Government Operations committee  I would love to see us get to a report on the rural postal delivery study that we're currently conducting. We're still waiting for the president of Canada Post to come to share some insights with the committee. The intention here is to send it off to INDU and have them decide whether they want to conduct a study. In my view, the best way to go about it would be to invite the relevant ministers, the labour unions and the companies involved to find out whether there's a justification for making these contracts public.

The Budget  These are powerful steps that would empower so many young Canadians. Then there is investing in homegrown research talent. Canada's post-doctoral students and researchers are addressing some of the biggest global challenges. The solutions that they are proposing have the potential to make the world a better place and enhance Canada's prosperity.

The Budget  That is why we are proposing significant action in budget 2024 to boost the housing supply and to remove the areas that often slow down the construction of new homes. For example, we are reviving and modernizing Canada's post-war housing design catalogue, which will provide blueprints that can be used across the country to speed up the construction of new houses. Budget 2024 proposes to allocate more than $11 million in 2024-25 to support the development of this catalogue for up to 50 housing designs, including row housing and fourplexes that provinces, territories and municipalities could use to simplify and to accelerate housing approvals and builds.

Science and Research committee  I would like to start off by thanking our witness for coming today and giving their presentations. Our study is looking at the distribution of federal funding amongst Canada's post-secondary institutions. I think we've all agreed that the pie needs to be expanded, and this is why we're so pleased that our government has introduced the budget, which of course will be subject to a confidence vote, so we are not going to take anything for granted.

Science and Research committee  Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(i) and the motions adopted by the committee on Thursday, January 30 and Thursday, February 15, 2024, the committee resumes its study of the distribution of federal government funding among Canada's post-secondary institutions. It's now my pleasure to welcome, as an individual, Vincent Larivière, professor, Université de Montréal. We also have Céline Poncelin de Raucourt from the Université du Quebec, vice-president, teaching and research, via video conference.

Science and Research committee  Dena McMartin for your contributions this morning and your participation in the study on the distribution of government funding among Canada's post-secondary institutions. If there is additional information you would like to share, please direct that to the clerk, and the analysts can use that as they prepare the report for us.

Science and Research committee  Today's study is important. We're talking about the distribution of federal government funding among Canada's post-secondary institutions. Nova Scotia has slightly more than one million people, and it has 10 universities. Six have their main campuses in Halifax. Four are outside the Halifax municipality.

Science and Research committee  Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(i) and the motions adopted by the committee on Tuesday, January 30, and Thursday, February 15, 2024, the committee resumes its study of the distribution of federal government funding among Canada's post-secondary institutions. It's my pleasure now to welcome, from Dalhousie University, Dr. Alice Aiken, vice-president of research and innovation; as well as, from the University of Lethbridge, Dr.

Government Operations committee  Some banks moved in and have recently decided they are not willing to invest in those services or those communities. Canada Post has started offering them again on a small scale. We believe that so much more is possible. A post office is also an affirmation of our commitment to one another as citizens of Canada.

Government Operations committee  My members were not represented at those two companies; they are represented at Canada Post. For us, any time Canada Post makes a decision that is not seen to be financially the best, it's their decision. Again, we as postal workers want to expand services at Canada Post for the jobs that our members do.

Government Operations committee  As well, we have what's called an appendix T, which talks about expansion of services, such as financial services, at Canada Post. As you heard my colleague, Dwayne, say very clearly, a lot of the time, consultations start after an idea has been done by Canada Post. We need to have true consultation at the beginning of the process because nobody knows the workflow and the work that we do better than postal workers, postmasters, postmistresses and assistants.

Government Operations committee  We want Canada Post, through our “Delivering Community Power” campaign, to provide electric or hybrid vehicles to help eliminate some of the carbon in the environment. The campaign allows Canada Post to transform its fleet with more electric vehicles, and install electric charging stations to encourage customers to come to a retail postal counter, plug their vehicles in there and do their shopping.

Government Operations committee  Many times, Canada Post will reach out through its community outreach program into the community. When it's speaking with representatives in the community, it will talk about postal service, but will fail to mention maintaining the same level of service.

Government Operations committee  We know that expansion of services is really important at Canada Post. As Dwayne mentioned in his opening, Canada Post offered postal banking up until the late 1960s, and we know we can do it again. During COVID, many banks left smaller and remote areas, and people are underbanked.

Government Operations committee  Canada Post often struggles when it loses a postmaster in a rural community. For example, in those tragic situations where there is a death of a postmaster, or a fire, Canada Post seems to struggle to recruit new rural postmasters.