Carla Qualtrough

Mr. Speaker, fixing the Phoenix pay problem remains my top priority. I can assure the member and all members that we are leaving no stone unturned as we work tirelessly to resolve this issue for Canada's public servants. Our public servants will fix this on behalf of Canadians. Let me assure the member opposite that I will look into his three cases immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Auditor General for his report. We are accepting all of his recommendations.This is one of the most studied government projects in the history of the Government of Canada. We called in the Auditor General and had two reports performed, third party reports. We know very clearly what happened. The former government treated this as a cost-cutting measure, instead of the government-wide initiative that it so clearly was. The Conservatives set this project up to fail, and now they are paying the consequences publicly. Shame on all of them.

Mr. Speaker, we are doing our best to make things better for public servants who are suffering because of Phoenix. People not getting paid is unacceptable. We have procedures in place to help public servants. If the member gives me the individual's name, we will do our best to fix the problem.

Mr. Speaker, of course, I am happy to share that award with the previous government. It was the previous government, of course, that treated the Phoenix pay system as a cost-cutting measure instead of the massive enterprise-wide initiative that it was.We are doing, step by step, the things that the previous government should have done, including being completely committed, no matter what the cost, to paying our public servants what they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, harassment and bullying of any kind are unacceptable, period. My office has reached out to the individual from Winnipeg who raised these concerns. Our government ran on a commitment to take action on workplace harassment in federally regulated workplaces. That is why all parties worked to get Bill C-75 to committee, which would create a more robust regime that would better address harassment and violence in the workplace, including at Canada Post.

Madam Speaker, I can assure everyone in the House that we are leaving no stone unturned to resolve the issues related to the Phoenix pay system. We are seeing progress. Yes, it is slow. We have reduced the backlog by 100,000 cases since January of this year. We have reduced the backlog of departments that are within the pay pod system by 21%. In the same time, we have paid out $1.5 billion in back pay with respect to collective agreements that were not negotiated by the previous government. We are doing everything we can. We have 1,500 people working on this in the pay centre, and we are absolutely committed to getting this done.

Mr. Speaker, our government takes its official languages responsibilities very seriously. These poor translations are unacceptable. We expect good-quality French to be used on Public Services and Procurement Canada's websites. Our government recognizes the importance of communicating in both official languages, and we support the act that governs them. I have asked the department to review its internal processes and find solutions so that this type of thing does not happen again.

Mr. Speaker, harassment and bullying of any kind are unacceptable, period. My office has reached out to the individual from Winnipeg who raised these concerns. Canada Post has policies in place to address issues of harassment, and we will make sure that this policy is being followed.Our government ran on a commitment to take action on workplace harassment in federally regulated workplaces. That is why all parties worked to get Bill C-65 to committee, which would create a more robust regime that would better address harassment and violence in the workplace, including at Canada Post.

Mr. Speaker, we are focusing on improving our government. We have invested $192 million to clean up that mess, and hired 380 employees to ensure that public servants are paid the money they are owed.

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that stabilizing the Phoenix pay system remains my absolute priority. We are seeing progress but it is taking too long. Public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time. However, we are seeing progress. We have dealt with 100,000 transactions in the backlog since January. We have 1,500 people working at the pay centre. We have paid out $1.5 billion in retroactive pay as a result of the collective agreements that were not bargained and were not completed by the previous government.We are taking every step possible to ensure that our public servants are paid.

Madam Speaker, we have put in place emergency pay services. We are working with every level within all of our departments.Quite frankly, this will be solved for public servants by public servants.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with this family. Resolving this as quickly as possible is our priority. These issues have caused real hardships for many public servants and their families. They should not have to face this kind of situation. We will leave no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that hard-working public servants are not paid the money they are owed. Recently, an independent third-party report clarified that decisions made by the previous government put this project at a significant risk and exposed it to significant risk of failure.We are doing everything we can in the areas of governance, partnerships, business processes, and capacity to make sure that public servants get the money they are owed. We will not stop until this is fixed.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure everyone that resolving this situation is my top priority. People deserve to be paid properly and on time. When the previous government irresponsibly treated this project as a cost-cutting measure instead of the complex, enterprise-wide business transformation that it was, it set the project up to fail and exposed it to enormous risk. We are currently taking steps that the previous government did not take.

