House of Commons Hansard #191 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was yea.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
I declare Motion No. 582 defeated.
The next question is on Motion No. 613. A vote on this motion also applies to Motions Nos. 614 to 663.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
I declare Motion No. 613 defeated. I therefore declare Motions Nos. 614 to 663 defeated.
Jobs and Growth Act, 2012Government Orders
The Deputy Speaker
The next question is on Motion No. 664. A vote on this motion also applies to Motion No. 665.
Jobs and Growth Act, 2012Government Orders
The Deputy Speaker
I declare Motion No. 664 defeated. I therefore declare Motion No. 665 defeated.
The next question is on Motion No. 666.
Jobs and Growth Act, 2012Government Orders
The Deputy Speaker
I declare Motion No. 666 defeated.
The Deputy Speaker NDP Joe Comartin
In my opinion the nays have it.
And five or more members having risen:
Message from the SenateGovernment Orders
The Deputy Speaker
I have the honour to inform the House that a message has been received from the Senate informing this House that the Senate has passed the following bill, to which the concurrence of the House is desired: Bill S-10, An Act to implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
I wish to inform the House that because of the delay there will be no private members' business hour today. Accordingly, the order will be rescheduled for another sitting.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
I would ask all members who wish to continue their conversations to please leave the House.
A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.
Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, in September, when we returned from the summer break, Canadians were just beginning to discover the full scope of the Conservatives' famous mammoth budget bill.
The employment insurance counter-reforms imposed by the government would have all manner of negative consequences for our economy, but also for our workers and the unemployed.
Last May, because of pressure from the opposition, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development was forced to clarify for Canadians the concepts of suitable employment and reasonable job search. We then discovered what the Conservatives deem to be suitable employment.
In Bill C-38, the government has done away with the concept of suitable employment, except in cases when employment arises in consequence of a work stoppage.
The minister also explained that the Canada Employment Insurance Commission would henceforth determine which jobs are suitable for workers based on personal circumstances, working conditions, hours of work, travel time, type of work and salary.
The government also announced the creation of three new categories of claimants: long-tenured workers, frequent claimants and occasional claimants. All of the categories of claimants will be under more pressure to find a job and, within a few weeks, will have to accept any old job at pay that can be just 70% of their previous salary.
As for the notion of reasonable job search, we know that claimants will have to prove that they are conducting daily job searches. We even learned that job seekers would have to prove that they are filling out five job applications a week in urban areas and three applications a week in rural areas.
Claimants will have to keep a journal in which they log all of their job search activities and will have to submit this evidence on request. There will also be a new electronic job alert system that claimants will have to consult, even though claimants do not all have easy access to a computer, let alone the Internet.
Lastly, job seekers will have to search for jobs within a 100 km radius of their home or the equivalent of one hour of commuting time.
I have to say that when I was in Montreal recently, it took me 20 minutes to go through three lights near the Palais des congrès. So the 100 km radius is not always clear.
A few months ago, a man from Carleton was offered a job in Gaspé, even though Gaspé is three and a half hours from Carleton. Someone else, a man from the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, was offered a job in Bonaventure, on the Gaspé Peninsula. That is a twelve-hour trip, including a $50 ferry ride.
How can the minister call these job offers “suitable employment”, when accepting such an offer would cost the unemployed individual one way or another? It would involve either a costly move, uprooting that individual from his community, or a loss of income that could actually exceed the wages offered, after transportation costs.
Kellie Leitch ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the member's comments.
Our government's top priorities are job creation, economic growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians.
In order to foster a strong and competitive workforce, we want to help Canadians who have lost their job find new jobs as soon as possible. By encouraging unemployed Canadians to take part-time work while they are collecting EI benefits, we know the odds are that this will lead to permanent work and it increases substantially by taking those part-time jobs.
On August 5, we implemented the new working while on claim pilot project that was announced in budget 2012. We know there were some concerns raised about the new pilot project and we listened. On October 5, the government announced its intention to amend the working while on claim pilot project. This amendment will allow those who are working while on claim between August 7, 2011, and August 4, 2012, to revert to the rules of the old pilot project over the next three years. This was done to allow these claimants time to transition to the new pilot project.
The new pilot project will continue to ensure that Canadians are always better off working than not.
But that is not all. We are also taking steps to help Canadians find local jobs that are out there for them.
Sometimes people lack the resources to search effectively for work. Using tools like job bank, we will be sending more frequent and enhanced job alerts and labour market information to Canadians.
We are here to help the unemployed.
At the same time, we recognize there are Canadians who are having difficulty finding work, particularly in the off season in parts of the country where much of the economy is based on seasonal industries. For those who are unable to find employment, employment insurance will continue to be there for them as it always has been.
Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. The Conservatives have demonstrated unbelievable incompetence by implementing this counter-reform that is not working, that is harming our economy and that is attacking our job seekers.
We saw it a few months ago when changes were made to the notions of suitable employment and reasonable job search. We saw it again a few weeks later when there were problems with the pilot project that allows people to work while receiving benefits. It is now clear that the changes to the appeal mechanism will make it much more difficult for unemployed workers to appeal decisions in order to discourage them from asserting their rights. This will be a complete fiasco.
When will the Conservatives realize that the only alternative is to backtrack completely on this counter-reform and go back and consult with workers before introducing new practical, positive and innovative solutions that do not penalize or stigmatize anyone?
Kellie Leitch Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, our government is making improvements to employment insurance so we will help better connect Canadians with jobs in their local labour market.
The working while on claim pilot project is a national three year EI pilot project that came into effect on August 5. The intent of this pilot project is to find a way to help EI claimants stay connected to the labour market.
We believe claimants benefit by accepting work while on claim, even if it is part-time or temporary work.
This new pilot allows EI claimants who are working to keep 50% of their benefits for every dollar they earn. This replaces the 100% clawback for any money above that weekly cap previously.
We know there have been concerns about the current pilot project and we have listened and responded by allowing claimants time to transition to this new pilot project.
