Transport Committee on June 16th, 2022

[Neil Parry]

I won't respond to that.

Okay—

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

No, no, on the COVID.

[Neil Parry]

What's important to keep in mind I think is, this is supernumerary to the compensation, the total compensation, that a screening officer receives from their employer in the course of their duties. There is already a compensation package at all the airports, so there are hourly pay rates, benefits, pensions, holidays, sick days—paid sick days—that the screening officers are entitled to.

This offer was never meant to be mandatory for 12 weeks. It is an incentive above and beyond their existing compensation, their existing pay schedule and overtime rates. It's above that and it's available to those who are able to avail themselves of it.

We fully expected that most screening officers would not be able to take 100% advantage of it, because people get sick and they go on vacation, and that's perfectly acceptable. However, if you show up for your scheduled shifts, you have an opportunity to earn additional funds above what you're already entitled to.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Parry, if I may, I disagree with the characterization. It feels to me like an incentive. Earlier you said that you're trying to discourage absenteeism. Taking the holidays that you scheduled last November is not absenteeism.

Mr. Chair, if I may—

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I'm a little confused. My colleague across is getting into—

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I'm sorry, Mr. Iacono, we're having a hard time hearing you in the room here. We're just going to verify if everything is okay with audiovisual and we'll get right back to you.

Feel free to proceed, Mr. Iacono.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm a little confused and puzzled by the questioning of my colleague across. His questions are about paycheques, pay scheduling, sick days and shifts. This is all with respect to the internal business of human resources. It has nothing to do with the Government of Canada. I don't know if it's appropriate, but he's questioning the witness on how they conduct their internal business on a human resource level, and I think it is not up to us to scrutinize that at this point.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Mr. Iacono.

Do you want to respond to that and perhaps expand on the line of questioning you're currently moving forward with, Mr. Bachrach?

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I would. I'm cognizant that my time is running down, so if I can do it on a point of order, I'd be happy to. I appreciate my colleague's raising his concern.

This incentive program I'm discussing is a CATSA program. CATSA is a government agency. What I'm talking about is the inappropriate use of federal government funds to incentivize workers to not take the holidays they scheduled and potentially to incentivize their going to work sick during a pandemic.

I would offer that a more appropriate thing to do would be to use those federal funds to provide workers with a raise over the busy summer months so that they can be properly compensated. That would also help with recruitment and resolve this overall problem we're facing.

But, Mr. Chair, if I may—

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I'll let you proceed, and I'll start the clock again, Mr. Bachrach.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I appreciate the attempt to answer the questions.

I would like to move on to a separate topic. As members of the committee know, I have a motion on notice that I would like to move at this time. I move:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), an order of this committee do issue for a copy of all relevant documents containing public health advice and scientific modelling received by the Minister of Transport relating to the decision to issue on June 1, 2022, the Interim Order for Civil Aviation Respecting Requirements Related to Vaccination Due to COVID-19, No. 2.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Bachrach.

Unfortunately, we have to address the motion presented by Mr. Bachrach. He has given the appropriate 48 hours' notice to move his motion. Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to continue with witness testimony.

Yes, Mr. Badawey, go ahead.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

I was under the impression that at the last meeting we agreed to go into committee business at 5 p.m. to deal with both motions that were on the floor, so I would ask the chair or the clerk to clarify that and whether, in fact, we would then need unanimous consent to entertain that motion now versus what we agreed upon in terms of dealing with those two motions during committee business.

I say that for two reasons. One, the decision was made, and I think that decision was made by all members with due respect to the folks here, who came out and gave us their time to address the issues we're dealing with regarding this study. We have a number of members here from CATSA and CBSA who, quite frankly, have given us their time, and their time is very valuable, as all members can well appreciate.

With that, I would recommend to the members of the committee that we continue with the witnesses and their very valuable testimony that's going to add to this study. Then, as planned and as supported at the last meeting, we can get into the two motions by Mr. Barsalou-Duval and Mr. Bachrach when we enter into committee business at 5 p.m.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Badawey.

I'd like to ask for the patience of witnesses appearing before the committee while we sort this out.

I'll turn the floor over to Mr. Jeneroux, followed by Ms. Koutrakis and then by Ms. Lantsman.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Mr. Badawey and Mr. Bachrach, for your interventions.

I believe it's within Mr. Bachrach's right to do this if he so chooses. He took up time, I guess, from his own line of questioning to do it, so I guess that's the sacrifice.

In speaking to the motion, if I could, I certainly would support this. I think it's a good motion. The only recommendation I would perhaps make to Mr. Bachrach is that he might want to put an end date for receiving those documents, like within like a month, two weeks or however he sees it, because, ultimately, it could drag out a while if we don't do that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Jeneroux.

We'll go to Ms. Lantsman, followed by Ms. Koutrakis.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I will leave my comments to Mr. Jeneroux. I believe we should do this at five o'clock, as agreed, and I apologize on behalf of some colleagues who think that this is an appropriate time to do this even though our witnesses have given time for this.

Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

We have Ms. Koutrakis followed by Mr. Bachrach.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I echo a lot of the comments that have already been made. There was an agreement at the last meeting that we should listen to the motions at five o'clock, when the committee is to do committee business. I think it shows a lack of respect and consideration when we have all our officials here from the various departments who have given their testimony. Members of the committee have real questions that are relevant to the study at hand, and I think we should respect what we agreed to and we should go forward.

At this point, Mr. Chair, I would like to ask for a suspension so that the Liberal members have a chance to discuss among themselves.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I'm going to respond to Ms. Koutrakis and provide a five-minute suspension for Liberal caucus members to discuss.

The meeting is suspended for five minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

The meeting is now resumed. I see a couple of hands up.

Mr. Badawey, I believe you wanted to go first. Are there any other hands? Would anybody else like to speak?

We have Mr. Badawey followed by Mr. Bachrach.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I move that debate be now adjourned.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Mr. Clerk, would you like to do a recorded division on the motion on the table?

The question is on the motion to adjourn the debate.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

We will resume the debate.

I will turn it over to Mr. Bachrach, followed by Ms. Lantsman, followed by Ms. Koutrakis.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I'll make this very brief.

First of all, my apologies to the witnesses. I would love to have had another round of questioning.

I understand my colleagues' desire to discuss this motion in camera, but I think this is of interest to a lot of Canadians. I hope we can dispatch this in one round of comments around the table, and then potentially use the balance of the meeting to resume hearing from the witnesses and asking questions. That would be my hope. It's a very simple motion. Folks have had it for more than 48 hours.

That would be my desire. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Bachrach.

I have Ms. Lantsman, followed by Ms. Koutrakis, followed by Mr. Badawey.