Mr. Speaker, on day two of my new job as Minister of Public Services and Procurement, I was in Miramichi with the Prime Minister to see just how hard public servants are working to fix the Phoenix problems. The well-being of those workers is of paramount importance to this government. We will leave nothing to chance as we work to solve this problem.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that hard-working public servants are not being paid the money they are owed, and resolving this is definitely a priority for our government. We have taken a number of steps toward resolving this issue, including investing $142 million to recruit, hire, and train more employees; initiating emergency pay advances; implementing technological solutions; improving business processes; and taking a whole-of-government approach by creating a working group of ministers.Make no mistake, this will be fixed and we will leave no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to equipping the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard with the ships they need to serve Canadians. The strategy is a long-term commitment that will reinvigorate our marine industry, support Canadian innovation, and create jobs for Canadians across the country. This strategy has contributed $7.5 billion to our GDP and creates 7,000 jobs a year. We regularly monitor shipyards to make sure they are meeting the strategy's requirements with regard to jobs and economic benefits.

Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.

Mr. Speaker, I completely agree that Canada's public servants deserve to be paid on time and accurately for the important work they do. More than 170,000 cases have been cleared from the backlog since January 2018, and we are working very hard to accelerate the progress being made every month.We continue doing this important work. We will not stop until this is fixed.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly have the utmost respect for our public servants, certainly more than the previous government, that is for sure.We had a choice in February 2016, and let me tell the House what that was. We had a choice between the new system or no system. The previous Conservative government had fired compensation advisers, had decommissioned the former system. As an aside, we were being advised that it was okay, by our officials, to proceed.

Mr. Speaker, it was the Conservative government that put in place the integrity regime, and our government is working to in fact enhance it. We are increasing the scope of activities that could result in debarment from contracts with the government with our enhanced integrity regime. We are looking at putting in place a stronger integrity regime that definitely will benefit Canadians and make sure that Canadians' money is spent with integrity.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure you that resolving this situation is my top priority.People deserve to be paid properly and on time. When the previous government irresponsibly treated this project as a cost-cutting measure instead of the complex, enterprise-wide business transformation that it was, it set the project up to fail and exposed it to enormous risk.We are currently taking steps that the previous government did not take.

Mr. Speaker, it is the practice of the government to put in place administrative agreements with companies while criminal proceedings are under way. This administrative agreement will terminate if there is a criminal conviction. In the meantime, we cannot comment on any ongoing court cases.

Mr. Speaker, of course we sincerely apologize to public servants for everything we have put them through as a government. It is unacceptable that these public servants, who continue to come to work and work on behalf of all Canadians, are not being paid regularly. We are leaving no stone unturned in order to fix this problem. We are on it every day. Our hard-working public servants in Miramichi and in our satellite offices will be the people who fix this.With all due respect, it sincerely was the former Conservative government that did this.

Mr. Speaker, our government takes the protection and security of employees' personal information seriously.Any time the department experiences an incident, we follow a systematic approach to immediately contain the breach and implement corrective measures, including notifying the Privacy Commissioner and affected employees. This process was followed after privacy breaches related to Phoenix and we have implemented recommendations from the Privacy Commissioner to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Auditor General for his report, and we accept his recommendations. Today's report is a reminder for Canadians of the realities of 10 years under the Harper Conservatives. After we asked the Auditor General to examine Phoenix, he published two reports, and the government commissioned two reports from a third party, in addition to a study under way in a parliamentary committee. We know exactly how the Harper Conservatives set the system up for failure.

