Human Resources Committee on Feb. 14th, 2023

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

Mr. Chair, we decided what our schedule was. We're questioning the minister on passports right now. The member's time is up, so I'd like to move on, please.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Mrs. Gray, yes, we can raise that at the end of the meeting.

Ms. Zarrillo, I have to move to Mrs. Gray as per the schedule and the agreement of the committee.

Mrs. Gray.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for being here today.

Minister, do you know—

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair.

If I understand correctly, Ms. Zarrillo made a motion while she had the floor. If that is the case, does the motion not take precedence over the debate?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Yes, you are correct. The motion is entertained at any time, but I did not get a motion from Ms. Zarrillo.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

She did mention that she wanted to move a motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Ms. Zarrillo, are you...?

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

If someone wishes to move a motion, then it should be during their time. There was no motion moved during the member's time, so I respectfully ask.... That time is up, and we've moved on.

Thank you.

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

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair.

Maybe I was being too collaborative in my approach to ask for permission, so I would ask the member to give me the opportunity. I have a very quick motion to read. Next time I won't ask for collaboration up front. I'll just go ahead with my motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Does the committee agree that Ms. Zarrillo can move her motion?

We do not have unanimous consent, Ms. Zarrillo, but at your next speaking opportunity you can.

Mrs. Gray, you have five minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm starting my time now.

Thank you, Minister, for being here.

Minister, do you know what the closest urgent passport pickup location is for people who live in southern British Columbia, specifically the Okanagan region?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Is that for urgent passport pickup?

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

Yes.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

I guess it's somewhere in Vancouver or Calgary.

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

You're correct. It would be either Calgary or Surrey, British Columbia.

Do you know how long the drive is from Kelowna—Lake Country to Surrey, British Columbia, in good weather conditions?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

[Inaudible—Editor]

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

The amount of time in good weather conditions is five hours.

I'd like to read you some media quotes. The first is, “The Coquihalla Highway in the BC Interior is closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt due to heavy snowfall”. The second one is, “These are severe weather conditions that are pretty unpredictable”.

Minister, I could read hundreds just like this, even from over the past few years. Would you recommend someone venture on this road to pick up a passport—yes or no?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

No—for safety reasons—but I can take this information back with me, Mrs. Gray. We can see what we can do to make sure it's more accessible for folks in Kelowna. That's something that's really important for me right across the country.

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

Thank you, Minister.

Just to add onto this, have you heard of the documentary TV series Highway Thru Hell?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

I actually have not.

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

It shows real-life heavy vehicle rescue and tow truck company hardships in one of Canada's harshest regions for winter driving, including the high-summit Coquihalla Highway.

Minister, what's happening right now is that you're asking about 700,000 people who live in the southern interior, including the 350,000 from the Okanagan, to drive this dangerous winter highway to pick up a passport.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

We're not asking them to do that, actually. There is a passport office in Kelowna, but I do take your point, Mrs. Gray, and I will take it back. I'd be happy to look into this for you.

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

Thank you, Minister.

Just to tag onto that, I've actually been asking you about this for quite some time. In May of 2022 I wrote you regarding expanding passport service at the Kelowna passport office to provide urgent pickup. I highlighted how municipalities and regions with smaller populations have urgent pickup. I also noted economic reasons and driving safety reasons. In July of 2022 I wrote you a follow-up email. In August of 2022 I wrote you for a third time, this time joined by community leaders in the British Columbia southern interior from 37 local municipal governments and business and tourism groups.

You have not responded to any of this communication. Why have you not responded?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

I can assure you, Mrs. Gray, that we have taken it all under advisement.

One thing I can also clarify for you is that, when we're looking at how passport services are distributed across the country, B.C. is one of those areas that are underserved, so we're taking that into account as we look to expand those additional 25 offices across the country.

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

Minister, I can appreciate that, but none of this communication has received even so much as a response from you or from your office.

Can you table for this committee what the metrics are to determine whether a passport office should be upgraded to urgent service for passports?