International Trade committee  We believe in trade. I've said that for the record.

International Trade committee  Listen, the trade agreements that—

International Trade committee  Well, Mr. Chairman, we don't get a chance to get a syllable out of our mouths—

International Trade committee  On the last question, I think the Liberal amendment is a retreat from what was a consensus among all opposition parties not two years ago. On your first question, I think the committee should hear from the International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission that went to Colombia. Th

International Trade committee  We don't think that's anywhere near sufficient. Two years ago June, this committee was in a different space. It was asking for an independent human rights assessment in advance of a deal being signed. Your question relates to one of the previous questions. Canada serves on and

International Trade committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. We're pleased to be here. In 2008, about a month after this committee was in Colombia, I had the privilege of visiting Colombia for nine days with three other public sector trade union leaders, going throughout the country an

Health committee  Just on wait times, I have a couple of sentences. I read your transcripts from April 17. You had Department of Health and Public Health Agency of Canada officials, with pages and pages and pages of testimony on wait times and not a syllable about a person you appointed as part o

Health committee  CUPE would argue that you should enforce the accountability question under the Canada Health Act and under the agency or councils set up under the 10-year program. Number two, we think the Auditor General and Parliament itself need to look into the push by the current governmen

Health committee  Through the chair, we did take the previous government to court over the annual report, which has pages and pages left blank from many provinces. Some provinces, such as Manitoba and Saskatchewan, comply. The Federal Court ruled that we certainly had a point and that it was up to

Health committee  I would say baby steps have been taken. Our biggest success story is with the Government of Saskatchewan and the health authorities in Saskatchewan. We've taken aboriginal employment for support workers in an acute care setting from 1.8% of the employees to 11%. One hundred perce

Health committee  Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee. CUPE is privileged to represent over 500,000 Canadians, 170,000 of whom work in all aspects of health care. Our overarching comment today is under the umbrella of accountability. The 10-year plan, and indeed all medicare dol

Finance committee  Through the chair, that won't be known until later this afternoon. But the motion going to the board of directors is for the immediate closure of the Canadian Labour and Business Centre because there isn't a source of funding beyond.... There is some fee-for-service work, but thr

Finance committee  Through the chair, I think it fills a huge void in the country. The devolution of labour market programs in the mid-1990s by Mr. Axworthy—I think as minister—was a devastating public policy decision. There's a role for the federal government to bring about cohesion in labour forc

Finance committee  I think all governments should be mindful of their annual deficits and their long-term debt. Our debt-to-GDP ratio in Canada has been declining since the former government inherited the largest debt in Canadian history, number one. Number two, federal program spending today per

Finance committee  I don't appreciate not being able to answer a question.