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member and all members of the House that we are looking into this. I have asked Canada Post to look into this file. I will get back to them as soon as I get an appropriate answer.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, since January 2018, the backlog has gone down by 160,000 cases. We are doing whatever we possibly can to make sure our public servants are paid on time and accurately. In May of this year, all the departments will be serviced by pay pods. Employees are satisfied by this movement. It was an employee-generated idea.This will be resolved. We will stabilize the system. Yes, it is taking longer than we wish, but rest assured, this is my number one priority.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure everyone that resolving this issue is my top priority. People deserve to be paid properly and on time.When the previous government irresponsibly treated pay modernization as a cost-cutting measure instead of the complex, enterprise-wide business transformation that it was, it set the project up to fail and exposed it to enormous risk.We are taking the steps that the previous government did not take. We are improving governance, putting in place business processes and training, addressing technological challenges, providing emergency support for workers, and working with partners, in particular, public sector unions. While we did not create this problem, we will fix it.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud that we are getting ships built and we are getting fighter jets for our troops. We know our armed forces desperately need the equipment to do the really difficult jobs we ask of them. We have plans. We have a ship that is already built. We have ships that will be built by the end of this year. We are delivering our fighter jet interim fleet, starting the beginning of next year. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives on how to do defence procurements.

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Harper's Conservatives botched this program from day one. They rushed the software rollout and prematurely laid off hundreds of workers who ensured that public service employees were paid on time.We inherited the Conservatives' defective system, but we are determined to find a permanent solution. Stabilizing this system is not easy. The reality is that it will take time and cost money.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the difficult position our public servants and their families are in, and we are putting in place a number of measures to help them along the way. First, there are emergency pay services they have access to. We are improving technology. We are working on our governance. We are improving our policies. We are taking steps, and had they been taken in the first place, we would not be in this position.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that hard-working public servants are not being paid the money they are owed. Resolving this as quickly as possible is indeed our priority. We have taken a number of steps to resolve this problem, including investing $142 million to recruit, hire, and train more employees; initiating emergency pay advances; opening temporary satellite offices; implementing technological solutions; improving business processes; and instituting a working group of ministers.Make no mistake, we will leave no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure everyone that resolving this is our top priority. We understand that it is completely unacceptable that workers are not being paid. What we are asking of them is really unacceptable. We are leaving no stone unturned. We are working on governance. We are working on technology. We are working with our partners, including unions, who are helping us to find solutions. We are working to improve communication with workers.I can assure the House that we are leaving no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, our government is getting results for Canadians by providing the navy and the Coast Guard with the ships they need to serve the Canadian public. Through the national shipbuilding strategy, our government is creating good jobs for the middle class. We have awarded 17% of the strategy contracts, valued at more than $1.3 billion, to Quebec companies. We are getting results for Quebeckers and for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that hard-working public servants are not being paid the money they are owed. These issues have caused real hardships for many public servants and their families, and they should not have to face them. Resolving this as quickly as possible is our priority. That is why we are focused on improving our governance, improving business processes, and increasing technical and human capacity. Rest assured, we will leave no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps I will set the record straight. It was our government that actually committed, extended the contract and paid these individuals up to minimum wage. It was the Conservative government that paid them $1.50 a day. It is only under the leadership of our government that they are being paid the wage they deserve. We are working tirelessly with this organization to find them work. I did not say these individuals were not operationally required. I said that the work they were doing is no longer necessary, so that is a very important distinction. I have absolute respect for these workers and their families, and we are doing right by them, I can assure all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. The process that unfolded did so completely independent of our government. The investigation, the decision to stay proceedings and, in fact, the prosecution itself were handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.Canadians can be very confident in the independence of our judicial system.

Mr. Speaker, our government is taking unprecedented actions to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in our economy, including inclusive work opportunities. With respect to this program, we have been working for a year with this organization. We have extended their contract. We are making sure that they have meaningful work so they can contribute to our government's operations.We are not in the business of paying people a dollar an hour to do work, as the Conservatives were.

Mr. Speaker, we absolutely agree that contractors deserve to be paid promptly and we are absolutely committed to bringing forth legislation before the election to remedy this.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, before the Senate committee, the IBM witnesses confirmed that Harper's Conservative government botched the program from the beginning. They reduced the scope of the project and did not take into account the advice of their supplier. The previous government developed the request for proposal and awarded the contract for the Phoenix pay system.We are continuing to work with IBM, and we will hold it accountable to ensure it complies with its obligations.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are continuing our discussions with Davie shipyard. We are not going to do our negotiating here in the House.

