Before we begin, I would remind all members to please silence your devices and choose the official language you wish to participate in during this meeting. Using the headset in front of you, virtually click on the globe icon at the bottom of your Surface. Choose the official language you're going to participate in.

Please refrain from tapping on the microphone boom, for the benefit of our translators. If there is an interruption in translation services, please get my attention. We'll suspend while it is being corrected. To do that, use the “raise hand” icon if you're appearing virtually.

Please address all questions through the chair and wait until I recognize you by name before we proceed.

Before we begin, I want to remind the committee that I have received confirmation that the Minister of Ho is unable to appear prior to his scheduled December 4 appearance, but he's confirmed for December 4.

With us today on government mandate and key priorities, we have the honourable Minister of Jobs and Families, Patty Hajdu. Appearing with her, from the Department of Employment and Social Development, are Paul Thompson, deputy minister, and Sandra Hassan, deputy minister of labour and associate deputy minister of employment and social development.

Minister Hajdu, you have five minutes for your opening statement, please.

11 a.m.

Thunder Bay—Superior North Ontario

Liberal

Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I am pleased to be here with my officials from Employment and Social Development Canada, or ESDC, to highlight the critical work we are doing to strengthen our economy, protect good jobs and give Canadians the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

With global uncertainty rising caused by trade disruptions and economic change, this work is fundamental to the progress of our nation. Canadians are counting on us to meet this moment head-on and build a stronger Canada for today and for generations to come.

Today, I want to talk about how we protect, empower and build together. Workers and industries across Canada, especially in trade-exposed sectors, remain our first priority. When layoffs happen, not only is it disruptive to families; it impacts communities and, of course, their entire region. That's why we moved quickly on our response to tariffs, including flexibilities to the EI work-sharing program, which is keeping skilled workers on the job and preventing nearly 12,600 layoffs.

We've also made it easier for Canadians to access EI more quickly and we extended EI by 20 extra weeks for 190,000 long-tenured workers. Additionally, we're investing $50 million to modernize job banks so Canadians can connect to good jobs faster.

This goes hand in hand with driving our economy forward. This means securing industrial peace, strengthening partnerships and alliances across the workforce and equipping workers with the tools they need in a changing labour market. Essential to that are stable labour relations and fair collective bargaining.

The best agreements are reached at the negotiating table, and the federal government plays a key role in this process through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Thanks to this service, 97% of conflicts are resolved without a work stoppage.

From major projects to community infrastructure to building millions of new homes, we are backing this ambition with strategic investments like the union training and innovation program that grows Canada's skilled trades workforce.

At the same time, we’re attracting the best talent by accelerating foreign credential recognition and simplifying the process so that qualified workers can contribute more quickly and build a stronger Canada.

These are not just investments for today; they are generational. They will shape our future and ensure that every generation has an opportunity to succeed. That's why we've also committed $1.54 billion in youth employment programs to support 175,000 young people, including youth with disabilities. This is on top of the $3 billion we transfer every year to provinces and territories for similar work.

The government is also focused on bringing costs down for Canadians. That's why we're expanding programs like affordable child care to give parents more choice and families more economic power. Across Canada now, the average cost is $16.50 per day, with most provinces and territories having reduced fees by 50%. Nearly one million families are benefiting. Women's workforce participation is at the highest level ever in the history of this country—over 85%.

We're also making the national school food program permanent. Today, nearly 400,000 children are benefiting from school food programming supported by federal investments.

The government is also improving financial security for hundreds of thousands of working-age persons with disabilities through the Canada disability benefit. Budget 2025 provides an additional $115 million over four years for a one-time $150 payment that will help with disability tax credit application costs.

Mr. Chair, this is the work of building a fairer, more resilient Canada, one that protects workers, empowers families and builds a strong future for the next generation.

I look forward to our conversation today.

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Madam Minister.

We'll now begin with the first six-minute round of questioning, beginning with Ms. Falk.

Ms. Falk, go ahead.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

Thank you very much, Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for making time to be here today.

All families deserve equal access to parental leave, but adoptive and intended parents remain at a disadvantage under our current EI system. In the previous Parliament, I introduced a private member's bill to create a new 15-week attachment benefit that would deliver parity for adoptive and intended parents. It recognized the importance of securing early attachments and the role that support plays in healthy long-term outcomes.

As you know, my bill did not receive the royal recommendation it needed to proceed. Instead, your government introduced its own version of the bill, copied in principle but with one critical difference: It would only come into force on an order in council. Despite that, the measure received unanimous support in the House and Bill C-59 received royal assent on June 20, 2024.

However, it's now almost a year and a half later—17 months—and parents are still waiting for this benefit to be rolled out. Parental leaves have come and gone, and in the meantime, families are continuing to miss out on these important additional weeks with their kids, though Parliament unanimously agreed that they should have this. Time is a precious commodity for any new family, so adoptive and intended parents simply want the time they deserve with their children.

Minister, on what exact date will adoptive and intended parents finally receive the equal access to the leave that Parliament promised them?

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Thank you very much, MP Falk, for that question, but also for the advocacy for adoptive and intended parents.

I've just been consulting with my deputy, and that work is under way right now. I don't have an exact date for you, but I look forward to continuing our work together.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

What concrete steps have been taken in the rollout of this benefit?

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

The work is happening with the department to plan for that benefit, and I hope that when it appears in a budget forthcoming, you will vote for it. In fact, your party has a record of voting against the measures that you advocate for.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

If you can't provide a date today, can you please tell me when you can provide a date that this will be rolled out?

It's been 17 months.

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Certainly, we're working—

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

We did the work. I did the work. My office has done the work on this.

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I'm sorry, but we have a point of order.

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Caroline Desrochers Liberal Trois-Rivières, QC

I'm sorry, but it's very hard for the interpreters when the speaker is being cut off. There are two people speaking at the same time.

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you.

I would remind all members to be conscious of the interpretation.

Ms. Falk, you have the floor.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

We did the work for this. We had an end date when it would have come into force. Your government copied the bill in principle, and then failed to deliver it. Your government mislead adoptive and intended families that this was going to happen, and it hasn't happened. You can't provide me a date of when this is going to happen. That's unacceptable.

When is the date that intended families and adoptive families can expect this?

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

If you're interested in continuing this work together, you have my commitment that we'll include you in the work.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

Minister, I can't say that is a true statement. Your party voted against this bill when I brought it forward. Your party refused to provide the royal recommendation that was needed for this bill to proceed. Then you copied the bill in principle and have not implemented it in 17 months. Some of these children are now almost two years old. It's completely unacceptable.

When is the date that this will come into effect?

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

I think the member would know that private members' bills that require the government to spend money are usually not adopted, whether it's from a Conservative member or from a member of Parliament from the Liberal government—

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

Minister, you don't have a date.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

—so your question is a bit disingenuous, member of Parliament.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK

I'm asking for a date.