Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2016-10-19 19:05:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mrs. Sylvie Boucher (Beauport\u2014C\u00f4te-de-Beaupr\u00e9\u2014\u00cele d'Orl\u00e9ans\u2014Charlevoix, CPC)",
        "fr": "Mme Sylvie Boucher (Beauport\u2014C\u00f4te-de-Beaupr\u00e9\u2014\u00cele d'Orl\u00e9ans\u2014Charlevoix, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"4557501\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Madam Speaker, I am pleased to participate in the debate on Bill <a data-HoCid=\"8122307\" href=\"/bills/42-1/C-243/\" title=\"An Act respecting the development of a national maternity assistance program strategy\">C-243</a>, which would provide for the development and implementation of a national maternity assistance program strategy and amend the Employment Insurance Act in order to allow a claimant to begin using her maternity benefits 15 weeks before the week in which her confinement is expected if her employer is unable to reassign her to a job that does not pose a risk to her health or to that of her unborn child. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557502\" data-originallang=\"fr\">It is interesting to take a closer look at this private member's bill. Two aspects of the preamble to Bill <a data-HoCid=\"8122307\" href=\"/bills/42-1/C-243/\" title=\"An Act respecting the development of a national maternity assistance program strategy\">C-243</a> really jump out at me. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557503\" data-originallang=\"fr\"> First, in 2014, women represented 47.3% of the labour force compared to 31% in 1976, which is an increase of over 10%. The most interesting aspect of that increase is that it involves more women participating in skilled and non-traditional occupations previously held by men.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557504\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Second, a woman\u2019s pregnancy should not act as a barrier to full participation in the workforce, adversely affect her employment, inflict financial hardship, or compromise the pursuit of her chosen career. I believe that women should be able to choose. Personally, I did not take all the maternity leave I was entitled to. That was my choice, but that is not the issue.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557505\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Many factors are at play. First of all, the bill already has some restrictions. I would like to see the 15 weeks become transferable, and not added to the 35 weeks that women are already entitled to after having a baby. As everyone in the House knows, a private member's bill must be cost neutral for taxpayers. If this bill were to result in any additional cost, it would be out of order.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557506\" data-originallang=\"fr\">The main thing that would make me support this bill would be for the 15 weeks to be transferable and not added to the 35 weeks already available. Let me explain. If a pregnant woman cannot continue working because of her pregnancy and she decides to take her leave 15 weeks before her due date, I have no problem with that as long as, after the delivery, that same woman does not take more than 20 weeks of maternity leave. That would give her a total of 35 weeks of leave, as is the case under existing legislation. Similarly, I have no problem with a pregnant woman taking 10 weeks before the delivery and 25 weeks after the delivery, or 12 weeks before and 23 weeks after.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557507\" data-originallang=\"fr\">In short, I see this as a 35-week period that can be shifted around the due date as long as the total number of benefit weeks does not exceed 35. When these conditions are met, I can give my full support to this bill. It is vital that we protect the health of the biological mother, the pregnant mother, as well as that of the unborn child. There can be different reasons for going on maternity leave early, for example, a job that requires sustained physical effort that can pose a risk to the mother, or the mother's inability to meet the physical demands of the job, which prevents her from functioning normally. These are situations where she should be able to take her maternity leave before the birth. Furthermore, going on leave earlier because her health prevents her from doing various duties allows the employee to return to work before the end of the 35 weeks of maternity leave after the child is born.