Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2017-05-10 16:10:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. John Nater (Perth\u2014Wellington, CPC)",
        "fr": "M. John Nater (Perth\u2014Wellington, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"4865648\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege and an honour to speak on this important concurrence motion in the House.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865649\" data-originallang=\"en\">Let me begin by thanking my friend and colleague, the member for <a data-HoCid=\"213926\" href=\"/politicians/mark-warawa/\" title=\"Mark Warawa\">Langley\u2014Aldergrove</a> for raising this concurrence motion. He is a strong member of the House, and he is our critic for seniors as well. That is one area where we know that the Liberal government is failing Canadians, and that is in its respect for seniors. In fact, the <a data-HoCid=\"214296\" href=\"/politicians/justin-trudeau/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau\">Prime Minister</a> has not even named a minister responsible for seniors. Let that sink in for just a minute. The government and the Prime Minister have failed seniors, the fastest growing segment of our population. They have not seen fit to appoint a minister responsible for seniors.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865650\" data-originallang=\"en\">On this side of the House, I am proud have colleagues like the member for <a data-HoCid=\"213926\" href=\"/politicians/mark-warawa/\" title=\"Mark Warawa\">Langley\u2014Aldergrove</a> and the former minister responsible for seniors, the member for <a data-HoCid=\"214042\" href=\"/politicians/alice-wong/\" title=\"Alice Wong\">Richmond Centre</a>, who has done so much in promoting seniors, and their contributions to Canadian society.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865651\" data-originallang=\"en\">Before I get into the heart of my comments, I want to thank my friend and colleague, the member for <a data-HoCid=\"214100\" href=\"/politicians/jamie-schmale/\" title=\"Jamie Schmale\">Haliburton\u2014Kawartha Lakes\u2014Brock</a>, for his eagerness as well to speak to this concurrence motion. I know he has a lot to say on this important report, and I am sure as the debate goes on the House will see fit to provide him with that opportunity to speak on this important issue.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865652\" data-originallang=\"en\">The matter before the House is the concurrence motion on the committee's report. This is the fifth report tabled by the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and Status of Persons with Disabilities titled \u201cExploring the Impact of Recent Changes to Employment Insurance and Ways to Improve Access to the Program\u201d.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865653\" data-originallang=\"en\">Our former Conservative government undertook changes to the employment insurance program in 2013. I was not a member of the House at that time, but I experienced being an assistant in a member of Parliament's office, and in the last year and a half since I was elected, working with the employment insurance program through my office and assisting constituents who, through no fault of their own, ran into challenges with the employment insurance program.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865654\" data-originallang=\"en\">I personally have paid into the employment insurance program for as long as I have had paid employment. I have never collected from the program, and most Canadians would prefer not to ever have to collect from the program. Nonetheless, working Canadians pay into the program. In our current position as parliamentarians we are exempt from the employment insurance program which is one of those interesting quirks of the employment insurance system. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865655\" data-originallang=\"en\">I often come across Canadians through my work as a parliamentarian and my past work as an assistant of people running into challenges with the employment insurance program. It is incumbent upon us as parliamentarians to ensure that we serve and help them in every way we can. That is what we undertook in 2013 with those changes. We tried to make it more responsive, more available for Canadians to find a job and get off employment insurance. The goal of anyone who receives regular benefits is to return to work and find meaningful employment.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865656\" data-originallang=\"en\">I should note as well that regular benefits are not the only form of employment insurance. Maternity and parental benefits, which my wife has made use of, provides flexibility for families in making decisions on the birth of a child. There are compassionate care benefits which is one of the most important and lasting benefits that our former government brought into the program during our time in government. It allows someone caring for a loved one to have the ability to take time off work and receive employment insurance benefits for a period of time.