Mr. Speaker, we understand that the persistent problems with the Phoenix pay system are unacceptable. We are working every single day to fix the problems with this system.We reduced the backlog by about 40% a year ago. We are working with the unions and the President of the Treasury Board to bring in a new system to replace Phoenix. Our message to public service workers is clear: we stand behind them.

Madam Speaker, we understand absolutely the impact the work disruption is having on employees and their families. That is why our government has been encouraging both sides to reach a fair agreement as soon as possible. Unfortunately, when a strike occurs, the expiry of the collective agreement affects some of the benefits of Canada Post employees, but not all. I will give an example. Prescription drugs will continue for employees. I can assure the House that employees will maintain full access to their EI benefits, which include maternity and parental benefits. Canada Post has put in place a request for a compassionate grounds exception to this. It is taking those requests seriously and addressing them very quickly.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the member that resolving this is my top priority. We understand the difficult position we have put public servants and their families in, and we are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that we resolve this as quickly as possible. In the meantime, public service employees have access to emergency pay services. They have access to their managers, and they are doing whatever they can. The public servants at Miramichi are working hard to resolve this for their colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, on the eve of our third annual National AccessAbility Week, and of course with Bill C-81 having gone through this House last week, I can assure every Canadian that we will find jobs for these workers. In fact, we are showing them the dignity of giving them meaningful work so that they contribute to government operations.I have been working with the organization. No one will be without a job.

Mr. Speaker, we appreciate that, as the holidays approach and as the year end approaches, it puts our public servants in an incredibly difficult position, given the realities of Phoenix. We are working on improving the technology. We are working on our governance. We are taking the steps necessary both to resolve it in the short term and also to have a state-of-the-art pay system in the long term. We are doing what we can, and quite frankly, we are working very closely with the unions, because this problem will be solved by public servants for public servants.

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing problems with the Phoenix pay system remain my number one priority. It is absolutely unacceptable that our public servants are not being paid, but progress is being made. Since January 2018, pay pod departments have seen a 21% decrease in the number of transactions awaiting processing. We have increased capacity by 1,500 to the pay centre. The backlog has been steadily declining since January 2018, down 100,000 cases, while at the same time we have processed $1.5 billion in retroactive payments for employees.I recognize that there is much more to do on this file. I can assure the House we are making progress.

Mr. Speaker, the Harper Conservatives botched this program from the beginning. While the previous government spent $309 million on the systems, booked savings of $70 million a year, and let go of hundreds of employees in order to falsely balance its budget—

Mr. Speaker, it is the practice of the government to put in place administrative agreements with companies while criminal proceedings are under way. This administrative agreement will terminate if there is a criminal conviction. In the meantime, we cannot comment on any ongoing court cases.

Mr. Speaker, the Harper Conservatives botched this program from the beginning. While the previous government spent $309 million on the systems, booked savings of $70 million a year, and let go of hundreds of employees in order to falsely balance its budget—

Mr. Speaker, we did not create this mess, but we are going to fix it.

Mr. Speaker, our government takes its official languages responsibilities very seriously. These poor translations are unacceptable. We expect good-quality French to be used on Public Services and Procurement Canada's websites. Our government recognizes the importance of communicating in both official languages, and we support the act that governs them. I have asked the department to review its internal processes and find solutions so that this type of thing does not happen again.

Mr. Speaker, Stephen Harper's Conservatives botched this program from day one. They rushed the software rollout and prematurely laid off hundreds of workers who ensured that public service employees were paid on time.We inherited the Conservatives' defective system, but we are determined to find a permanent solution. Stabilizing this system is not easy. The reality is that it will take time and cost money.

