Evidence of meeting #20 for International Trade in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
We're still on clause 8.
Is there any further discussion on clause 8? Shall clause 8 carry?
(Clause 8 agreed to)
(On clause 9--Agreements approved)
10:10 p.m.
Conservative
10:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Okay. On clause 9 we're having a recorded vote. I'll ask the clerk to call the names.
(Clause 9 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 3)
This time it's yeas, 6, and nays, 3. I'll give you time to catch your breath.
(On clause 10--Canadian representative on Joint Commission)
10:15 p.m.
Conservative
10:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Well, first off, I'd like our witnesses to provide some explanation of clause 10.
10:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
On NDP-6, Mr. Julian is going to give us an explanation of his proposed amendment.
10:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
No, on clause 10 without the amendment, from the witnesses.
10:15 p.m.
Director General, Trade Law Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
In keeping with the architecture of the agreement, and like many of our other free trade agreements, the Canada-Colombia FTA provides for the establishment of a joint commission that has overall oversight of the operation and implementation of the agreement. It supervises the implementation of the agreement. It oversees further elaboration of the agreement. It has the power to consider any measure that may affect the operation of the agreement.
That joint commission is established at the ministerial level under article 2001 of the agreement. Clause 10 makes the minister here, the Minister for International Trade, the principal representative of Canada on that commission.
10:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you for that.
I'm moving an amendment, Mr. Chair, that would affect clause 10: “The Minister is the principal representative of Canada on the Joint Commission”. It adds, “In performing this function, the Minister shall consult on a regular basis with representatives of Canadian labour and trade unions”.
Mr. Chair, we've had repeated interventions from union organizations in Canada, all of which have expressed concerns around this agreement, around the labour side agreement, and around the so-called amendment that was brought forward just a few days ago. In each and every case, we've had representatives of Canadian labour and trade unions expressing concerns.
Mr. Chair, it's not just the unions that came before us from Canada; it's also the fact that there were so many unions that have been denied the opportunity to come before this committee and speak. We've referred to some of them.
There is the Canadian Labour Congress, the big umbrella group that represents the vast majority of organized workingmen and working women in this country. There is NUPGE, which is the largest union, the national union of provincial government employees, and there is also the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents our hard-working civil servants. All of them have said that they want to come before committee; all of them are being denied the opportunity to come before committee.
10:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
I think, Mr. Julian, you'll recall that Mr. Georgetti did appear before the committee. He's with the Canadian Labour Congress.
June 1st, 2010 / 10:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
It was not on Bill C-2, Mr. Chair. It was not on Bill C-2. In fact, he requested to come before the committee. The Labour Congress—
10:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Oh, no, no. He appeared before the committee. He was on the witness list.
10:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
They asked to come before the committee on Bill C-2, Mr. Chair.
So what we have—
10:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Now you're splitting hairs. He appeared before the committee on the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, as many did. We can't hear from every unionist in Canada. We heard from most of them, but I'm sorry to tell you that we can't hear from all of them.
10:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
If I may continue, Mr. Chair, we certainly were able to hear from a number of people, both in the fall and again in the spring, who said the same thing. Even though we were having hearings that indicated this amendment, some people initially thought, might have some merit, we have had labour unions wanting to come before this committee, and we have seen as well that the representatives of working women and workingmen across the country have expressed strong concerns about this overall agreement.
So how do we address that, Mr. Chair? How do we address the fact that millions of people, those individuals who are Canadians, who work within labour unions, who are organized, and who have the benefit, fortunately, of having collective responses to health and safety issues, wage issues, and all of those other issues, have not been able to testify on Bill C-2?
It seems to me, Mr. Chair, that the least we can do to address this inequity is push the minister—and we say the words “shall consult”—to consult on a regular basis with representatives of Canadian labour and trade unions. What this means is that the point of view of those millions of working women and workingmen who are engaged in the trade union movement would be able to move forward and hopefully be heard by the government.
I think it's fair to say, Mr. Chair, that the vast majority of unionized workers across the country do not feel that they've been heard during this process. They have not had the opportunity to testify on Bill C-2. Given the fact that we're not even putting collective bargaining and the ability to develop free and fair collective bargaining rights in Colombia as a purpose in this amendment--
10:20 p.m.
Conservative
10:20 p.m.
NDP
10:20 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
So, Mr. Chair, “having a regular basis”, what does that mean? And “with representatives”—
10:20 p.m.
Conservative
10:20 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Chair, on a point of order, there was a vote on the provision on collective bargaining, and the honourable member didn't vote on it. As such, it was rejected unanimously by the committee, so I don't know what he's speaking about. If he had felt strongly about the amendment at the time, he ought to have voted for it.