This is in relation to persons with disabilities and their experiences on Air Canada. I'm sure all of us have seen, since Monday, the Marketplace story as well.

I want to move the following motion for consideration. I move:

That, given multiple recent reports of persons with disabilities facing discrimination and unacceptable treatment while travelling with Air Canada, and that Air Canada admitted it violated Canadian disability regulations, that, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities invite Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau as soon as possible to committee for a minimum of one hour to explain these violations related to persons with disabilities and how they will rectify this situation; that a report of this meeting be prepared and presented to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response to the report and explain how they will rectify this situation.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo.

The clerk has advised me that the motion is in order.

Is it the wish of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The motion is adopted unanimously, Ms. Zarrillo, and you still have two minutes left.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC

Thank you so much.

My question is for Mr. McKelvey.

You mentioned Bill C-27 quite a bit. It's quite extensive. I'm wondering if you think that the labour portion, the workers portion, of artificial intelligence should have its own stand-alone legislation or if you think workers will be duly protected in Bill C-27.

November 8th, 2023 / 6:05 p.m.

Prof. Fenwick McKelvey

I would say two things briefly. Bill C-27 builds in large exemptions for what types of data can be collected, so if it is anonymized or for legitimate business purposes. I feel like that actually warrants more consideration of what that entails and of the potential impacts it has on workers.

The second part is that, really, what these exemptions do is.... They are backstopped by AIDA—the artificial intelligence and data act, which is at the end—which really causes some notable concerns because it's putting a lot of the investigative powers in a loosely defined data commissioner role. I actually feel as though part of the task, ahead of the legislative agenda, is changing it from AI to being simply a matter of an economic strategy, and also thinking about ways of mitigating its potential negative and positive social impacts.

Yes, I think some ways of addressing how this impacts labour and trying to make sure that there is targeted legislation would be a boon, because I think this is not something that is going to be addressed by an omnibus bill.

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC

Thank you so much. I'm going to take that as a second piece of legislation is required.

I just want to ask.... You mentioned Uber. Is there any business or two that you would recommend this committee speak to in relation to this study?

6:10 p.m.

Prof. Fenwick McKelvey

I don't have the names of the companies off the top of my head, but I would be looking at some of the HR firms that are providing some of these management services. I think that's a part of the.... I'd be happy to...if there is a way of providing comments, but I actually think it's interesting to look at what the firms are actually trying to do in terms of providing the integration of AI in HR. There's a big boom of an industry there, so I think it would be really helpful to hear how these types of tools are being developed, but I don't have names of companies off the top of my head—my apologies.

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo.

Dr. McKelvey and Dr. Frank, if you want to provide a written response to Ms. Zarrillo's question on companies that would be of interest for the committee to hear from, you can provide that in writing to the clerk of the committee.

With that, I want to thank both of you for appearing before the committee today and providing very informative testimony on this emerging topic that will be discussed for some time.

We will conclude this portion of the meeting, suspend for a few moments and come back in camera for committee business.

Dr. McKelvey and Dr. Frank, you can exit Zoom at your wishes. Again, thank you so much.

We are suspended.

[Proceedings continue in camera]