Evidence of meeting #15 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was board.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Colin Reynolds Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Do you think this process leads to unions and their members feeling cheated out of their right to collectively bargain in good faith?
Chairperson, Canada Industrial Relations Board
It would be for the unions to answer that question.
Conservative
Colin Reynolds Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Do you think that union members are losing faith in the collective bargaining process? Are they just assuming it's going to go back to an implementation of section 107, forcing them into binding arbitration?
Chairperson, Canada Industrial Relations Board
That's also a question, I believe, for the unions to answer.
Conservative
Colin Reynolds Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
What would you say to unions that might help restore their faith in the collective bargaining system? What could you say to them, from your position?
Chairperson, Canada Industrial Relations Board
I will refrain from commenting on your word “restore” and just speak more generally.
I think that parties always have to have faith in collective bargaining, very generally. It's a system that has worked successfully for years, with parties being able to, most of the time, reach settlement and collective agreements. It happens that at times it is a dispute that needs to be solved potentially differently or with different mechanisms. We have mechanisms where parties can choose to go to binding arbitration—section 79 of the Canada Labour Code—but parties should never lose faith in collective bargaining.
Conservative
Colin Reynolds Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
In the case of Air Canada and the use of section 107, CUPE defied the order to return to work, and the executives at Air Canada openly said that they didn't actually have a contingency. I think that sheds a light on the fact that employers are assuming or expecting the government's use of section 107 to end a labour dispute, which in my opinion is undermining the collective bargaining process.
Do you think that's what's happening?
Chairperson, Canada Industrial Relations Board
I cannot speak to what the employers think or do not think, particularly in the context of the Air Canada matter. I was the person who handled the Air Canada dispute, and our files....
I'm just going to wait.
Conservative
Conservative
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Chair, I would like to move the following motion, and I'm going to distribute a copy of it.
I move:
That, in light of recent reports of illegal foreign labour being used on federally funded infrastructure projects, the committee hold at least two meetings with government officials, and representatives of the building trades across Canada to examine this issue within the context of federally funded infrastructure projects.
What we know, Mr. Chair, is that illegal labour is gutting entry-level opportunities for young Canadians who are trying to get involved in the trades. There was recently a CBSA crackdown on a project in Edmonton that was receiving federal funds, and this crackdown was based on tips from the construction building trades that illegal labour was operating on that construction site. The construction building trades in Canada will say that this is an ever-growing and increasing problem where we have—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Mr. Seeback, you're getting into debate on a motion that hasn't been adopted.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
I've been advised, as currently worded, that it's not relevant to what we're studying at the moment. That does not restrain—
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
It's dilatory. Okay. This is an acceptable procedure within the committee.
Just so committee members are aware, Mr. Seeback moved a motion. You've heard it. You have a copy of it. Now we're going to vote.
The only issue is that, as I have been advised, it is not relevant to what the committee currently is discussing or the meeting that we're currently at. I've ruled at this time that it's not admissible. He could go back and reintroduce it some other time, but that is my decision. At this time, it is not relevant to the study we're currently undertaking. I've ruled it inadmissible at this time.
He has challenged my decision. It's left to the committee to decide if you want to continue with this or uphold my decision as the chair.
We'll do a recorded vote, Mr. Clerk.
(Ruling of the chair overturned: nays 9; yeas 0)
Continue, Mr. Seeback.
Conservative
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
That's wonderful.
Mr. Chair, this is a massive issue across Canada—
Conservative
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
—in the construction building trades. It's depriving young people of opportunities and apprenticeships. It is stealing taxpayer dollars from the federal government, as the illegal workers are often paid in cash.
We're seeing a two-tier labour market, where some Canadians are following rules while others aren't. It leaves these workers in incredibly vulnerable positions where they could be subject to abuse, with no protections and working in unsafe conditions.
Finally, federally funded infrastructure projects should not be operating with the use of illegal labour. The committee should look into this, and we should be finding ways to eliminate the use of illegal labour on construction sites that are receiving federal dollars.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Liberal
Caroline Desrochers Liberal Trois-Rivières, QC
I have a point of order.
The clerk did not specify the intention of the vote earlier.
Conservative
Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
This is on the same point of order. Thank you.
This was very clear. You actually went to extraordinary lengths to explain exactly what we were voting on, which is not something that is often done, and I will commend you, Mr. Chair, on actually having gone through the full explanation as to what we were voting on.
It is unfortunate that the Liberal members did not know what they were voting on and voted the wrong way, but they did vote.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Ms. Goodridge.
My instructions were clear as the vote was called. The motion is duly on the floor. Is there debate on the motion?
