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MINUTES OF PROCEEDING
(Meeting No. 2)
Tuesday, October 21, 1997
The Standing Committee on Human Resources and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 11:13 o’clock a.m., this day, in room 269, West Block, the Chair, Reg Alcock, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Reg Alcock, Carolyn Bennet, Claudette Bradshaw, Bonnie Brown, Brenda Chamberlain, Paul Crête, Libby Davies, Jean Dubé, Albina Guarnieri, Dale Johnston, Larry McCormick, Robert Nault and Byron Wilfert.
In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: William Young and Sandra Harder, Research Officers.
The Committee met to discuss its future business.
The Chair presented the First Report of the Steering Committee on Agenda and Procedure, which is as follows:
Your Steering Committee met on Tuesday, October 21, 1997, to consider the future business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:
1. That the recipient of the Centennial Flame Award be decided in camera by a majority vote of the Standing Committee at a subsequent meeting following the distribution of candidate information to all members.
2. That, whenever an Order in Council for appointment of a certificate of nomination or appointment is referred to the Committee, the Clerk shall, upon request from any Member, obtain and circulate to each member of the Committee a copy of the requested C.V.
3. That the Clerk draft for the signature of all Steering Committee members, a letter to all the House Leaders and Whips requesting the priority use of room 237-C, Centre Block as per the motion adopted at the Committee’s previous meeting.
4. That the proposed work plan of the Committee be compressed, that the Minister of Human Resources Development be invited to appear before the Committee by November 7, 1997, and that the revised work plan take into account a panel on student assistance, the Office of the Auditor General and the Minister of Labour;
That the following individuals be invited to appear before the Committee to present briefings as part of the work plan:
From Treasury Board Secretariat:
David Miller
Assistant Secretary;
From Human Resources Development:
Mel Cappe/Ian Green
Deputy Minister/Associate Deputy Minister
Norine Smith
Executive Director
Employment Insurance
Nicole Senecal
Assistant Deputy Minister
Labour
David Good
Assistant Deputy Minister
Human Resources Investment Fund
Serge Rainville
Assistant Deputy Minister
Income Security Programs
Jim Lahey
Assistant Deputy Minister
Strategic Policy
Martha Nixon
Associate Executive Head
Officials from Strategic Policy; and
Senior Public Policy Researchers; Representatives from other departments with significant responsibilities in the area of disability; panel with representatives from disability organizations; panel with representatives from organizations dealing with children, youth and seniors; and
That any Order of Reference from the House, or if the Standing Committee agrees to a substantive study under Standing Order 108(2), would take precedence over the work plan.
Robert Nault moved, -- That the First Report of the Steering Committee on Agenda and Procedure be concurred in.
And the question being put on the report, it was concurred in.
Dale Johnston moved, -- That J.F.W. (Ted) Weatherill, Chair of the Canadian Labour Relations Board, be invited to appear before the Committee in relation to the Main Estimates.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was negatived on the following division: YEAS: 3; NAYS 6.
Jean Dubé moved, -- That whereas the chief actuary of the Employment Insurance Account has recommended that a surplus of 12 billion to 15 billion dollars be accumulated in the Account in order to ensure the stability of the program; and
-- That whereas projections show that at current rates, the Employment Insurance Account will attain a 12 billion dollar surplus by the end of 1997, and that according to the 1997 budget, the surplus will exceed 18 billion by the end of 1998-1999; and
-- That whereas recent changes to the Employment Insurance Program have severely impacted on the lives of many Canadians, and are a source of great concerns, especially for those relying on seasonal work; and
-- That whereas the study of this subject matter falls within the mandate of the Committee as identified in Standing Order 108 (2);
The Committee undertake immediately to examine the changes to the Employment Insurance Program to determine their effects on Canadians and provide recommendations to the Government on ways to make the Employment Insurance Program more equitable for all workers.
The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following division: YEAS: 5; NAYS 6.
It was agreed, -- That the Chair of the committee would write to the Minister of Human Resources Development requesting that the statutory review of the Employment Insurance system be tabled before December 25, 1997, and be referred to the Committee.
It was agreed, -- That the Chair with the assistance of the researchers and in consultation with members, develop a work plan for addressing the larger question of employment.
At 11:57 o’clock a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
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