Human Resources Committee on Nov. 25th, 2025

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

I think you point out something really important, which is that most people who are aging need some kind of support at that age, at 93. I hope that, when I'm 93, I have some of the incredible talent that we see across the country helping me. I hope I make it to 93, too.

I've had the pleasure of meeting these support workers across the country. I went and visited with some on Labour Day to hear their stories about what they were doing. They were working on Labour Day. They weren't marching. They were taking care of people's parents and people's loved ones.

They're often the poorest paid people in the economy. The care sector economy is something I'm personally very interested in digging into and working on. This credit was something that the SEIU, a union that organizes personal support workers, had advocated for on behalf of their members.

You mentioned that this is in the budget. This is an $1,100 credit every year that will go directly into the pockets of personal support workers. When we announced this, one of the recipients of the credit, who was at the announcement, said that she felt it was the first time that she had been seen. Imagine that. She's doing this work every single day on behalf of her community, on behalf of all of the people who need her care, and she doesn't feel seen.

Not only did we do that, but we also announced a $25-million investment into a retirement savings plan through SEIU. Members will be able to contribute through an RSP and have a contribution from the union help them grow the safety of their own retirement.

This is an area of the economy and a sector of work that I think deserves our focus, and I'm really pleased to partner with the SEIU in supporting these members.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Minister, we've also heard across the country from many people and stakeholders about the Canada dental care plan that has been described as one of the most significant expansions of health care in a generation. Could you provide the committee with an update on how the program is rolling out across the country, and what the early results look like for Canadians who previously couldn't afford dental care?

Before you respond, I have to share a personal story. There are quite a few dental clinics in my riding of Vimy in Laval. On one of the visits that I made with a previous minister of health, there was an elderly gentleman sitting in a dentist's seat. He got out of his seat because he wanted to come and shake our hands. He had tears in his eyes saying what a difference this had made in his life.

I'd be interested to hear what you are hearing about the impact that this program is having and how we're faring across Canada.

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

It is something that I'm incredibly proud of, too, member of Parliament. It's just such a transformational thing for people who haven't had dental care in so long.

I worked extensively with a number of different dentists in the early days to make sure that they understood the program and that they could sign up. Now a majority of dentists are signed up and receiving Canada dental care patients. It is a game-changer.

In fact, I can't go to an event without someone talking to me about the changes it's made in their lives. Oftentimes, they are older people who don't have benefits and who don't have coverage, and for the first time in 10 years, in some cases 20 years, they've had their teeth cared for. Not only have they been in pain, but there's a high degree of shame if you have dental decay. For younger people, it can prevent your ability to land a job.

I worked for years in public health. One of the campaigns that we had back then was an affordable dental care plan, because it was an inhibitor of employment for people who had severe dental caries. There was a pilot project at that time somewhere in Ontario that demonstrated that, if you could repair people's teeth, they had an easier time landing a job.

This is an asset for Canadian families. Young people who are aging out of their parents' care don't have benefits yet in their career. I was in that place myself. It's very tenuous to be in a position where you have a job, but your job doesn't include benefits, and you still need care. This is a game-changer for so many Canadians across the country, and it's great to see the number of people who have signed up for dental care and who are receiving treatment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Madam Koutrakis.

I'll turn to Madame Gill.

You have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Madam Minister, allow me to indulge in a bit of Bloc Québécois humour. You said earlier that labour issues might fall under the jurisdiction of a different department, so you couldn't answer the question.

However, since the start of the meeting, we've heard a great deal about issues that fall under the jurisdiction of Quebec and the provinces. Yet the government has no qualms about getting involved in these issues. I can see that the limits suit us when they work to our advantage.

Now, on to federal matters. I spoke about Canada Post, employment insurance and Correctional Service Canada. I would like to talk about Canada Post again. I didn't have time to finish my thought at the start of the meeting. Once again, jobs are being lost at Canada Post.

Canada Post recorded losses of $250 million in June. However, Purolator offers a 65% discount on its services. Canada Post owns 61% of Purolator. It seems that phagocytosis is taking place. In other words, Canada Post is being absorbed to a certain extent.

Madam Minister, do you think that Canada Post is doing itself a disservice?

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

I don't feel that I have the ability to speak about an independent Crown corporation's business practices, but I can say that we're there to support the negotiations between the union and the corporation. We are encouraged by the last news that they have arrived at an agreement in principle.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

I understand. However I could ask you the same question without naming Canada Post. If a company owns another company that works against it, is the company doing itself a disservice? This seems obvious.

I would now like to discuss a completely different topic, which concerns the decision to forego a department of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities.

This issue has come up repeatedly. A number of groups have expressed concerns about this matter in meetings with me. You said that you were going to work for people with disabilities, as discussed earlier. For them, however, this sends a strong message of ignorance about their condition and their needs.

I would like you to explain the reason for the decision to forego a department of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities.

In any area, when no one takes on a matter, it's dropped.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mrs. Gill.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Give a short answer, Minister.

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

We remain focused on inclusion of people with disabilities. There wasn't a separate department. I do also have a parliamentary secretary who assists me in this work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Minister.

Mr. Seeback, go ahead for five minutes.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

In your opening statement, Minister, you talked about how important fair bargaining is, yet you used section 107 pre-emptively to order the flight attendants back to work under their existing contract and took away their right to strike.

How do you square that circle that you care about fair bargaining when you took away the right to strike, which is an integral part of fair bargaining?

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

I'm not sure if you were in the room when I mentioned that the first piece of legislation that I had the pleasure of finalizing in 2016—it was the first piece that we introduced—was to reverse the union-busting bills of Stephen Harper, Bill C-525 and Bill C-377.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

With all due respect, that's not my question. My question is, based on your statement you just made earlier today, how important is fair bargaining?

How can you say how important fair bargaining is and take away a union's right to strike by ordering them back to work?

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

I think I also mentioned that 97% of disputes that arrive at the federal mediation service are resolved without any work stoppage at all.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Do you know how tone-deaf you sound to flight attendants when you won't answer a direct question and you tap dance around with other statistics?

You ordered flight attendants back to work under their existing collective agreement before they even exercised their right to strike. It was pre-emptive. Then you have the audacity to come to this committee and say how important fair bargaining is.

How do you justify to the flight attendants that you care about fair bargaining, but you ordered them back to work and took away their right to strike?

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

I think the best deal is the deal that the two parties arrive at when they're at the table. I've been clear about that and, in fact, our party has stood up for that.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Except in that circumstance.

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

Not only have we reversed union-busting legislation that Stephen Harper presented, and that many of the members praised, but we've also, as you know, passed anti-scab legislation.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Which we voted for.

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

Which is great. That's exactly what we would hope, that we would see all parties stand up for collective bargaining rights.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

How do you justify your belief in fair bargaining and belief that the best deals are made at the table when you took that away by eliminating the collective process and ordering them back to work under the existing collective agreement?

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

There are very few disputes that result in the need for government action. I believe that governments of all stripes have found themselves in this place, where both parties declare themselves at an impasse. That is exactly what happened—

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

You've used it eight times in 14 months. No other government in the history of this country has done that.