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard for a-whole-government approach, too, as we go into the world and restore Canada's reputation internationally to ensure that countries around the world will also implement the Marrakesh Treaty. We have opportunities later this month and later this year to work with our colleagues at the UN level to ensure that other countries ratify so we get to 20 and we all work on Marrakesh.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the national shipbuilding strategy. The strategy is a long-term commitment that will rejuvenate our maritime industry, support Canadian innovation, and result in jobs for Canadians across the country. As set out in the strategy, $2 billion in opportunities remain for Chantier Davie and other Canadian shipyards for small ship construction projects, as well as ship repair, refit, and maintenance. We are also committed to consulting the marine industry on other requirements that may arise following an open and competitive procurement process.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure everyone that resolving this situation is my top priority. People deserve to be paid properly and on time. When the previous government irresponsibly treated this project as a cost-cutting measure instead of the complex, enterprise-wide business transformation that it was, it set the project up to fail and exposed it to enormous risk. We are currently taking steps that the previous government did not take.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure you that resolving this situation is my top priority.People deserve to be paid properly and on time. When the previous government irresponsibly treated this project as a cost-cutting measure instead of the complex, enterprise-wide business transformation that it was, it set the project up to fail and exposed it to enormous risk.We are currently taking steps that the previous government did not take.

Mr. Speaker, we have identified the needs of the Canadian Coast Guard regarding the icebreakers. Discussions and negotiations with the Dave shipyard are on-going in order to meet those needs. We are pursuing our discussions and doing our due diligence. We will not comment further at this point, but we continue our discussions.

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard to stabilize the Phoenix pay system. The backlog dropped by 40% last year. We are transitioning to our new system and working with the unions to implement it in the public sector. We assure the member that it is a priority for our government. People deserve to be paid.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure everyone that resolving this issue is my top priority. People deserve to be paid properly and on time.When the previous government irresponsibly treated pay modernization as a cost-cutting measure instead of the complex, enterprise-wide business transformation that it was, it set the project up to fail and exposed it to enormous risk.We are taking the steps that the previous government did not take. We are improving governance, putting in place business processes and training, addressing technological challenges, providing emergency support for workers, and working with partners, in particular, public sector unions. While we did not create this problem, we will fix it.

Mr. Speaker, we understand that the persistent problems with the Phoenix pay system are unacceptable. We are working every single day to fix the problems with this system.We reduced the backlog by about 40% a year ago. We are working with the unions and the President of the Treasury Board to bring in a new system to replace Phoenix. Our message to public service workers is clear: we stand behind them.

Madam Speaker, I can assure everyone in the House that we are leaving no stone unturned to resolve the issues related to the Phoenix pay system. We are seeing progress. Yes, it is slow. We have reduced the backlog by 100,000 cases since January of this year. We have reduced the backlog of departments that are within the pay pod system by 21%. In the same time, we have paid out $1.5 billion in back pay with respect to collective agreements that were not negotiated by the previous government. We are doing everything we can. We have 1,500 people working on this in the pay centre, and we are absolutely committed to getting this done.

Mr. Speaker, we appreciate that, as the holidays approach and as the year end approaches, it puts our public servants in an incredibly difficult position, given the realities of Phoenix. We are working on improving the technology. We are working on our governance. We are taking the steps necessary both to resolve it in the short term and also to have a state-of-the-art pay system in the long term. We are doing what we can, and quite frankly, we are working very closely with the unions, because this problem will be solved by public servants for public servants.

Mr. Speaker, on day two of my new job as Minister of Public Services and Procurement, I was in Miramichi with the Prime Minister to see just how hard public servants are working to fix the Phoenix problems. The well-being of those workers is of paramount importance to this government. We will leave nothing to chance as we work to solve this problem.

Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud that we are getting ships built and we are getting fighter jets for our troops. We know our armed forces desperately need the equipment to do the really difficult jobs we ask of them. We have plans. We have a ship that is already built. We have ships that will be built by the end of this year. We are delivering our fighter jet interim fleet, starting the beginning of next year. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives on how to do defence procurements.