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865657\" data-originallang=\"en\">At the end of the day, we need to make sure that when we are dealing with employment insurance, it is responsive, equitable, and fair, and that it allows Canadians to find employment, perhaps even to find the skills they need to find new employment. In my riding of Perth\u2014Wellington, I am proud to have a beautiful riding, and a beautiful area with many large, small, and medium-sized employers. One of the challenges we find in our riding is actually a skills mismatch. We have a high availability of jobs. We have a high number of jobs available, but not necessarily the skills to link with those jobs, both in terms of small businesses, but also larger employers as well. Therefore, one of the things we need to be cognizant of as a Parliament is ensuring that we have the skills training available to help Canadians meet the challenges of 21st century jobs.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865658\" data-originallang=\"en\">One area in particular that I find in my riding where that skills mismatch is occurring is welding. We have a large number of welding positions that have gone unfilled because people do not have the training for that particular job. These are relatively high paying jobs, but people simply do not have the training to fill those positions. The way in which we can fill some of these skills shortages is one area that, going forward, we ought to look at as a Parliament. I do not think it is a surprise to anyone in this House that there could be as many as one million unfilled skilled labour jobs going forward in this country. That is a real detriment to our economy, and to the Canadian economy as a whole if we are not able to fill jobs that need to be filled.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865659\" data-originallang=\"en\">On the specific report that has been tabled, and that we are debating concurrence on, there are some concerns. That is why the members of our party, the official opposition, saw fit to table a dissenting report. I know that our colleagues, the New Democrats, tabled a supplementary report as well, because there are opportunities that they felt as well that ought to be explored. Among the many concerns that our official opposition members had with the report were some of the things that were left out, some of the things that just simply were not there.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865660\" data-originallang=\"en\"> The most important part we have to remember is why we introduced the 2013 reforms. We introduced them to encourage, and make it easier for unemployed individuals to return to work, to help them, and provide them with the tools to find a job. Anyone who is receiving benefits through employment insurance truly wants to be able to find a suitable job prospect. In fact, it was mentioned in the committee by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. It said, \u201cWe believe that a system that is too generous can create disincentives for people to seek or accept work when they otherwise might do so.\u201d We support its position. Certainly, that is something we as Conservatives want to encourage. We want to see a way in which we can encourage people to get back to work and find a job.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865661\" data-originallang=\"en\">One of the other concerns we had with this report was that there were few people who actually lost benefits based on changes in the new definitions in 2013 that were brought in. I would like to read one quote. Hans Marotte, a representative for the Inter-Provincial EI Working Group said, \u201cIt is true that I didn't handle a great many cases stemming from the Conservative reform.\u201d There was not much of a change. It is important to highlight the fact it was a very small number of people who were affected by this change. In fact, I would dare say more people were helped by these changes in the benefits and the pilot projects that were introduced at that time when this was changed. This is an absolutely important thing that we need to recognize.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865662\" data-originallang=\"en\">Finally, I move:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"4865663\" data-originallang=\"en\"> That the House do now adjourn. </p>\n</blockquote>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"4865648\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, c'est un privil\u00e8ge et un honneur de prendre la parole au sujet de cette importante motion d'adoption. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865649\" data-originallang=\"en\">J'aimerais d'abord remercier mon ami et coll\u00e8gue le d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"213926\" href=\"/politicians/mark-warawa/\" title=\"Mark Warawa\">Langley\u2014Aldergrove</a> d'avoir pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 cette motion. Cet excellent d\u00e9put\u00e9 est \u00e9galement notre porte-parole pour les questions touchant les a\u00een\u00e9s. Dans ce domaine, d'ailleurs, la feuille de route du gouvernement lib\u00e9ral est peu reluisante; le respect des a\u00een\u00e9s n'est pas son point fort. En fait, le <a data-HoCid=\"214296\" href=\"/politicians/justin-trudeau/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau\">premier ministre</a> n'a m\u00eame pas nomm\u00e9 de ministre responsable des a\u00een\u00e9s. Arr\u00eatons-nous \u00e0 cela un moment. Le gouvernement et le premier ministre ont laiss\u00e9 tomber les a\u00een\u00e9s, eux qui constituent le segment de la population qui conna\u00eet la croissance la plus rapide. Ils n'ont pas jug\u00e9 bon de nommer un ministre responsable des a\u00een\u00e9s.