Debates of June 17th, 2020

Supplementary Estimates (A)

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, I will be directing my questions to the Minister of Employment.

The estimates show $155 million for the Canada summer jobs program. The cost of the program is typically much more. Does this figure indicate a reduction or is it an increase to the original cost of the program?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Madam Chair, the $155 million is the first amount that is going to be put in the estimates. The remaining, I believe, $130 million will be in the supplementary estimates in the fall once we determine exactly how many jobs were filled.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, we are hearing from Conservative members of Parliament right across this country that their constituents are telling them that the program is underfunded. Why would this be the case?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, I can assure everyone in the House that the program is not in fact underfunded. We committed to fund 70,000 jobs, and that is exactly what we are going to do. In fact, this Friday, the last wave of jobs is being put in the the jobs bank. I can assure everyone that this program, because of the flexibilities we introduced this year, is going to be maxed out and that's good news—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, there is $728 million for payments to support students and youth impacted by COVID-19 pursuant to the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act. This is a serious amount of money with zero specifics. What is this for?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, it is in fact part of the $9-billion commitment to support students and to create 116,000 jobs across the country through the youth employment and skills strategy.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, what oversight will there be of this specific fund?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, I can assure the member opposite that we are making sure that every dollar invested in these jobs goes to good quality work experiences for students to gain skills and experience and for them to contribute the way we know they want to.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, without specifics, it's very hard for us to do anything other than to consider it a slush fund.

Moving on, what is the $37 million for funding to increase old age security workload capacity?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

I believe, Madam Chair, that is because the number of seniors that we are paying through OAS has increased and because of the cost of living increase that seniors got through the OAS.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, the youth employment and skills strategy was promised a $153.7-million increase, but in these estimates, it only shows a $5.25-million boost. Why is this the case?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, I can assure you that everything we promised to spend through the youth employment and skills strategy will be spent on good quality summer job experiences for young people. In fact, those experiences will go into next February as a result of the flexibilities we introduced.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, I will give the minister another opportunity. Why is it the case there is only $5.25 million for this program?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, I believe, and I will follow up with the member if I am wrong, that we have parcelled out the youth employment and skills strategy through a number of budget items on this and we can add them all up. I can get him the math. I apologize that I do not have it all in my head, but it is all reflected in these main estimates in detail.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

I would appreciate getting those details, Madam Chair.

The government announced $9.2 million for agricultural jobs under this program, but the program is only getting $5.25 million. How is this possible?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, I can assure you that we announced that we would employ 7,000 young people across the country in agricultural jobs, and that is exactly what we are doing. We had some money already that was going to be moved from agriculture and, as a result, we only had to spend this much money to deliver that many jobs.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, similarly, the student work placement program is getting $5 million despite $80 million being promised. What is going on here?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, this $5 million will allow us to reach our overall goal of 85,000 work placements. We will put the remainder of the money, as I said in the first answer, in the supplementary estimates when we have a better understanding of exactly how much money—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola has 18 seconds left.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Chair, does the minister not understand that when members of Parliament review the estimates and have these questions in their minds, if the government is not clear on them, we are not mind readers. I would hope the government would be more forthcoming on these programs and in letting us know.

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, we have to understand that in this pandemic we have made major announcements that will be reflected in supplementary estimates, as we deliver these programs over the coming weeks and months.

Members will have better, stronger data at that point.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Madam Chair, I will be opening with a few comments and ending with a round of questions.

This is my first opportunity to be in the chamber since the pandemic struck in March, and I am happy to be here to represent my constituents in Regina—Lewvan. They have had a lot of questions over the last 12 weeks and want to know exactly what the government's plan is to re-launch our economy, and these estimates are going to be a big part of that.

As a member of the public accounts committee, I was wondering if any of the funding in these supplementary estimates is going toward ensuring that the Auditor General's office has the funding it needs to do audits after COVID-19 is over.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Chair, I am pleased that the member suggests the important role of the Auditor General. We are pleased with her new nomination, and, as she knows fully well and is worth repeating, we are there to support her important work.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Madam Chair, I am on that committee, and she has requested several times now that her funding be increased over the next few years, so that she will be able to perform her audits. They are doing half the audits they were doing a few years ago.

Will the funding be there so she can do her job successfully?