Mr. Speaker, our government has reiterated its commitment to the national shipbuilding strategy. The strategy includes a $2-billion small-ship construction program for competitive procurement among Davie and other Canadian shipyards other than the yards selected to build large vessels.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for everything he is doing for workers at the Davie shipyard.Workers at the Davie shipyard did excellent work on the Asterix. We have needs beyond the icebreakers. We are working and negotiating with Davie to meet these needs. When we have made a decision, we will share it with everyone.

Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.

Madam Speaker, we are very pleased with the Davie workers' productivity and the excellent work they did on the Asterix. We are working closely with all Quebec businesses. We awarded $1.6 billion in contracts to Quebec companies. We gave Davie a contract that was part of a $7-billion investment. We gave Davie $700 million for icebreakers. We certainly do recognize the work and professionalism of the Davie shipyard and its workers.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from St. John's East for his question.Earlier this year, I announced the approval of 573 projects under the enabling accessibility fund. These projects will be carried out by community organizations from across the country that applied for funding.The approved funding will improve accessibility in our communities. These 573 projects are important to help ensure that all Canadians, regardless of their abilities, feel welcome and able to fully participate in society.

Mr. Speaker, I know the member shares the passion for inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities that our government does.I have experienced first-hand the great work that CNIB does for the visually impaired community in Canada. I was proud to work with them over the last year to celebrate Canada's accession to the Marrakesh Treaty. I am proud of our government commitment of $3 million to ensure we can meet the demands for alternative format materials.Our government's disability program has been undergoing a transformation aimed at providing greater certainty and efficiency to organizations. We are indeed exploring whether or not we can provide multi-year funding.

Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard and we understand the impact the job losses have had on them.We are negotiating with the Davie shipyard regarding the Coast Guard's icebreaker needs. We will continue with those negotiations. We are doing the necessary checks and the process is ongoing.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to support the work of my colleague, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, as he leads our work on the Marrakesh Treaty. Over one million Canadians who suffer from vision loss, including me, really need to have this kind of alternate format. I am very proud to be part of a government that triumphs and trumpets accessibility and inclusion, and I look forward to bringing this to the House.

Mr. Speaker, Davie shipyard is an important shipyard. We recognize that it has experienced workers, who did excellent work in delivering the Asterix. After consultations with the industry, the Government of Canada started discussing options with Davie shipyard to see whether it could help meet the needs of the Canadian Coast Guard for interim icebreaker capacity. We are in the initial stages and we hope to provide more information once the discussions are complete.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Laurentides—Labelle for his question.Earlier this week, I invited businesses and community organizations to apply for funding under the 2016 enabling accessibility fund, which will receive an additional $4 million thanks to budget 2016.This funding plays an important role in ensuring that all Canadians, regardless of their ability, feel welcome in their workplaces and their communities.

Mr. Speaker, the Davie shipyard is a major shipyard and we recognize the expertise of its workers. They did an excellent job delivering the Asterix.I have had positive and productive meetings with Davie shipyard's management and unions. We have started discussing options with Davie shipyard to meet the needs of the Canadian Coast Guard for interim icebreaker capacity. I am confident that our discussions with Davie will be fruitful.

Madam Speaker, of course we recognize Davie's excellent work. Yesterday, we announced that part of a contract worth $7 billion would go to Davie. This summer, we committed $610 million for the construction of three icebreakers. We are continuing to work with Davie. The Department of National Defence has determined that there is no operational need for a second ship. We are continuing to work on shipbuilding in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Calgary Centre for his tireless effort and advocacy on behalf of citizens with disabilities.This is indeed National AccessAbility Week, the third annual that our government has put forth. This week we celebrate the contributions of individuals and organizations who are indeed removing barriers. We also, God willing, have the proposed accessible Canada act here in front of the House of Commons again this week, so that we can remove barriers in the law and create a proactive system to make sure that everybody is treated equally.I want to thank all the advocates who made this bill the best that it can be, and I reiterate our government's commitment to accepting all of the amendments put forth—

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Vimy for her question.On behalf of all parliamentarians, I want to congratulate our athletes on their performances in Rio and thank them for playing an important role in our society and in the lives of young people. Close to 1,000 students were with our Olympic and Paralympic athletes this morning. Our athletes inspire young people to be more active and more involved in sports, to dream, and to aspire to their own podium. I wish to welcome our athletes later on and to give them the heroes' welcome they deserve in the House for representing Canada on behalf of all Canadians. I thank them for their wonderful results in Rio this summer.