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865650\" data-originallang=\"en\">De ce c\u00f4t\u00e9-ci de la Chambre, je suis fier d'avoir des coll\u00e8gues comme le d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"213926\" href=\"/politicians/mark-warawa/\" title=\"Mark Warawa\">Langley\u2014Aldergrove</a> et l'ancienne ministre responsable des a\u00een\u00e9s, la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de <a data-HoCid=\"214042\" href=\"/politicians/alice-wong/\" title=\"Alice Wong\">Richmond-Centre</a>, qui a tant fait pour d\u00e9fendre les a\u00een\u00e9s et faire conna\u00eetre leur contribution \u00e0 la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 canadienne. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865651\" data-originallang=\"en\">Avant d'entrer dans le vif du sujet, je souhaite remercier mon coll\u00e8gue et ami, le d\u00e9put\u00e9 d'<a data-HoCid=\"214100\" href=\"/politicians/jamie-schmale/\" title=\"Jamie Schmale\">Haliburton\u2014Kawartha Lakes\u2014Brock</a>, de son enthousiasme au sujet de cette motion d'adoption. Je sais qu'il souhaite lui aussi intervenir dans le d\u00e9bat et qu'il a beaucoup de choses \u00e0 dire sur ce rapport important. Je suis certain qu'au cours du d\u00e9bat, la Chambre jugera bon de lui donner l'occasion de s'exprimer sur cette question cruciale.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865652\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le d\u00e9bat actuel porte sur la motion d'adoption du rapport du comit\u00e9. Il s'agit du cinqui\u00e8me rapport d\u00e9pos\u00e9 par le Comit\u00e9 permanent des ressources humaines, du d\u00e9veloppement des comp\u00e9tences, du d\u00e9veloppement social et de la condition des personnes handicap\u00e9es, intitul\u00e9 \u00ab Exploration des cons\u00e9quences des r\u00e9cents changements \u00e0 l'assurance-emploi et des moyens d'am\u00e9liorer l'acc\u00e8s au programme \u00bb. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865653\" data-originallang=\"en\">L'ancien gouvernement conservateur a apport\u00e9 des changements au programme d'assurance-emploi en 2013. Je n'\u00e9tais pas d\u00e9put\u00e9 \u00e0 l'\u00e9poque, mais je travaillais \u00e0 titre d'adjoint dans un bureau de d\u00e9put\u00e9. Dans le cadre de ces fonctions, j'ai eu l'occasion de me familiariser avec le programme d'assurance-emploi en aidant des \u00e9lecteurs qui \u00e9prouvaient des difficult\u00e9s avec le programme, pour des raisons ind\u00e9pendantes de leur volont\u00e9. Depuis mon \u00e9lection, il y a un an et demi, je continue d'aider des \u00e9lecteurs de ma circonscription aux prises avec le m\u00eame genre de probl\u00e8mes.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865654\" data-originallang=\"en\">Durant tout le temps que j\u2019ai \u00e9t\u00e9 salari\u00e9, j\u2019ai cotis\u00e9 au programme d\u2019assurance-emploi. Je n\u2019ai jamais re\u00e7u de prestations, et la plupart des Canadiens pr\u00e9f\u00e9reraient ne jamais avoir \u00e0 en recevoir. Toutefois, les travailleurs canadiens cotisent au programme. En tant que parlementaires, nous sommes dispens\u00e9s du programme d\u2019assurance-emploi, ce qui est bizarre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865655\" data-originallang=\"en\">En tant que parlementaire et, autrefois, en tant qu\u2019adjoint, j\u2019ai souvent crois\u00e9 des gens qui avaient maille \u00e0 partir avec le programme d\u2019assurance-emploi. \u00c0 titre de parlementaires, il nous incombe de les servir et de les aider du mieux que nous pouvons. C\u2019est ce que nous avons entrepris de faire avec les changements propos\u00e9s en 2013. Nous avons essay\u00e9 de rendre le programme plus souple, pour aider plus facilement les Canadiens \u00e0 trouver un emploi au lieu de recevoir des prestations du r\u00e9gime. Toutes les personnes qui touchent des prestations r\u00e9guli\u00e8res ont pour objectif de retrouver du travail et d\u2019occuper un emploi int\u00e9ressant.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865656\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il faut noter \u00e9galement que les prestations r\u00e9guli\u00e8res ne sont pas la seule forme d\u2019assurance-emploi. Les prestations de maternit\u00e9, auxquelles mon \u00e9pouse a d\u2019ailleurs eu recours, et les prestations parentales permettent aux familles de d\u00e9cider plus facilement d\u2019avoir ou non un enfant. Il y a aussi les prestations de compassion, qui comptent parmi les prestations les plus importantes et durables que le gouvernement pr\u00e9c\u00e9dent ait int\u00e9gr\u00e9es au programme. Elles permettent \u00e0 quelqu\u2019un qui prend soin d\u2019un \u00eatre cher de s'absenter de son travail et de recevoir pendant un certain temps des prestations d\u2019assurance-emploi.