Human Resources Committee on Sept. 26th, 2024

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

There are just a few amendments. They've been sent in to the clerk in both official languages so they can be easily circulated. It's a few additions and a few subtractions, if you like.

First of all, in the first sentence, regarding the second line, “the Committee undertake a study of the situation of workers in the seasonal industry with regard to”, here's the addition: “necessary improvements and changes to”. I'm also suggesting we strike the phrase “the inadequacy of”.

To the first part, I would add “and other relevant witnesses”. In the second part, I would strike “and that” and simply begin the sentence with “that the Committee report its recommendations”.

Finally, the last addition is the following: “and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request a comprehensive response to the study.”

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Okay. We have an amendment to the motion. It was put forward by Mr. Fragiskatos.

Is there discussion on the amendment by Mr. Fragiskatos?

I have Mrs. Gray and then Madame Chabot.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We don't have a copy of it yet. There are a number of amendments that we need to see before we can....

We should probably recess to have a discussion, since there were a number of amendments, before we proceed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I'm going to suspend for two moments while it is being circulated. It will give members an opportunity to discuss the amendments.

Mr. Clark, please stay online. We will return to you.

We'll suspend for two minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Committee members, the committee is back in session.

Who had the floor? Was it Mrs. Gray?

Mrs. Gray, if you still have comments, go ahead. If not, I'll go to Madame Chabot.

Madame Chabot.

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

Mr. Chair, we agree with my colleague's amendment in two respects, except that the last of the proposed amendments doesn't correspond to what we had agreed to—let me put it that way.

We want to keep the part about the committee reporting its recommendations to the House. I don't know if we could vote on that separately or if I need to move a subamendment to remove the last proposed amendment. I don't know how to do it, procedurally.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Madame Chabot, you can move a subamendment to the amendment.

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

I move a subamendment to remove the last part that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request a comprehensive response to the study.

I therefore propose that we keep the original text.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

We have a subamendment from Madame Chabot to the amendment of Mr. Fragiskatos.

Go ahead, Mr. Fragiskatos, on the subamendment.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

With apologies to Madame Chabot, I thought there was some understanding. There seems to be still some misunderstanding. I want to continue to engage with her on the motion and the amendment from our side, but so that we can continue to hear from Dr. Clark—

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

There's no interpretation, Mr. Chair.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

So that we can continue to hear from Dr. Clark, I'm going to suggest to Madame Chabot that I continue to engage with her on an amendment that would be good for our side as well.

With that, Mr. Chair, I move to adjourn debate on the motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

We have a motion moved to adjourn debate on the motion. I don't see anybody contrary.

(Motion agreed to)

The debate on the motion currently on the floor is adjourned and we will return to the witness.

With that, I will go to Ms. Zarrillo to conclude the last six minutes.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you so much to our witness today for being here.

I have two questions that I'm going to put up front, because we don't have much time.

I know that you are a successful business owner with a disability. I wanted to know if there are tax incentives for entrepreneurship specific to persons with disabilities, and if you would recommend ones that are positive or if we need more.

The other thing is that I think you are one of the professions that can sign the disability tax credit certification. I wonder if you could share if there are some changes that need to be made there so that we can make sure that more people who are entitled can get the disability tax credit certification.

Thank you.

[Dr. Paul Clark]

Thank you.

To my knowledge, there is no tax credit or financial assistance to business owners who are disabled or to make their business disabled.... Further, I have never been requested to fill out a certification for disability. I'm not sure why, but I know I'm on the list.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you so much.

Just on the topic of the disability tax credit certification, I know that there is a need for thousands of Canadians, if not a million more, to be eligible for and to apply for the disability tax credit certification. Do you have any suggestions for the government on how they could potentially assist persons like you, professionals who can certify these certificates, to make it more widely known to people?

[Dr. Paul Clark]

Yes...such as just using the available avenues such as the Rick Hansen Foundation, which does a great job in connecting communities and just in making sure that it's well known. There are various disabled organizations. If they know, then they could maybe pass on the information, but I don't know of any other method—no.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you so much for that.

I'm going to close by thanking you for introducing the idea of these mobility devices, these scooters or rental ones, that end up being all over sidewalks and blocking paths.

I just want to take this moment, Chair, to thank Lelainia Lloyd, in my riding in Coquitlam, who has done a lot of press and publicity around how unaccessible sidewalks and pathways can become when there are rental scooters and other devices on the pathways.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, MP Zarrillo.

[Dr. Paul Clark]

May I add one thing to that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Certainly. Go ahead, Dr. Clark.

[Dr. Paul Clark]

A sidewalk is only as good as its width. The standard for sidewalk width is 1.8 metres, and the old standard from 50 years ago, as I mentioned before, was 1.5 metres.

What happens is that, when 1.5 metre-wide sidewalks require sections to be redone, they are simply repaved or reconcreted at 1.5 metres. They could easily be done at 1.8 metres, and that would allow for two wheelchairs to pass each other, provided the shrubbery from private properties is not in the way. That's a major problem. The shrubs from properties grow over the sidewalks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, again, Dr. Clark. You can see from the questioning that your testimony here is very much appreciated, and we thank you for participating.

With that, Dr. Clark, you can leave as you choose.

I have a few items I need direction from the committee on before we conclude, and I'm going to read it so that people are clear.

The committee needs to make a decision on its calendar, moving forward. Canada without barriers by 2040—Mrs. Falk's study—will conclude on October 3 as scheduled. As per the schedule, the committee should begin its study of homebuilding technologies on October 8. That said, with the motion adopted on September 17 to invite the ministers, the committee will need to provide direction on its approach to upcoming studies. Should the homebuilding technologies study be pushed...?

For your consideration, ministers can be invited but are not guaranteed on the schedule, so I do not want to lose time. If the homebuilding technologies study will go forward as planned and begin on October 8, the clerk and analysts will need witness lists by October 1. It is a planning perspective.

We have Mrs. Gray or Mr. Fragiskatos.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We should still proceed with the committee.

I don't have the motion in front of me, but most of those studies say a minimum of so many meetings. If we have to, we could always tag something on if we need to. However, I think we can start the study as we had planned.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Okay. It's the technologies one.

Mr. Fragiskatos.