed. We've done that and are following through on our commitment to continue to provide certainty for workers.

That is why, on February 20, we introduced Bill C-24 to temporarily increase the maximum number of weeks available for regular EI benefits. We also plan to increase the number of weeks available for the Canada Recovery Benefit through regulation.

Today, through the main estimates, we are requesting an increase totalling $10.3 billion for the three temporary recovery benefits so that we can continue to support workers.

Next, I'd like to speak to the impact the pandemic has had on Canada's young people. Many have faced financial hardships and lost employment opportunities. As a government, we stepped up to support them. One of the first things we did was to put a pause on student loan repayments. We then introduced a comprehensive emergency package for students and young Canadians, which included boosts to job programs, direct income support, and increased financial assistance through grants and loans.

We know how important education is. Students have told us loud and clear that they want more financial support.

Now let's talk about job creation. We are committed to creating a million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels, making the largest training investment in Canadian history and creating opportunities for young people. We are focused on strengthening workers' futures by ensuring they have the skills they need for the changing nature of work and the labour market.

We will do this by using several tools, including immediate training to allow workers to gain skills quickly. We also plan to enhance youth programs and improve gender equality outcomes, as well as diversify skills development programs. For example, we will significantly expand the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to provide more paid employment opportunities for young Canadians who face barriers to entering the labour market.

This year, the Canada summer jobs program is aiming to have a total of 120,000 jobs for students. That's 50% more than last year.

For persons with disabilities, the pandemic has been particularly difficult and has exacerbated barriers to inclusion. We've taken a disability-inclusive approach to our pandemic response from the start to ensure that whatever we do will help persons with disabilities. The supplementary estimates (C) provide funding for a targeted one-time payment of up to $600 to help Canadians with disabilities with the extra expenses incurred during the pandemic.

There's still a lot to do. That's where our plan for inclusion of people with disabilities comes in.

We're working on a plan that will include a new disability benefit modelled after the GIS for seniors, a robust employment strategy and a better process to determine eligibility for government disability programs and benefits.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your attention to these estimates. I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your and your respective party's support and consent in the House during the most challenging times of the crisis, times when Canadians have needed help the most and we have come together.

Together, we can give Canadians the support they need to get through the pandemic.

I would be happy to answer your questions now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Minister.

We're going to proceed with questions, beginning with Ms. Dancho, please, for six minutes.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for being here today.

I want to ask you about the CELA and NNELS funding. As you know, I raised this with you in the House of Commons as well. Your department provides $4 million annually to these organizations to provide reading materials for those who have visual disabilities, those who have blindness, those who have cerebral palsy and the like. They alerted me two weeks ago that you were planning to phase out that funding by $1 million annually.

I see today that you've put out a news release, just within the hour, I believe, concerning these funding cuts, but I'm not clear on whether you're committing to a $1-million one-time bump in their funding and whether you're committing to not cutting this funding next budget year and beyond. If you can clarify that, it would be great.

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Thank you for the question.

I had the opportunity, as I had forecast to all of you, to meet with NNELS and CELA yesterday to talk about our mutual objective to transition the accessible publishing to make books accessible from the start. In recognition of the fact that this transition has stalled as a result of the pandemic, I was able to provide the organization with assurances that they will be receiving $1 million more for the 2021-22 fiscal year in order to bring their amount back up to $4 million, as it has been previously.

We agreed that the long-term vision for accessible publishing is to transfer to the publishing industry the responsibility for making materials accessible, that it shouldn't be incumbent on non-profits to continue to do this, and that we should have accessible publishing, but that this will take time.

Over the next month, we're going to work with them to see what funding level should stay in the future and, in fact, where that funding should come from. Should the relationship with ESDC, for example, peter out so there is a new relationship with the Canada book fund or with the publishing industry directly?

That was an excellent conversation yesterday, and we're on the same page.