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557508\" data-originallang=\"fr\">This improves the employer's profitability and the woman's job performance. What is even more important is that she will be healthy while doing her job and she will be able to do it. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557509\" data-originallang=\"fr\">I am repeating myself only because I really want members to understand why I am supporting this bill. In fact, I will only support it if we are going to move the benefit weeks and not add benefit weeks. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557510\" data-originallang=\"fr\">First, this will ensure the health of both the mother and child. Second, shifting the benefit weeks improves the productivity of the employee, who can make the most of her capabilities. Third, this optimizes the production and profitability of the various companies. Finally, and probably what is most important, it ensures that the woman is free to make her own decisions based on her own situation and needs during her pregnancy.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"4557501\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Madame la Pr\u00e9sidente, je suis heureuse de prendre part \u00e0 la discussion concernant le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"8122307\" href=\"/bills/42-1/C-243/\" title=\"An Act respecting the development of a national maternity assistance program strategy\">C-243</a>, qui fait r\u00e9f\u00e9rence \u00e0 l'\u00e9laboration et \u00e0 la mise en oeuvre d'une strat\u00e9gie relative au programme national d'aide \u00e0 la maternit\u00e9 et modifie la loi sur l'assurance-emploi, afin de permettre \u00e0 la prestataire de commencer \u00e0 r\u00e9clamer des prestations de maternit\u00e9 15 semaines avant la semaine pr\u00e9sum\u00e9e de son accouchement s'il est impossible pour son employeur de l'affecter \u00e0 un emploi qui ne mettrait pas en p\u00e9ril sa sant\u00e9 et celle de l'enfant \u00e0 na\u00eetre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557502\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Il est int\u00e9ressant de pouvoir regarder de plus pr\u00e8s ce projet de loi \u00e9manant d'un d\u00e9put\u00e9. Comme nous avons bien pu le lire dans le pr\u00e9ambule du projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"8122307\" href=\"/bills/42-1/C-243/\" title=\"An Act respecting the development of a national maternity assistance program strategy\">C-243</a>, deux \u00e9l\u00e9ments m'apparaissent importants.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557503\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Premi\u00e8rement, les femmes repr\u00e9sentaient, en 2014, 47,3 % de la main-d'oeuvre, comparativement \u00e0 31 % en 1976. Cela repr\u00e9sente donc une augmentation de plus de 10 %. Ce qui est le plus int\u00e9ressant, c'est que dans cette augmentation, on retrouve plus de femmes embrassant des m\u00e9tiers sp\u00e9cialis\u00e9s et non traditionnels qui \u00e9taient auparavant r\u00e9serv\u00e9s aux hommes. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557504\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Deuxi\u00e8mement, la grossesse ne devrait pas: emp\u00eacher les femmes de participer pleinement au march\u00e9 du travail; nuire \u00e0 leur emploi; leur cr\u00e9er des difficult\u00e9s financi\u00e8res; ou les emp\u00eacher de mener la carri\u00e8re qu'elles souhaitent. \u00c0 mon avis, les femmes devraient avoir la possibilit\u00e9 de choisir. Pour ma part, je n'ai jamais pris compl\u00e8tement les semaines de mes cong\u00e9s de maternit\u00e9. C'\u00e9tait mon choix, mais l\u00e0 n'est pas la question. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557505\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Plusieurs \u00e9l\u00e9ments entrent en jeu. D'abord, il y a les restrictions d\u00e9j\u00e0 pr\u00e9sentes dans le projet de loi. De mon c\u00f4t\u00e9, j'aimerais que les 15 semaines que l'on veut rajouter deviennent transf\u00e9rables et non ajout\u00e9es aux 35 semaines dont b\u00e9n\u00e9ficient d\u00e9j\u00e0 les femmes enceintes apr\u00e8s l'accouchement. Comme nous le savons tous, ici \u00e0 la Chambre, un projet de loi \u00e9manant d'un d\u00e9put\u00e9 ne peut pas engendrer de co\u00fbts suppl\u00e9mentaires pour les contribuables. Si ce projet de loi devait engendrer des co\u00fbts suppl\u00e9mentaires, il deviendrait aussit\u00f4t irrecevable.