Debates of October 26, 2004 (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for Mr. Dent in his capacity as Government House Leader and it follows on my statement about the equal pay settlement that our government signed more than two years ago now. The settlement, Mr. Speaker, set out a deadline of the end of December this year for application by employees who feel they may be eligible. Among its many provisions, the settlement recognized affected unionized employees and obliged this government to try to contact them. I would like to ask the Government House Leader how successful has the government been in concluding arrangements with the affected employees between the years 1989 and 1998? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the equal pay unit has made payments to approximately 80 to 85 percent of the estimated 4,300 former and current unionized employees who would be eligible for these payments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister, for the answer. The settlement also recognized that casual workers who where employed by this government between that period were also included as being eligible. What efforts have been made to contact these casual workers and how successful has that part of the agreement been? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of trying to contact people, since February through August of this year there was one person whose primary function in the office was to try and locate eligible employees who had not yet been located, and of approximately 900 people for whom contact had not been established, they were successful in reaching 135.

Mr. Speaker, the plans are to run some more advertisements in the very near future to remind people that the deadline for applying is December 31st. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m told that there was one distinct category that had to be created in which to, if you will, park the files of employees whose new positions had not yet been reclassified. This category went by, apparently the number 7777. Employees who may have found their position put into this category, I’m told, may have been overlooked in the settlement process and consequently in the search process, and would not show up on any eligibility lists. Could the Minister confirm that this category indeed was used for this purpose, and what efforts are being made to ensure that those employees are not forgotten by the December deadline? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Equal Pay Settlement Agreement outlines which groups of jobs are to receive compensation under the settlement, and this agreement is a legal binding document and is sanctioned by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Because the settlement agreement does not contain provisions for any payments to employees who are in class code 7777, therefore, the government cannot make any payments to those individual employees. So there is no effort being made to try and provide payments to those individuals because it is outside the scope of what the order is from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Despite the fact they may or may not have been included in the articles of the settlement, does that mean that they should still be eligible under at least the spirit and intent of the agreement? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 303-15(3): Status Of Pay Equity Settlement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a result of the order from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and their findings, this government has been directed as to how it shall resolve the complaint. That direction is prescriptive and we have to follow what is set out in that approach as it as agreed to by the three parties -- the Public Services Alliance of Canada, this government and the tribunal -- so there is no legal way for this government to even look at going around that and we have not.