Matthew Green

[Business of Supply, September 26th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, the hon. government House leader spoke at length about pro-worker policy, pro-union policy, yet the government does not exactly have a pro-worker track record. I reference its use of section 107 in the Labour Code against the Teamsters. What that does is essentially force binding arbitration in the middle of negotiations. The effect that has on negotiations is that it provides no incentive for corporations, bosses and management to come to the table and effectively bargain.

We have grain workers at the table right now, GWU Local 333. Therefore, will the government House leader now go on the record and commit today that the Minister of Labour will not intervene on fair bargaining and good-faith negotiations and will never use section 107 when it comes to negotiations for workers?

[Department of Employment and Social Development Act, September 23rd, 2024]

moved that Bill S-244, An Act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and the Employment Insurance Act (Employment Insurance Council), be read the first time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 69(2), I have the honour to present to the House the Senate bill, Bill S-244, on behalf of my friend, who is from Quebec, Senator Diane Bellemare. It is an act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and the Employment Insurance Act, employment insurance council, which was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, June 18.

This bill aims to create an employment insurance council to strengthen social dialogue by seeking to create within the Employment Insurance Act an advisory council for the Employment Insurance Commission, which would be co-chaired by two commissioners representing the labour market: the commissioner for workers and the commissioner for employers.

This bill has the support of representatives from major employer and worker associations in Canada and reflects the NDP's values of supporting the working class by ensuring that workers have a seat at the economic decision-making tables. I look forward to working with all colleagues across the House to see the legislation passed.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

[Privilege, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a question of privilege regarding the ongoing failure and refusal of a witness to provide documents requested by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. The committee, under Standing Order 122, has the authority to summon witnesses and compel the production of documents, rights that are essential to the functioning of Parliament, as outlined in the Constitution Act of 1867. These powers are fundamental to our ability to conduct inquiries and obtain the truth, as noted in House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, page 137.

The witness in question, Stephen Anderson, a business partner of the Minister of Employment, was ordered by the committee on June 11 to produce phone records, text messages and call logs from September 8, 2022, but he failed to comply. Despite his appearance on July 17, Mr. Anderson provided non-responsive documents and refused to disclose the identity of the person referred to as Randy in key communications.

This blatant disregard for the committee's orders violates Standing Order 108(1)(a), which empowers committees to access documents relative to their inquiries. The committee extended the deadline to July 19, yet Mr. Anderson continued to withhold the requested information. According to House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, when a witness refuses to comply, the committee may report the matter to the House, which then has the authority to enforce compliance. The committee has now done its part by adopting a motion on this matter.

As House of Commons Procedure and Practice makes clear at page 138, when a witness resists a request for documents, it is up to the House to take appropriate action. Given Mr. Anderson's failure and refusal to comply with both the June 11 and July 19 orders, I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to recognize this as a prima facie breach of privilege that could amount to contempt.

New Democrats believe Mr. Anderson to be in contempt, and the House shall force him to answer for his actions, as well as deliver the documents he refused to produce. The House must uphold the authority to protect our parliamentary privilege in order to ensure accountability and transparency in all matters of government oversight before its standing committees.

[Labour, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is allowing the rampant wage theft of truck drivers. Drivers who bring essential goods to Canadians are being taken advantage of because neither the Liberals nor the provincial Conservatives have the courage to crack down on shady bosses. Our hard-working truck drivers deserve a government that fights for them, one that ensures they get paid for their work.

When will the Liberal government finally enforce the Canada Labour Code to protect vulnerable workers and stop the brazen wage theft?

[Elmwood—Transcona, September 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Elmwood—Transcona have spoken. They saw right through the phony working-class cosplay of the Conservatives and elected Leila Dance, a strong New Democrat who stands up for workers and their families.

Conservatives are no friends of workers. Their leader can borrow a hard hat and pretend he is in it for the working class, but he has never spent a second on the picket lines when workers needed it most. In fact, Conservatives voted against anti-scab legislation eight times to help out the big bosses. They will always cut deep and back-stab fast, leaving workers behind. However, the people of Elmwood—Transcona chose hope, Leila Dance and the NDP over Conservative fears and cuts. The big bosses' and CEOs' time is up because it is the people's time.

[Recent Deaths of First Nations People During Police Interventions, September 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, Canada prides itself on being a nation that does not have the death penalty. Part of our justice is understanding that people have the ability to have their day in court, and yet we have a situation where six people have been murdered in an extrajudicial way.

Could the hon. member comment on what impunity looks like in policing when there is a lack of accountability for what are essentially extrajudicial murders of indigenous people?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 16th, 2024]

With regard to federal spending in the constituency of Hamilton Centre, in each fiscal year between 2019-20 and 2023-24, inclusively: what are the details of all grants and contributions and all loans to any organization, group, business or municipality, broken down by the (i) name of the recipient, (ii) municipality in which the recipient is located, (iii) date the funding was received, (iv) amount received, (v) department or agency that provided the funding, (vi) program under which the grant, contribution or loan was made, (vii) nature or purpose?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 16th, 2024]

With regard to the Canada Dental Care Plan, broken down by federal electoral district since the program’s inception: (a) what is the total number of applications (i) received, (ii) approved; and (b) how many people have benefitted from the Canada Dental Care Plan, broken down by age group and by Disability Tax Credit Certificate status?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 16th, 2024]

With regard to the Canada Dental Benefit, broken down by benefit period and federal electoral district since the program’s inception: (a) what is the total number of approved applications; and (b) how many children have been helped by the program?

[Labour, June 13th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, when the Minister of Labour was asked about supporting the bargaining rights of Teamsters rail workers, he boasted about the government's success rate in trampling on the workers' right to negotiating a fair deal. The Liberals will say that they support workers, but will then pull the rug out from under them when they try to negotiate.

Instead of forcing a pathway toward binding arbitration on the rail workers, will the Minister of Labour respect the collective bargaining rights of Teamsters Canada and support its call to stagger negotiations to avoid a rail shutdown?