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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 102
Monday, February 26, 2024, 3:31 p.m. to 4:58 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Robert J. Morrissey, Chair (Liberal)

House of Commons
• Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk
 
Library of Parliament
• Eleni Kachulis, Analyst
• Vanessa Preston, Analyst
Department of Employment and Social Development
• Kevin Wagdin, Director, Old Age Security Policy and Legislation
Pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, October 18, 2023, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-319, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (amount of full pension).

The witness answered questions.

The committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

The Chair called Clause 1.

On Clause 1,

Bonita Zarrillo moved, — That Bill C-319, in Clause 1, be amended by replacing lines 17 to 21 on page 1 with the following:

“(i) the lesser of $13,000 and the combined amount, and

(ii) if the combined amount is greater than $13,000, the lesser of $13,000 and half of the amount by which the combined amount exceeds $13,000,”

Debate arose thereon.

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible because it infringed on the financial initiative of the Crown, as provided on page 772 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Third Edition.

Clause 1 carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 2 carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

Motion

Tracy Gray moved, — That, given that the Liberal Minister for Housing recently stated: “I think it’s a generational moral failure that there are people sleeping without a roof over their head in a country as wealthy as Canada. I won’t be able to say with a straight face that I have properly addressed the housing crisis if we still have to walk past people who are sleeping on the streets in Canada”, the Committee concur in the Minister’s remarks, and report them to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Peter Fragiskatos moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words after “streets in Canada”.

The question was put on the amendment of Peter Fragiskatos and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Peter Fragiskatos, Wayne Long, Tony Van Bynen — 6;

NAYS: Scott Aitchison, Michelle Ferreri, Tracy Gray, Anna Roberts, Bonita Zarrillo — 5.

The motion, as amended, reads as follow:

That, given that the Liberal Minister for Housing recently stated: “I think it’s a generational moral failure that there are people sleeping without a roof over their head in a country as wealthy as Canada. I won’t be able to say with a straight face that I have properly addressed the housing crisis if we still have to walk past people who are sleeping on the streets in Canada”.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Chandra Arya, Chad Collins, Rosemarie Falk, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo, Louise Chabot — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Department of Employment and Social Development
• Kevin Wagdin, Director, Old Age Security Policy and Legislation
Pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, October 18, 2023, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-319, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (amount of full pension).

The committee resumed its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Clause 3 carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 4 carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 5 carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The Title carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

After debate, the Bill was adopted on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

It was agreed – That the Chair report the Bill to the House on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill to the House.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

Motion

Tracy Gray moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee invite the Ministers of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Labour and Seniors, Families, Children and Social Development, and Citizens’ Services, to separately appear for two hours each with departmental officials to testify on the Supplementary Estimates, (C) for the fiscal year 2023-24; and that they appear before the end of the current supply period.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Peter Fragiskatos moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “to separately appear for two hours each with departmental officials to testify on the Supplementary Estimates, (C) for the fiscal year 2023-24; and that they appear before the end of the current supply period.” with the words “to appear for no less than one hour each, in two panels of three, to consider the Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year 2023-24 and the Main Estimates for the fiscal year of 2024-2025”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 4:29 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:35 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Subamendment

Wayne Long moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “to appear for no less than one hour each, in two panels of three,” with the words “to appear for no fewer than one hour each in three panels of two”.

The question was put on the subamendment and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Peter Fragiskatos, Wayne Long, Tony Van Bynen — 5;

NAYS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Michelle Ferreri, Tracy Gray, Anna Roberts, Bonita Zarrillo — 6.

The debate on the amendment continued.

Subamendment

Chad Collins moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words "to appear for no less than one hour each, in two panels of three," with the words "to appear for no fewer than three two-hour meetings of two panels of one hour each".

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Chad Collins and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Peter Fragiskatos, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The motion, as amended, reads as follow:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee invite the Ministers of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Labour and Seniors, Families, Children and Social Development, and Citizens' Services, to appear for no fewer than three two-hour meetings of two panels of one hour each, to consider the Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year 2023-24 and the Main Estimates for the fiscal year of 2024-2025.

Motion

Wayne Long moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake a study on the compensation disparities between unionized and non-unionized workers in Canada; the study will examine the reasons that unionized workers receive more powerful paycheques; the impact of unionization on benefits and pensions; and the reasons behind such disparities; that the committee invite to testify, included but not limited to, representatives from Statistics Canada, and subject matter experts; that the committee hold a minimum of 2 meetings; and that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Michelle Ferreri, Peter Fragiskatos, Tracy Gray, Wayne Long, Anna Roberts, Tony Van Bynen, Bonita Zarrillo — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

At 4:58 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Ariane Calvert
Clerk of the committee