Human Resources Committee on Nov. 25th, 2025

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Picking up on this discussion about skilled trades, I do think there's a real disconnect between what you're saying and the reality of the policy.

Our party has been pushing for increases in support for union training. I'll mention as well that polytechnics educate the majority of people in the skilled trades. Polytechnics Canada has called this budget a missed opportunity. They're wondering and I'm wondering, why the government chose to put a whole bunch of new money into attracting foreign talent to universities, but to completely ignore and leave out polytechnics? We have the attack on career colleges, but then also the complete absence of support for polytechnics.

Why was that the choice made in this budget?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

We have been working with educators of all different stripes for a number of years supporting education. In fact, our investment in research and education is unparalleled.

I will point out that your party has voted against it every single time. I will also say that—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I voted against the budget. Could you answer the question though?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

I would also say that it is important that we recognize the incredible value that unions have in skills training. I mentioned part of that.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I 100% agree, and we've been pushing for that long before you did it, but could you answer the question, please, on polytechnics?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Why did you vote against it, then? I'm really curious to know why you voted against Canada's Building Trades Unions, which celebrated this budget and said that it was a generational investment in the skilled trades.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Minister, I'm not going to play this game. I'm happy to justify my vote on the budget in the appropriate fora.

This is your opportunity as a minister of the Crown to answer important policy questions. Why were polytechnics, which educate the majority of people in the skilled trades, completely left out while significant new money was put into universities?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Our record on investing in post-secondary education—supports for individuals, as we've talked about, and for research, science and education—is actually unparalleled.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Minister, this is precisely the point. When you talk about post-secondary, you're only thinking about universities. This is a big issue when we're dealing with the shortages in the skilled trades and the need for parity of esteem here. Whenever you think post-secondary, you think universities only.

I'm trying to ask you about polytechnics, about career colleges. Frankly, this budget is attacking and undermining support for those institutions.

Not on post-secondary in general, but specifically on polytechnics and career colleges, where young people are gaining this vital vocational knowledge and experience, why are there the decisions in this budget that move against those critical institutions and the students who go there?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

One of the elements of the budget was an increase to student work placement, something that universities, colleges and—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

That's not my question, Minister.

My question is specifically about polytechnics and career colleges.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Right, polytechnics use student work placements extensively to support their students, to make sure they're gaining the skills that the employers need.

I just want to read you this quote, though, from LiUNA. “LiUNA welcomes the government's continued commitment to apprenticeship, union-led training and workforce development.”

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Minister, I'm going to jump in. I think this is revealing enough. You keep trying to go off in unrelated directions—

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

—when I'm trying to ask you about polytechnics and career colleges. Anyway, we've heard you on that.

I want to ask about Canada summer jobs' duration.

The average duration for Canada summer jobs is eight weeks. I talked to a lot of employers and, generally speaking, if you're hiring a student for the summer you're trying to hire a student for the summer, not half the summer.

What it looks like when the government shortens the duration of these jobs is that you're trying to artificially show a high number of jobs created when, in reality, most employers and most young people would rather have a job for the full summer instead of for half of the summer.

Could you explain to us why the approach of your government is to fund half-jobs as part of this program?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

All across the country, 100,000 students are going to have jobs this summer. That's almost 35,000 more students who will have jobs this summer.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

On average, they're going to have jobs for half the summer.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

I would point out that not-for-profit organizations, community businesses, small businesses and all kinds of different organizations are thrilled about the Canada summer jobs opportunity, which provides them a subsidy of the wages that they would pay—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Minister, can you just answer a very specific question? I'll give the floor back to you, but it's a very specific question and the public will see whether you answer it or not.

I'm asking specifically about the eight weeks, because if you gave actual summer jobs to students, I think employers and students would be happier. Why is there the average eight-week duration?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

I would say that this allows for a broad diversity of jobs and opportunities for youth across the country, 100,000 jobs this summer. There are 100,000 young people who are going to get to participate in a small business, in a not-for-profit, in a community recreation centre—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You're talking half-jobs, though.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you—

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

—in a senior centre.

I will say that corporations and not-for-profits look forward to applying every year, and I certainly look forward to seeing the stories come from your riding, and hopefully you'll share those.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you.

We'll now move to Madame Koutrakis.

Ms. Koutrakis, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Minister, we know that personal support workers are key in helping take care of our loved ones when they age, like my father who is 94. I am fortunate enough to be able to provide him with the care that he needs. We know that many families cannot.

I'm just wondering if you could update the committee on the federal measures recently introduced to support personal support workers in terms of wage increases and the new tax credit available to workers across the country.