Human Resources Committee on Feb. 3rd, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Madame Ferrada and Madam Zarrillo.

If the motion is adopted, then how the study will be conducted will be determined by the committee, with respect to who comes, dates and meetings. That will be a further discussion, should the motion be carried.

Madam Kusie, you had your hand up?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

I wanted to thank Madame Zarrillo for her goodwill in being open to this amendment, and I feel confident that perhaps our analyst, with the clerk, could provide some structure as to how we might see the study structured, keeping in mind the original intention of Madame Zarrillo's motion, but broadening beyond that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you.

We have Mr. Ruff, Mr. Coteau and Mr. Van Bynen.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

I wanted to voice my support. Obviously, I'm behind this amendment. Every one of our ridings is slightly different. We all have different sectors, but by far the thing I heard about most just during the federal election was the labour shortages and the challenges right across all sectors. It's really important that we take the opportunity to broaden this out. I have a few hospitals, obviously—I think we all do, in each of our ridings—and I have no issues with the care economy.

I share some of the same concerns as Madam Chabot in terms of staying within our jurisdiction at the federal level and not interfering in our provinces. However, there are great ways we can continue to contribute and make sure the policies coming down from the federal government enable and help our provinces, so I'm very much in support of this amendment. It will allow all of us to get the respective issues brought forth and debated so that we can come up with the best policy going forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mr. Ruff.

I have Mr. Collins and then Mr. Van Bynen.

[Chad Collins, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

I think Mr. Van Bynen was before me, if you want to go to him and come to me next.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Mr. Van Bynen, Mr. Collins has ceded to you.

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

I support the general thrust of the motion and the intent.

My only concern is that if we broaden this far too much, we might dilute the effectiveness and the impact of it. At a time like this, we need to make sure that we are in better condition in the event that we have yet another pandemic in front of us. That's the reason I was keen to see us focus on the care economy.

I understand very much that it's important for us to do that for the rest, but I was hoping we'd be able to prioritize that, simply because the sense of urgency is there, and I wouldn't want to dilute the effectiveness of the study and the recommendations by making it too broad.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mr. Van Bynen.

Mr. Collins, you have the floor.

[Chad Collins, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

I was going to raise a very similar issue to Mr. Van Bynen, Mr. Chairman. I'm on for it, and I agree with Mr. Ruff—so many sectors have been affected by labour shortages, and we're looking for ways and means by which to assist them.

I know that in my own riding, as Madame Chabot highlighted, agri-food is a big thing. One company, Salerno, has reached out to talk about its challenges. Then, of course, there are all of our home builders across the country. Supply shortages and those things, and finding skilled trade workers to assist them in building homes and units have been a tremendous challenge, not just in Hamilton but across the country.

I'm anxious to have a discussion about how we follow through with Madam Zarrillo's motion, understanding that we can't look at everything and that we really need to narrow that scope down in terms of a couple of sectors.

Those are my comments. I'm certainly supportive of Madam Kusie's amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mr. Collins.

Seeing no further interventions, we'll proceed to vote on the amendment of Madame Kusie. I will ask the mover to restate the amendment.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Thank you so much. I move as follows: “That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of the labour shortages and workers' conditions within the entirety of the Canadian economy, including but not limited to the care economy, including health care workers, personal support workers and child care workers who have been on the front lines of COVID-19; and examine how the government, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, could improve working conditions in the care economy; that the committee proceed to an overview of the impact of the labour shortages in the Canadian workforce in the first meeting of the study; that the committee invite the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, experts and departmental officials to testify; that the committee hold at least six meetings; and that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House.”

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Madam Kusie.

The committee members have heard the amendment. I will ask the clerk to call a recorded vote.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 10; nays 0)

Before we move to the main motion, Madame Ferrada has the floor.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to move one final amendment. I have not had the time to send it to my colleagues and I apologize for that.

My proposal to the committee is to add the following at the end of the motion:

…that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

We should also add “that this be the first study the committee undertakes”. We have not talked about that, but I feel that it is worthwhile to add that amendment to the motion, if my colleagues agree.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

The clerk will circulate the amendment moved by Madame Ferrada.

Madame Ferrada, do you want to include in the amendment the first studies we would be prioritizing, or leave that for a later time?

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

We could all agree to put it at the end, as the committee's wish, without necessarily making it an amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Okay. Thank you for your direction.

Does everybody have the amendment?

Seeing no discussion, I will ask Madame Ferrada to restate her amendment, and then we'll proceed to the vote.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

You don't need me to read the motion in full, do you? Or do I have to?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Yes.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Do you want me to read the motion in full?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

No. I'm sorry.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Okay. Is it just the amendment part? Are we okay with that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Yes.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Okay. I'm sorry.

…that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

You've all heard the amendment. Do we have unanimous consent for the amendment?

(Amendment agreed to)