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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 97
Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 4:37 p.m. to 6:33 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Hon. John McKay (Liberal)

Library of Parliament
• Martin Auger, Analyst
• Andrés León, Analyst
 
House of Commons
• Philip den Ouden, Procedural Clerk
Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services
• Laurie Ogilvie, Senior Vice President, Military Family Services
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the committee resumed its study of the lack of housing availability on or near bases for Canadian Armed Forces members and their families and the challenges facing members and their families when they are required to move across the country.

Laurie Ogilvie made a statement and answered questions.

Motion

Lindsay Mathyssen moved, — That, given that 40% of Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) workers are members of a military family; given that the treatment of military families is a matter of national security; given that the CFMWS workers in Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, Montreal-St. Jean and Bagotville passed a 94% strike action mandate for fair wages, an equitable pay scale, and good, security jobs; given that these workers have been on strike since January 15th and the employer has refused to return to the negotiation table with a fair offer; and given that the CFMWS have chosen to invest in replacement labour, private security officers and third party negotiation consultants instead of providing a fair offer, the committee express its solidarity with the UNDE’s Non-Public Funds workers on strike and call on the Employer to bargain in good faith.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Pat Kelly moved, — That the motion be amended by:

Adding the word “civilian military workers are a critical force multiplier that supports our brave men and women in uniform” after the words “given that”

Deleting the word “employer” and adding the words “Minister of National Defence” after the words “call on the”

Adding the words “Come to the table, bring an end to this strike ” after the word “to”

adding the words “with our civilian military workers” after the words “in good faith”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 5:14 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:17 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Subamendment

Lindsay Mathyssen moved, — That the motion be amended by adding the word “instruct the employer” before the words “come to the table”.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the subamendment of Lindsay Mathyssen and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

The amendment, as amended, reads as follow:

That, given that civilian military workers are a critical force multiplier that supports our brave men and women in uniform; 40% of Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) workers are members of a military family; given that the treatment of military families is a matter of national security; given that the CFMWS workers in Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, Montreal‑St. Jean and Bagotville passed a 94% strike action mandate for fair wages, an equitable pay scale, and good, security jobs; given that these workers have been on strike since January 15th and the employer has refused to return to the negotiation table with a fair offer; and given that the CFMWS have chosen to invest in replacement labour, private security officers and third party negotiation consultants instead of providing a fair offer, the committee express its solidarity with the UNDE’s Non‑Public Funds workers on strike and call on the Minister of National Defence to instruct the employer to come to the table, bring an end to this strike and bargain in good faith with our civilian military workers.

Debate arose thereon.

Subamendment

Marie-France Lalonde moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “to instruct” with the words “to encourage”.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the subamendment of Marie-France Lalonde and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The debate resumed on the amendment, as amended.

The question was put on the amendment of Pat Kelly, as amended, and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, given that civilian military workers are a critical force multiplier that supports our brave men and women in uniform; 40% of Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) workers are members of a military family; given that the treatment of military families is a matter of national security; given that the CFMWS workers in Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, Montreal-St. Jean and Bagotville passed a 94% strike action mandate for fair wages, an equitable pay scale, and good, security jobs; given that these workers have been on strike since January 15th and the employer has refused to return to the negotiation table with a fair offer; and given that the CFMWS have chosen to invest in replacement labour, private security officers and third party negotiation consultants instead of providing a fair offer, the committee express its solidarity with the UNDE’s Non-Public Funds workers on strike and call on the Minister of National Defence to instruct the employer to come to the table, bring an end to this strike and bargain in good faith with our civilian military workers.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Marie-France Lalonde moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing all the words after “Minister of National Defence” with the following: “to urge the employer to bargain in good faith and come to a fair resolution.”.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the amendment of Marie-France Lalonde and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.

Motion

James Bezan moved, — Given that in January 2023, Canada announced it would donate a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to Ukraine worth $406 million; that on April 11, 2023, then defence minister Anita Anand said the NASAMS was en route to Ukraine; and that the NASAMS has not yet been delivered to Ukraine; that the committee invite the Minister of National Defence to provide a briefing on the current status of the NASAMS for Ukraine within 14 days.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Chad Collins moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the word “within 14 days”.

Debate arose thereon.

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

YEAS: Chad Collins, Andy Fillmore, Darren Fisher, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Lindsay Mathyssen, Christine Normandin, Anita Vandenbeld — 7;

NAYS: James Bezan, Cheryl Gallant, Pat Kelly, Shelby Kramp-Neuman — 4.

The motion, as amended, read as follows: Given that in January 2023, Canada announced it would donate a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to Ukraine worth $406 million; that on April 11, 2023, then defence minister Anita Anand said the NASAMS was en route to Ukraine; and that the NASAMS has not yet been delivered to Ukraine; that the committee invite the Minister of National Defence to provide a briefing on the current status of the NASAMS for Ukraine.

Debate arose thereon

Amendment

Chad Collins moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing all the words after “Given that” with the following: “Given that, Canada has committed $4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, that the Committee receive a comprehensive update on all military support to Ukraine, including NASAMS.”.

At 6:21 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 6:25 p.m., the sitting resumed.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

Amendment is inadmissible because it overly expands the scope of the motion.

Debat resumed on motion as amended.

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

YEAS: James Bezan, Chad Collins, Andy Fillmore, Darren Fisher, Cheryl Gallant, Pat Kelly, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Lindsay Mathyssen, Christine Normandin, Anita Vandenbeld — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

On motion of James Bezan, it was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $3750, for the study of the contracting of consulting services within the Canadian Armed Forces, be adopted.

At 6:33 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Andrew Wilson
Clerk of the committee