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557506\" data-originallang=\"fr\">L'aspect le plus important pour que j'appuie ce projet de loi, c'est que ces 15 semaines soient transf\u00e9rables et non additionn\u00e9es aux 35 semaines d\u00e9j\u00e0 en place. Je m'explique. Si une femme enceinte se sent incapable de travailler \u00e0 cause de sa grossesse et qu'elle d\u00e9cide de prendre son cong\u00e9 15 semaines avant la date d'accouchement pr\u00e9vue par le m\u00e9decin, cela ne me pose aucun probl\u00e8me tant et aussi longtemps qu'apr\u00e8s l'accouchement, cette m\u00eame femme ne prenne pas plus que 20 semaines de cong\u00e9 de maternit\u00e9. Cela donnerait un total de 35 semaines de cong\u00e9, comme l'indique pr\u00e9sentement la loi. De la m\u00eame fa\u00e7on, je suis d'accord pour qu'une femme enceinte prenne 10 semaines avant qu'elle accouche et 25 semaines apr\u00e8s l'accouchement, ou encore 12 semaines avant et 23 semaines apr\u00e8s. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557507\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Bref, je vois cela comme un segment de 35 semaines que l'on peut d\u00e9placer aux alentours de la date de l'accouchement tant que le total ne d\u00e9passe pas 35 semaines. Une fois ces conditions remplies, je ne peux qu'\u00eatre en accord sur ce projet de loi. Il est primordial de prot\u00e9ger la sant\u00e9 de la m\u00e8re biologique, celle de la m\u00e8re porteuse, ainsi que celle de l'enfant \u00e0 na\u00eetre. Les causes peuvent \u00eatre diverses, par exemple, un m\u00e9tier qui n\u00e9cessite un effort physique soutenu et qui peut pr\u00e9senter un danger pour la m\u00e8re ou une d\u00e9ficience de la capacit\u00e9 physique de la m\u00e8re qui l'emp\u00eache de fonctionner normalement. Ce sont des situations o\u00f9 celle-ci devrait pouvoir prendre son cong\u00e9 de maternit\u00e9 avant l'accouchement. De plus, le fait de partir plus t\u00f4t en cong\u00e9 \u00e0 cause d'un \u00e9tat de sant\u00e9 qui emp\u00eache d'accomplir diverses t\u00e2ches permet \u00e0 l'employ\u00e9e de revenir au travail avant la fin des 35 semaines pr\u00e9vues apr\u00e8s l'accouchement. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557508\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Cela assure \u00e0 l'employeur un taux plus \u00e9lev\u00e9 de rentabilit\u00e9, et pour la femme, un meilleur rendement au travail. Ce qui est encore plus important, c'est qu'elle se sentira bien en exer\u00e7ant son m\u00e9tier et qu'elle sera en mesure de le faire.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557509\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Si je me r\u00e9p\u00e8te, c'est seulement parce que je veux vraiment qu'on comprenne pourquoi j'appuierai ce projet de loi. En fait, je l'appuierai seulement si on parle de transfert de semaines, et non d'un ajout de semaines. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4557510\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Premi\u00e8rement, cela assure la sant\u00e9 de la m\u00e8re et celle de l'enfant. Deuxi\u00e8mement, le transfert de semaines assure une meilleure productivit\u00e9 de l'employ\u00e9e, et cette derni\u00e8re peut atteindre le meilleur de ses capacit\u00e9s. Troisi\u00e8mement, on assure l'optimisation de la production et de la rentabilit\u00e9 des diff\u00e9rentes entreprises. Enfin, et ce qui est probablement le plus important, on fait en sorte que la femme agit de fa\u00e7on autonome, selon sa propre situation et ses propres besoins lors de sa grossesse.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2016/10/19/sylvie-boucher-2/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/sylvie-boucher/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4322/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "9168163",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Private Members' Business",
        "fr": "Initiatives Parlementaires"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "National Maternity Assistance Program Strategy Act",
        "fr": "Loi sur la strat\u00e9gie relative au programme national d'aide \u00e0 la maternit\u00e9"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2016/10/19/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2016%2F10%2F19%2F"
    }
}