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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 96
Monday, January 29, 2024, 3:32 p.m. to 5:31 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Robert J. Morrissey, Chair (Liberal)

House of Commons
• Jacques Maziade, Procedural Clerk
• Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk
• Jean-François Pagé, Legislative Clerk
 
Library of Parliament
• Antoine Dedewanou, Analyst
• Eleni Kachulis, Analyst
• Vanessa Preston, Analyst
Department of Employment and Social Development
• Anamika Mona Nandy, Director General, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment Branch
• Deanne Field, Executive Director, Employment Insurance Benefits Processing
• Soojin Yu, Director, Special Benefits
• Magalie Brochu, Manager, Special Benefits
• Neil Burron, Manager, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform
Pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, September 20, 2023, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents).

The witnesses answered questions.

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

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of the Preamble was postponed.

The Chair called Clause 1.

On Clause 1,

Leah Gazan moved, — That Bill C-318, in Clause 1, be amended by adding after line 16 on page 1 the following:

“(1.2) For greater certainty, in this Part, a reference to the placement of one or more children with a claimant for the purpose of adoption includes a situation in which one or more Indigenous children are placed, in accordance with the customs or traditions of the Indigenous group, community or people to which they belong, with a claimant, other than their parent, for the purpose of giving the claimant primary responsibility for providing their day-to-day care.”

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.

Whereupon, Leah Gazan appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division:

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

NAYS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6.

At 3:53 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:03 p.m., the sitting resumed.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Leah Gazan and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 1, as amended, carried.

By unanimous consent, Clauses 2 to 7 inclusive carried severally.

On Clause 8,

Leah Gazan moved, — That Bill C-318, in Clause 8, be amended by adding after line 33 on page 5 the following:

“(1.2) For greater certainty, in this Part, a reference to the placement of one or more children with a self-employed person for the purpose of adoption includes a situation in which one or more Indigenous children are placed, in accordance with the customs or traditions of the Indigenous group, community or people to which they belong, with a self-employed person, other than their parent, for the purpose of giving the self-employed person primary responsibility for providing their day-to-day care.”

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.

Whereupon, Leah Gazan appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division:

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

NAYS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Leah Gazan and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 8, as amended, carried.

By unanimous consent, Clauses 9 to 13 inclusive carried severally.

On Clause 14,

Leah Gazan moved, — That Bill C-318, in Clause 14, be amended by adding after line 14 on page 10 the following:

“(3.3) For greater certainty, in this section, a reference to a child who is in the care of an employee for the purpose of adoption includes an Indigenous child placed, in accordance with the customs or traditions of the Indigenous group, community or people to which the child belongs, with an employee, other than the child's parent, for the purpose of giving the employee primary responsibility for providing the child's day-to-day care.”

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible because it was beyond the scope of the Bill, as provided on page 770 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Third Edition.

Whereupon, Leah Gazan appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division:

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

NAYS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Leah Gazan and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 14, as amended, carried.

By unanimous consent, Clauses 15 and 16 carried severally.

On Clause 17,

Leah Gazan moved, — That Bill C-318, in Clause 17, be amended by adding after line 17 on page 12 the following:

“(3.3) For greater certainty, in this section, a reference to a child who is in the care of an employee for the purpose of adoption includes an Indigenous child placed, in accordance with the customs or traditions of the Indigenous group, community or people to which the child belongs, with an employee, other than the child's parent, for the purpose of giving the employee primary responsibility for providing the child's day-to-day care.”

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible because it was beyond the scope of the Bill, as provided on page 770 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Third Edition.

Whereupon, Leah Gazan appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division:

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

NAYS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Leah Gazan and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Louise Chabot, Rosemarie Falk, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Tracy Gray — 6;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 17, as amended, carried.

The Preamble carried.

The Title carried.

After debate, the Bill, as amended, was adopted.

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

ORDERED, — That Bill C-318, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House of Commons at report stage.

Motion

Tracy Gray moved, —

That, given that:

(a) Canada’s housing crisis continues to worsen.

(b) According to the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, starts on new housing construction were down 7% in 2023, putting Canada further from the 2030 target to restore housing affordability.

(c) No housing has been built as a result of the Housing Acceleration Fund. the committee invite the Minister of Housing and the Acting President of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to testify before the committee separately for no less than two hours each, within 14 days of the passage of this motion.

Amendment

Peter Fragiskatos moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing it with the following: "Given that, Canada is in a housing crisis; the committee undertake a study of co-op and affordable housing. That the committee invite the President and CEO of the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation once appointed to testify before the committee for no less than two hours".

At 5:09 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:14 p.m., the sitting resumed.

At 5:31 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Ariane Calvert
Clerk of the committee