Human Resources Committee on Feb. 3rd, 2023

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you very much, Minister. I will certainly follow up with you on that. Again, I know that we both speak to the same people, and I also hear major concerns. We'll certainly work together on that front, Minister.

In the 2022 fall economic statement, and I don't want to get into the lack of consultation. There was a major lack of consultation, meaning that the time frame. There was just a little over a month and about 10 of those days were over Christmas. My question, specifically, Minister...and hopefully you will have the answer.

When we talk about the credits for environmental jobs being done, be it windmills or solar, there's certain criteria that these companies have to meet. Regarding that criteria, if we go specifically to windmills and solar, the criteria is 30%. Today, the majority of these skilled trades folks don't actually fall under a Red Seal type program. They are skilled trades within their own industry, but they don't fall under the skilled trades.

I have about a minute and 15 seconds left. Will these companies be able to apply for that credit? If somebody was trained by the company and knows exactly how to build a solar panel or exactly how to put up a wind farm, but isn't necessarily a Red Seal, will the company be able to apply for these credits?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Specifically to Red Seal, let me get back to you, Mr. Lewis.

All I can tell you is that I met with Gil McGowan in Edmonton about 10 days ago, maybe less. I'm trying to think now. It was about a week ago. We continue to talk and work with them on exactly how these are going to work. They will lead the charge on how these happen. We're not doing anything that's not in their best interests.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Minister. We'll follow up.

Mr. Chair, may I give my colleague the last 30 seconds, please?

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for being here.

You mentioned that you want more people working in the oil and gas sector, which seems to really contradict what the Minister of Environment says. Is he in agreement with the comment that you just made? Is he in alignment with that type of comment?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Yes. We have to lower emissions. There's only one group of people who know how to lower emissions, and that's skilled trades workers. They're the only ones who know how to tighten the screws on a pipeline. They are the only ones who know how to erect renewables, and they are the only ones who put up solar panels. We need more people in our energy industry in order to do the things we're demanding. It's certainly not me or, generally speaking, most people here in Ottawa who talk about it.

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

The other comment you made was that we needed to get more of our resources to market, yet that's contradictory to the Prime Minister's and to your government's turning down requests from both Germany and Japan to supply LNG.

How do you reconcile that?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

It's not contradicting TMX being built right now out in B.C., as you know. We will look at any project in which we can export Canada's natural resources and help our allies increase energy security.

The other big thing is that, when you have energy security, it lowers emissions. The other big one that we all know, because we're all members of Parliament, is affordability and making sure that we tackle that as well. That's an incredibly important thing. This is a huge challenge ahead. As I said, this is our national mission, and I know we don't always agree on it.

I would say this, if I could have one second. Wherever we can, we need to just temper the emotions on this, because there are so many workers, so many families and so many constituents in my riding who would get all worked up about this when, in fact, we have to work together on this. We really do. It is too important. It's even beyond party politics, if you ask me.

I'm delighted with the reaction we've gotten from Premier Smith. She also doesn't believe in talking about just transition. As members of this committee and other committees that I've appeared in front of know, I hate the words “just transition”, because workers hate the words “just transition”. We've been saying “sustainable jobs” for some time. I will do anything to make sure that workers know that, not only are they included in this, they will lead it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you.

For the final questioning, we have Madame Martinez Ferrada for five minutes, please.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, thank you for being here today.

I would like to come back to the Employment Equity Act and give you an opportunity to provide us with greater detail on all the work you are doing in reviewing this legislation. More specifically, the supplementary budget provides amounts for contributions and grants. Could you expand on what these additional requested funds will allow you to undertake?

Following that, I have some questions about diversity and inclusion within the public service, including management positions.

Let's begin with the Employment Equity Act.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Women deserve equal pay for work of equal value. Let me just begin by saying that.

We've listened to employers, we've listened to unions and we've listened to workers and advocates to make sure that women are compensated at the same rate as men. We introduced the Pay Equity Act that came into force in 2021. We also appointed a pay equity commissioner to support compliance.

The Pay Equity Act directs employers to take proactive steps to make sure that they are providing equal pay for work of equal value. It has brought about a dramatic shift in how the right to pay equity is protected in federally regulated workplaces.

The new regime is administered and enforced by Canada's federal pay equity commissioner, who is supported by the pay equity division at the Canadian Human Rights Commission. We'll keep working with them to implement the Pay Equity Act. We have regulations that will be moving forward that will strengthen the commissioner's ability to encourage compliance. That's the key, making sure that we have compliance.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Thank you, Minister.

Although we all completely agree with the principle of equal pay, I do have a question that I was not expecting to have to ask.

I understand the principle of equal pay, but what about the capacity for equal participation in decision-making, especially for women? How do we ensure that women have equal access to decision-making positions? How do we ensure that there is parity in decision-making and policy positions in government?

When you speak about equal pay, how do we have access to the same equal opportunities?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

I'll make a few brief remarks, and then I'll perhaps ask my deputy minister to flesh it out a little more.

In 2018, we provided $3 million over five years to provide pay transparency for federally regulated private sector employees, with the aim of reducing those wage gaps. We will continue with this work with pay equity legislation, pay transparency, Canada-wide early learning and the child care system.

Maybe I can....

[Sandra Hassan]

Another issue is the review of the Employment Equity Act, which is under way. Work was begun and then suspended due to the election, but resumed in January 2022.

The chair of the committee, which consists of a dozen people, is currently completing the report. We will soon have it and we hope to publish it sometime in 2023. This report will allow us to ascertain the status of employment equity, not only for women, but also for other groups designated in the act, such as persons with disabilities, indigenous communities, and visible minorities.

In the context of reviewing the act, amounts were presented in supplementary estimates (B). To move forward with this work, we are awaiting the report. We can then determine options for reviewing the act. The report is expected this spring, and we plan to publish it once it is available in both official languages.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Very well.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Martinez Ferrada.

Thank you, committee members.

Thank you, Minister.

That concludes the first hour. I would just comment to the committee that at times we probably were outside the scope of the supplementaries, but both the committee and the minister seemed to be enjoying the debate. I give a lot of latitude unless somebody objects.

Thank you, Minister and witnesses, for attending.

We will now suspend for a few moments while we go in camera for the rest of the committee's business.

Again, thank you, Minister. Your passion showed in some of your interventions in relation to workers. Again, thank you for your time before the committee this morning.

We'll suspend for three minutes.

[Proceedings continue in camera]