Evidence of meeting #71 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was work.
A video is available from Parliament.
President, Canadian Construction Association
I think you know the answer to that one.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
So what we're doing here is we're not guaranteeing high wages; we're guaranteeing fewer bidders, which means higher costs. We don't really know how much of those costs the employer actually passes on to the worker.
In other words, this policy is not designed to help working people. It's designed to limit competition and drive up costs, is it not?
President, Canadian Construction Association
I can't answer that question, because the City of Hamilton, if you're talking about the City of Hamilton, finds itself in this situation through no fault of its own, or through no desire on its part.
President, Canadian Construction Association
It's hard to know what's going on in their minds, but they've been very public about what the impact is. That would suggest to me it's a situation they would rather not be in and would like to be out of.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Hamilton did not choose to be in this situation. We all agree on that. Nor is Kitchener-Waterloo choosing this labour monopoly. It is being imposed by provincial labour certification rules.
Was there ever a vote at either Waterloo or Hamilton city council to favour this union monopoly?
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
No.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Right now we have a situation where two employees imposed on a municipality a union monopoly, imposed upon all construction workers in Hamilton the obligation to join, against their will, a single union, and the obligation of Hamilton taxpayers to pay 20% to 40% higher prices for projects, and finally, the obligation of the federal government to pay higher prices for the projects it funds in that jurisdiction.
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
Correct.
Conservative
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
Yes. Ultimately the sum total of this policy is that taxpayers pay more.
It's particularly insulting to the tradesperson who is a taxpayer in the jurisdiction where he can't do the work.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
We've finished our first round, and we have a few minutes left.
I'll give one question to Mr. Aubin and one question to Ms. St-Denis.
Then I have Mr. Watson and Mr. Poilievre.
NDP
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would hope that one day we could produce a report that does not only focus on the city of Hamilton. I would like to know why the cities or the provinces are advocating closed tendering.
Earlier, I listened with delight as Mr. Poilievre reminded us of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I was wondering what didn't quite fit with that argument. It seems to me that if I were a doctor, for example, I would have a hard time using the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to justify the fact that I didn't want to be a part of the Collège des médecins du Québec, the province's medical association. Likewise, if I were a lawyer it would be difficult to have the right to defend cases before the courts without being a member of the Quebec Bar Association. I would think that expertise is recognized through membership in these professional associations. They probably serve as a guarantee for those who have to work with the people in those professions.
Based on your experience and your knowledge, do the municipalities or the provinces who choose closed tendering do so in order to guarantee a certain expertise? When you were refused access to that tendering process, what were you told you were lacking?
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
First, just to clarify, are you asking what reasons these provinces are giving us for why we can't bid?
NDP
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
I would like to know why the provinces and municipalities choose closed tendering. Maybe you can answer the other way around. I get the impression that they are looking for a certain guarantee or expertise that they don't believe they can find with you, whether they are right or wrong.
I would like to hear your opinion on this matter.
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
They don't choose to do this, in most cases.
I don't want to discount what we're talking about. We're talking about $1 billion of capital budget annually, in municipalities alone, that is subject to this monopoly. None of the municipalities affected in that $1 billion willingly chose to be subject to these tendering monopolies.
Liberal
Lise St-Denis Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Do you work throughout Canada? There was talk of going to work in Europe. Do you have contracts in Quebec for example? If not, why is that?
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
Brendan, you might want to speak to that too. Do you want to speak first?
Regional Director, Eastern Ontario, Christian Labour Association of Canada
CLAC members currently work in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., and Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. We have not yet expanded into Quebec or the maritime provinces.
Director, Federal and Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
If I could just add to that, you're actually not allowed to expand.
Regional Director, Eastern Ontario, Christian Labour Association of Canada
That's correct.
In those provinces, specifically in the construction industry, there's legislation that indicates specific unions.... In the Maritimes specifically, it's only the international building trades unions that are allowed to represent workers as construction unions in those provinces.
There is currently a legislative bar in those provinces that prohibits our members from working there.
Conservative