House of Commons Debates VOLUME 148 Ï NUMBER 357 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 42nd PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Friday, November 23, 2018 Speaker: The Honourable Geoff Regan CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 23769 HOUSE OF COMMONS Friday, November 23, 2018 The House met at 10 a.m. Hon. Patty Hajdu (Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, we agree that this service is of critical importance not just to small business but to Canadians across the country, people in rural and remote commu- Prayer nities, and people who rely on Canada Post for payments of all different kinds. GOVERNMENT ORDERS Tabling legislation is not a decision that we have taken lightly. We have worked very closely with the parties to ensure that the Ï (1005) collective bargaining process has been supported. We have provided [English] mediation through federal mediation service. We have provided a special mediator who I have reappointed several times. After five RESUMPTION AND CONTINUATION OF POSTAL weeks of strikes with little progress, we have really run out of SERVICE OPERATIONS LEGISLATION options. MOTION THAT DEBATE BE NOT FURTHER ADJOURNED I reject the sentiment that we have not acted quickly enough. This Hon. Bardish Chagger (Leader of the Government in the is what respecting the collective bargaining process looks like, House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, in relation to the unlike the previous Harper government that sometimes did not even consideration of Government Business No. 25, I move: allow negotiations to proceed. That the debate be not further adjourned. The Speaker: Pursuant to Standing Order 67.1, there will now be From my perspective, we have acted prudently with respect for a 30-minute question period. I invite hon. members who wish to ask collective bargaining, with respect for labour but also with the questions to rise in their place so the Chair has some idea of the interests of Canadians in mind. number of members who wish to participate in this question period. Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP): Mr. Speak- The hon. member for Foothills. er, I would like to ask the hon. minister a couple of questions. The first being, if she does respect collective bargaining, why two or Mr. John Barlow (Foothills, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the three weeks ago did the government make it very clear to the post opportunity to pose questions to the minister on this issue. office that it would bring in back-to-work legislation thereby Yesterday during her presentation she talked about the crisis that crippling the attempts of the union to negotiate fairly on behalf of its our small businesses across Canada are facing. We have heard from members? small businesses across the country that have said many of them are losing as much as $3,000 a month, which for them is critical revenue Second, is the minister aware of a notice that was sent out by at their busiest time of the year. The money they make during the Canada Post last week to its members instructing them not to deliver Christmas season allows them to remain in business for the rest of government cheques such as Canada child benefit cheques, welfare the calendar year. On top of losing that $3,000 a month, in many cheques, to anyone until after November 22? It would seem to me cases they are losing the people they hire for their busiest time of the that is a tactic that the post office is using to create a crisis, and we year. have heard about those who would create a crisis. This is critical not only for our businesses here in Canada but also If the minister could give me some clarity on both of those for those businesses that operate outside of the country. Many questions, I would truly appreciate it. countries that we do business with have been told by the government not to send mail to Canada. This shows how much we rely on a Hon. Patty Hajdu: Mr. Speaker, I reject the sentiment that we dependable mail service. talked about back-to-work legislation earlier than we had to. We have worked with the parties, as I said, consistently, not just for the My question to the minister is: why did the government not act past five weeks during the rotating strikes but also over the past year, sooner? It knew this crisis was coming. Why did it wait until we are by providing the parties every tool necessary to reach a collective in a crisis situation before it took action? agreement. 23770 COMMONS DEBATES November 23, 2018 S. O. 57 We have appointed federal mediation services. We have appointed I would ask the hon. member for Edmonton West to come to special mediators. We have reappointed special mediators. We have order. As much as I enjoy the dulcet tones, I prefer them when it is worked very hard with both parties to help them reach an agreement. his turn. However, having said that, we are now at a time where we have to take action. The hon. Minister of Employment. Let us remember the abysmal record of the Harper government Conservatives when it came to fair and balanced labour relations. Hon. Patty Hajdu: Mr. Speaker, let us just take one example of They consistently undermined the collecting bargaining process, the Air Canada dispute, which was ended with pre-emptive including legislating the terms of an agreement, introducing Bill legislation before the collecting bargaining process could run its C-525 and Bill C-377, which was a direct attack on organized labour. course and before employees could exercise their legal rights. Our We have reversed that legislation. approach is very different to the previous government and we firmly believe that the best deals are the ones that are negotiated between This is something that we believe is prudent at this time. The the parties, which is why we have worked so hard over the last year Canadian economy and Canadian workers of all different stripes are and a bit to help these parties find a negotiated agreement. depending on us to ensure that Canada Post can function this season. Mr. Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the We have provided, once again, all of the tools necessary to the minister talked about her actions not being taken lightly. However, parties to find that agreement. We provided conciliation officers and let us take a look at what the government has taken lightly. Myself mediators. We appointed a special mediator, not once but several and several other members from the operations committee spent times. We offered voluntary arbitration. We have reappointed a three weeks on the road studying Canada Post at the request of the special mediator who has been working with the parties today. They government. are still working today with the mediator and we hope that they find a deal. What the government has not addressed is the report that we put forward from an independent auditor that shows that Canada Post is Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, going to be losing three-quarters of a billion dollars a year of the NDP): Mr. Speaker, I hope that the Liberal MPs on the opposite taxpayers' money in the short term. The government has done side hang their heads in shame every time they see a postal worker in nothing. It has taken this lightly. their respective ridings. It is easy for the Liberals to attend labour The government let the Canada Post board sit with eight to nine AGMs, to stand with workers and offer flowery words, but the real vacant positions, despite saying that it has not taken this lightly. The work in standing up for the rights of workers comes at moments like government has done nothing about it. Almost a year ago, we had this. This is where the government is lacking. the minister of procurement overseeing Canada Post, in committee, with the temporary president of Canada Post. The position was I am so irked by the government's words. The minister has to supposed to have been replaced about six months ago. We were admit that with the threat of back-to-work legislation hanging over assured, hand over heart, of course, by the minister that they were this totally manufactured crisis, Canada Post had no reason and no going to find a permanent president soon to address all of these incentive to negotiate in good faith. That is the critical area of the issues. argument today. The government says again and again that it not taken this issue lightly but the record shows that is has not done anything to address Why on earth would Canada Post's executives negotiate in good this. The fact is this strike is not the fault of the workers or CUPW. It faith when all they have to do is wait out the clock for the is due to the political incompetence of the minister and the government to come to their rescue? government. Hon. Patty Hajdu: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the member My question is this. When is the government going to get its act opposite wants to talk about the work we have been doing with together, appoint a permanent president and deliver a proper plan for labour and the support for workers in our country, because in fact Canada Post so that we can avoid issues such as we are facing now? there is no question that our government has taken the well-being of Ï (1010) workers very seriously.