It was agreed, — That the committee proceed to sit in public.

At 4:01 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 4:19 p.m., the meeting resumed in public.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, moved on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, which read as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the Minister of Jobs and Families, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, the Secretary of State for Seniors, the Secretary of State for Labour, and the Secretary of State for Children and Youth be invited to appear separately before the committee, each accompanied by their officials, for a minimum of one hour, to discuss their respective mandates and key priorities in their service to Canadians and that the committee direct the clerk to schedule these appearances before October 10, 2025, and if this is not possible, then at the earliest possible appearance.

That, the committee then undertake the following three studies on an urgent basis to ensure that the government has parliamentary advice on how to deal with employment and labour issues in Canada:

1. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, and the Status of Persons with Disabilities undertake and prioritize an urgent study on employment in Canada, especially since youth employment has reached its lowest level of in 25 years and young people continue to face barriers in accessing employment insurance, which increases their vulnerability. That the committee recommend solutions, provided that:
   1. no fewer than seven meetings be dedicated to this study;
   2. the Minister of Jobs and Families and the Secretary of State (Children and Youth) be invited to appear separately for two hours each, alongside their officials;
   3. students, recent graduates, employers, labour market experts, and other witnesses at each parties’ discretion be invited to provide witness testimony;
   4. the committee report their findings and recommendations to the House with a request for a government response pursuant to Standing Order 109; and
   5. in the interim, the committee immediately report to the House that it is alarmed over the 25-year low youth employment data.
      
2. That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the impact of the lack of a definition of the term “work” in Part III of the Canada Labour Code and into the Government’s routine use of section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to refer labour disputes to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) for binding arbitration, including their latest intervention ordering Air Canada and their flight attendants into binding arbitration despite the company’s refusal to pay these attendants for their pre- and post-flight work, with a view to assessing the impacts these referrals have on the rights of workers in federally regulated industries, provided that:
   1. the committee dedicate at least four meetings for this study,
   2. the following witnesses be invited to appear on separate panels, for no less than one hour each:
      1. the Minister of Jobs and Families;
      2. the Secretary of State (Labour);
      3. the Chair of the CIRB;
         
   3. the committee invite the labour groups involved in each instance that the Government invoked section 107 of the Canada Labour Code since the beginning of 2024 to provide their testimony;
   4. the committee receive additional evidence from labour experts, economists, and other witnesses provided to the clerk by members of the committee;
   5. the committee report their findings and recommendations to the House with a request for a government response pursuant to Standing Order 109; and
   6. in the interim, the committee report to the House that it calls on the Minister of Jobs and Families to amend the Canada Labour Code to require federally regulated airlines to pay flight attendants for all hours they are on duty, not just the time they spend in the air.
      
3. That, notwithstanding the decision made by the committee on September 16, 2025, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee report its findings to the House on the study on workers in the seasonal industry and the employment insurance program that was undertaken during the 1st Session of the 44th Parliament and that the evidence and documents gathered by the Committee be taken into consideration during the current session; that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

and of the amendment moved on Thursday, September 18, 2025, which read as follows:

That the motion be amended by deleting Paragraph 2.

The debate continued

Natilien Joseph moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

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

YEAS: Caroline Desrochers, Jessica Fancy, Natilien Joseph, Annie Koutrakis — 4;

NAYS: Rosemarie Falk, Garnett Genuis, Marilène Gill, Laila Goodridge, Colin Reynolds — 5.

The debate on the amendment continued.

A point of order was raised by Garnett Genuis as to the timing of the putting of the question.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair ruled that the committee had not yet proceeded to a recorded division.

Whereupon, Garnett Genuis 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: Caroline Desrochers, Jessica Fancy, Natilien Joseph, Annie Koutrakis — 4;

NAYS: Rosemarie Falk, Garnett Genuis, Marilène Gill, Laila Goodridge, Colin Reynolds — 5.

Accordingly, the question was put on the amendment and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Caroline Desrochers, Jessica Fancy, Natilien Joseph, Annie Koutrakis — 4;

NAYS: Rosemarie Falk, Garnett Genuis, Marilène Gill, Laila Goodridge, Colin Reynolds — 5.

The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.

At 5:02 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 5:04 p.m., the meeting resumed.

The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.

At 5:11 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

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

The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.

At 5:17 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 5:19 p.m., the meeting resumed.

The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.

At 5:28 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 6:09 p.m., the meeting resumed.

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

YEAS: Caroline Desrochers, Rosemarie Falk, Jessica Fancy, Garnett Genuis, Marilène Gill, Natilien Joseph, Annie Koutrakis, Kyle Seeback, Kevin Waugh — 9;

NAYS: — 0.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the decision made by the committee on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the Minister of Jobs and Families, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, the Secretary of State for Seniors, the Secretary of State for Labour, and the Secretary of State for Children and Youth be invited to appear separately before the committee, each accompanied by their officials, for a minimum of one hour, to discuss their respective mandates and key priorities in their service to Canadians, and that the committee direct the clerk to schedule these appearances before October 10, 2025, and if this is not possible, then at the earliest possible appearance.

That the committee then undertake the following three studies on an urgent basis to ensure that the government has parliamentary advice on how to deal with employment and labour issues in Canada:

1. That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, and the Status of Persons with Disabilities undertake and prioritize an urgent study on employment in Canada, especially since youth employment has reached its lowest level of in 25 years and young people continue to face barriers in accessing employment insurance, which increases their vulnerability. That the committee recommend solutions, provided that:
   1. no fewer than seven meetings be dedicated to this study;
   2. the Minister of Jobs and Families and the Secretary of State (Children and Youth) be invited to appear separately for two hours each, alongside their officials;
   3. students, recent graduates, employers, labour market experts, and other witnesses at each parties’ discretion be invited to provide witness testimony;
   4. the committee report their findings and recommendations to the House with a request for a government response pursuant to Standing Order 109; and
   5. in the interim, the committee immediately report to the House that it is alarmed over the 25-year low youth employment data.
      
2. That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the impact of the lack of a definition of the term “work” in Part III of the Canada Labour Code and into the Government’s use of section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to refer labour disputes to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) for binding arbitration, including their latest intervention ordering Air Canada and their flight attendants into binding arbitration despite the company’s refusal to pay these attendants for their pre and post flight work, provided that:
   1. the committee dedicate at least four meetings for this study;
   2. the following witnesses be invited to appear on separate panels, for no less than one hour each:
      1. the Minister of Jobs and Families,
      2. the Secretary of State (Labour),
      3. the Chair of the CIRB;
         
   3. the committee invite labour groups;
   4. the committee receive additional evidence from labour experts, economists, and other witnesses provided to the clerk by members of the committee;
   5. the committee report their findings and recommendations to the House with a request for a government response pursuant to Standing Order 109; and
   6. this study will begin no earlier than November 1st, 2025.
      
3. That, notwithstanding the decision made by the committee on September 16, 2025, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee report its findings to the House on the study on workers in the seasonal industry and the employment insurance program that was undertaken during the 1st Session of the 44th Parliament and that the evidence and documents gathered by the Committee be taken into consideration during the current session; that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

ORDERED, —That the clerk schedule the appearances of Ministers and Secretaries of States to discuss their respective mandates and key priorities in their service to Canadians before Friday, October 10, 2025, and if this is not possible, then at the earliest possible appearance.

ORDERED, — That the Chair present the report to the House that the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities is alarmed over the 25-year low youth employment data.