Human Resources Committee on Feb. 14th, 2023

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Thank you very much for the question, Ms. Ferreri.

I think one of the things that we all saw throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic was the significant impact that it had on mental health, particularly that of our children and youth.

We are working with Minister Bennett, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, as well as Minister Ien, the Minister for Youth, on these issues in particular. I know that Minister Bennett recently announced funding, particularly on children's mental health, so we support her in that work.

In terms of including children's voices, we are engaging in a children's consultation, particularly with regard to school food but also to make sure their voices are part of any policy that we are developing. It's one thing, I think, for us as adults to say, “this is what you need”, but it's more important to make sure that we're listening to children and making sure their needs are included.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Thank you for that.

I guess I'm curious. One of the things we've been really pushing for and that a lot of advocates have been pushing for is the promised $4.5-billion mental health transfer. You've said that you're working alongside Minister Bennett, which is great.

In terms of mental health, where do you stand as a minister in ensuring that money is delivered when we have children in the crisis that we know they're in? Why hasn't that money been transferred? Do you have any influence over ensuring that it does get there?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Thank you for the question.

As I'm sure you saw last week, the Prime Minister met with all of the premiers on the Canada health transfer. Within that, one of the areas is with regard to mental health and, of course, with regard to pediatric care as well, with $2 billion to go specifically to pediatric hospitals to address the challenges in pediatric care.

Then, of course, we're working with the provinces and territories to ensure that mental health supports, particularly for children and youth, are included. Minister Bennett is leading it—

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

I'm sorry, Minister, but I only have so much time. I know that it always seems like we're interrupting here.

None of that announcement included mental health. There was actually zero mention of mental health.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

No, that's not true. Mental health was included in that announcement.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Can you table that to the committee to show or—

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

I think you can read it in the news release, but we can certainly share that with you.

Minister Bennett is leading on that, obviously, as a Health Canada minister, but we're supporting her in that work.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

I would like to see more. I guess I'll put that on the record, and I'd like to see more push for that promised $4.5 billion because it just isn't adding up. I know you're a mom. I know you know this. I think you must have the idea of how serious this is.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer last week had quite a scathing review. He appeared at a Senate committee and had quite a few things to say about your leadership and the department you're responsible for. We've heard a lot about that today in this committee. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has awarded it's 2023 Paperweight Award for the worst red tape to Service Canada's passport mess.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer said things such as the following: “I think if you ask anybody who has recently applied for a passport...Old Age Security and the list goes on, they are probably very well aware that the level of service Canadians are getting is not what one would expect from a world-class public service.”

Can you please explain how this is filling your mandate letter obligation to “development and implementation of modern, resilient, secure and reliable services and benefit delivery systems for Canadians”?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

At no point will I pretend that we didn't go through a very big challenge when it came to passport delivery over the last spring and summer. However, I will say that Service Canada and I worked extremely hard over the course of that time to get the passport system back on track—and it is now.

We're delivering passports 97% of the time on time. For those that aren't, it's because there are additional circumstances. When it comes to EI and OAS, we're delivering those at the service standards as well. We can always do better, which is why I asked for and received $1.4 billion in the course of the fall economic statement to make sure that we keep those services on track and we improve those services for Canadians, because this is critical for delivering entitlements and benefits to Canadians.

I can say that everybody is hard at work to make sure that the impacts of the pandemic and the challenges we faced last spring and summer don't occur again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

That concludes the first hour.

We will now refer to the service standards for passports with Minister Gould as well for 15 minutes.

We will begin with Madame Chabot.

You have the floor for two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am grateful for the time allocated to us so that we can continue our work.

Madam Minister, as I said earlier, I'm a little bit amazed at how candid, or at least very zen, you are about everything that's happened.

In your speaking notes from the last meeting, which was on passports, you mention that in your testimony of May 30, 2022 before this committee, you told us that you had a plan to address the situation of passport processing delays. However, everyone's interpretation is that there was no plan, that the situation was managed on a day-to-day basis, and that the department was overwhelmed. Now the situation has calmed down, but at the time of the crisis, which was predictable, it was pure improvisation.

When I say it's Service Canada's responsibility, that's another example of where things got out of hand, and seriously. It breaks the trust of citizens in a service they have a right to expect.

The idea of the motion to convene you was also to see how we can get accountability for this situation. Of course, you apologized, but we're used to apologies from the Liberal government.

Beyond the apology, Madam Minister, I heard you on 98.5 FM when Mr. Lagacé asked you what grade you would give yourself for managing passport applications. I will ask you the question in turn.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

With respect, Ms. Chabot, there was a plan and we put it in place. That is why there is virtually no backlog in the processing of passport applications.

What we said when we appeared before the committee last May is exactly what we did. We had to speed up the pace, of course, when there were unforeseen situations. We didn't expect to see 750 people waiting outside a Service Canada office the week before Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day.

I have found that every time we have had the opportunity to work with you, with Bloc Québécois MPs, to ensure that your fellow citizens receive their passports, we have had good results. I am pleased to work with you and your colleagues, because we want to resolve difficult situations, such as the ones we are talking about here. I am grateful to you for bringing these cases to my attention, precisely because I want to help people.

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

So you are saying that everything went well, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Chabot.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to take this time to get some clarity on our agenda going forward. Bill C-35 is going to be coming to this committee. I want to get some clarity on our first meetings back that are potentially addressing Bill C-35 and on what the plan is.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

On what particular item, Ms. Zarrillo?

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

It's on Bill C-35.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

The agenda is that we begin with a technical briefing with the minister on the first day.

Is that what you're referring to?

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

I'm looking on the website, and I don't see anything.

It's my understanding that we will have a technical staff briefing potentially on the first day back, but I just.... The minister is here, and I think there's an opportunity to invite the minister potentially later that week at the very beginning.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

With regard to that, I'm in the hands of the committee.

She will be invited. She hasn't been invited yet, but it's the intention to invite the minister.

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

Although it's not necessarily on the website, I'm anticipating that we will have a technical staff briefing.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite the minister to come later in the week, perhaps March 10, to talk about Bill C-35.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Go ahead, Ms. Martinez Ferrada.

We're a bit off, but it's your time, Ms. Zarrillo, which is running out.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to ask you a quick question. Will the technical briefing be on March 7 and the minister's appearance be on March 10? Is that what we agreed to?

I would like to have that clarified, because it is not clear.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

There was a discussion about the first day being March 7. There was some discussion back and forth on the date. We settled with starting on March 7 with a technical briefing. My information is that it's for the first hour, and then the minister will be invited for the second hour. However, it's the committee that determines its scheduling.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It was my understanding that it was a two-hour technical briefing. I would like to take the opportunity to invite the minister today. I could put a motion on the floor, or we could just have unanimous consent.

You let me know how you'd like that to proceed.