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865657\" data-originallang=\"en\">En fin de compte, nous devons veiller \u00e0 ce que l'assurance-emploi soit adapt\u00e9e, juste et \u00e9quitable, et \u00e0 ce qu'elle permette aux Canadiens de trouver un emploi, voire d'acqu\u00e9rir les comp\u00e9tences voulues pour trouver un emploi. Je suis fier de repr\u00e9senter la belle circonscription de Perth\u2014Wellington, qui compte de nombreux petits, moyens et grands employeurs. L'une des difficult\u00e9s, dans ma circonscription, est en fait le d\u00e9s\u00e9quilibre des comp\u00e9tences. Un nombre \u00e9lev\u00e9 d'emplois sont offerts, mais nous n'avons pas n\u00e9cessairement les comp\u00e9tences pour ces emplois. Cela vaut tant chez les petites entreprises que chez les gros employeurs. Par cons\u00e9quent, le Parlement doit \u00eatre conscient de l'importance d'offrir de la formation pour aider les Canadiens \u00e0 relever les d\u00e9fis li\u00e9s aux emplois du XXI<sup>e</sup> si\u00e8cle.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865658\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans ma circonscription, ce d\u00e9s\u00e9quilibre est particuli\u00e8rement marqu\u00e9 pour les postes de soudeur. Bon nombre d'employeurs \u00e0 la recherche de soudeurs finissent par n'embaucher personne parce que les gens n'ont pas la formation voulue. Il s'agit d'emplois relativement bien r\u00e9mun\u00e9r\u00e9s, mais les gens n'ont tout simplement pas les comp\u00e9tences requises pour faire ce m\u00e9tier. Le Parlement devrait s'int\u00e9resser aux moyens permettant de combler ces p\u00e9nuries. Je n'apprendrai rien \u00e0 personne en disant qu'il pourrait y avoir jusqu'\u00e0 un million d'emplois sp\u00e9cialis\u00e9s au Canada qui n'ont pas trouv\u00e9 preneur. C'est extr\u00eamement n\u00e9faste pour l'\u00e9conomie de ma circonscription, et celle du Canada en g\u00e9n\u00e9ral.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865659\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pour ce qui est du rapport qui vient d'\u00eatre pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 et dont nous d\u00e9battons, je dois dire qu'il suscite certaines r\u00e9serves. C'est pour cette raison que notre parti, qui forme l'opposition officielle, a jug\u00e9 bon de produire un rapport dissident. Je sais que nos coll\u00e8gues n\u00e9o-d\u00e9mocrates ont pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 aussi un rapport compl\u00e9mentaire, parce qu'ils estiment que certaines avenues n'ont pas \u00e9t\u00e9 explor\u00e9es. L'opposition officielle reproche notamment au rapport de passer certaines choses sous silence.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865660\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Ce dont nous devons absolument nous souvenir, c'est la raison pour laquelle nous avons apport\u00e9 les changements en 2013. Nous les avons apport\u00e9s afin d'encourager les ch\u00f4meurs, de faire en sorte qu'il leur soit plus facile de r\u00e9int\u00e9grer le march\u00e9 du travail, de les aider et de leur fournir les outils n\u00e9cessaires pour qu'ils trouvent un emploi. Il n'y a pas de doute que les personnes recevant des prestations d'assurance-emploi souhaitent r\u00e9ellement trouver un emploi convenable. Le repr\u00e9sentant de la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration canadienne des contribuables l'a d'ailleurs mentionn\u00e9 au comit\u00e9. Il a dit: \u00ab Nous estimons qu'un syst\u00e8me trop g\u00e9n\u00e9reux peut encourager des gens \u00e0 ne pas rechercher un emploi ou \u00e0 ne pas en accepter un, alors qu'ils pourraient le faire. \u00bb Nous appuyons cette position. C'est sans aucun doute quelque chose que les conservateurs veulent favoriser. Nous voulons trouver un moyen d'encourager les gens \u00e0 trouver un emploi.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865661\" data-originallang=\"en\"> L'une des autres r\u00e9serves que nous avions au sujet du rapport, c'est qu'il y a peu de personnes qui ont perdu des prestations \u00e0 la suite des changements apport\u00e9s aux nouvelles d\u00e9finitions en 2013. Je vais lire une citation. Hans Marotte, repr\u00e9sentant du Groupe de travail interprovincial sur l'assurance-emploi, a affirm\u00e9 ceci: \u00ab [\u2026] il est vrai que je n'ai pas eu \u00e0 traiter un tr\u00e8s grand nombre de cas li\u00e9s \u00e0 la r\u00e9forme conservatrice. \u00bb Il n'y a pas eu de changement important. Il faut souligner le fait que tr\u00e8s peu de personnes ont \u00e9t\u00e9 touch\u00e9es par ce changement. En fait, je dirais que les changements apport\u00e9s aux prestations et les projets pilotes lanc\u00e9s \u00e0 l'\u00e9poque de ces changements ont aid\u00e9 davantage de personnes. Il est absolument essentiel de le reconna\u00eetre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4865662\" data-originallang=\"en\">En terminant, je propose:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"4865663\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Que la Chambre s'ajourne maintenant. </p>\n</blockquote>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2017/5/10/john-nater-1/",
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    "source_id": "9519065",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Routine Proceedings",
        "fr": "Affaires Courantes"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Committees of the House",
        "fr": "Les comit\u00e9s de la Chambre"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2017/5/10/",
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        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2017%2F5%2F10%2F"
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}