Mr. Speaker, our government is taking unprecedented actions to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in our economy, including inclusive work opportunities. With respect to this program, we have been working for a year with this organization. We have extended their contract. We are making sure that they have meaningful work so they can contribute to our government's operations.We are not in the business of paying people a dollar an hour to do work, as the Conservatives were.

Mr. Speaker, we are doing our best to make things better for public servants who are suffering because of Phoenix. People not getting paid is unacceptable. We have procedures in place to help public servants. If the member gives me the individual's name, we will do our best to fix the problem.

Mr. Speaker, our government is always concerned about the impact of job losses on workers and their families. We know that the people at Davie do excellent work. Our government has been in touch with Davie shipyard executives and the unions in recent weeks. The national shipbuilding strategy will certainly create opportunities for Davie.

Mr. Speaker, I am working with stakeholders from a variety of disability groups as we design an inclusive and engaging consultation process that will lead to federal accessibility legislation, which will include access issues on a variety of areas of federal jurisdiction. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to do this, so we can help Canadians with disabilities have access to federal services, programs, and policies, and they do not have to wait to be discriminated against.

Mr. Speaker, I am particularly excited that the very first part in my mandate letter is to engage in a consultation process that will lead to federal accessibility legislation. I just met this morning with the Trans Canada Trail executives, and I am excited to be working with them to make sure that our parks and trails are accessible.

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, we are not letting these people go. We are looking for meaningful work for them. They are exceptionally gifted employees. We are not in the business of paying people a dollar a day. I misspoke in my previous response. I meant to say a dollar a day. Our government pays its employees fairly. It is important to remember that we have been working with this organization for a year and we will find good jobs for these people.

Mr. Speaker, today is a good day for Canada. We announced that, for the first time in 30 years, we are going to make a significant investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force. First of all, we announced the start of the process for a full fleet replacement that will have fighter jets in place between 2025 and 2030, and in the meantime, we are supplementing our existing fleet with an interim CF-18 purchase from Australia.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Toronto—Danforth for her question.Our government is determined to ensure better accessibility for Canadians with disabilities and better opportunities in their communities and their workplaces from coast to coast to coast.This new law would proactively address barriers to inclusion and shift the conversation on disabilities in this country. This is my vision. However, we want to hear from Canadians. I encourage everyone in the House and every Canadian to participate in the consultations that are ongoing through February 2017. We are going to make a difference with this law.

Mr. Speaker, on this issue, I can assure my colleague that we have full confidence in the workers of Davie shipyard. We have awarded them many contracts, including part of a $7-billion contract for the Halifax-class frigates, and another worth $70 million for an icebreaker.We have full confidence in the workers.

Mr. Speaker, clearly we are always concerned about the impact of job losses on workers and their families. We recognize the expertise of Davie workers and the excellent work done on the Asterix. In recent weeks, our government has been in contact with the management of the Davie shipyard. I had a meeting with the heads of the shipyard, and my colleagues, the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Transport, had a meeting with the union. We are doing everything we can to help Davie.

Mr. Speaker, harassment and bullying of any kind are unacceptable, period. My office has reached out to the individual from Winnipeg who raised these concerns. Canada Post has policies in place to address issues of harassment, and we will make sure that this policy is being followed.Our government ran on a commitment to take action on workplace harassment in federally regulated workplaces. That is why all parties worked to get Bill C-65 to committee, which would create a more robust regime that would better address harassment and violence in the workplace, including at Canada Post.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Mississauga East—Cooksville for the question and for his work on this file.Our government was proud to announce a new vision for Canada Post that puts service to Canadians front and centre. We are taking immediate action to implement this vision, including terminating the community mailbox conversion program, enhancing the accessible delivery program, reinvesting profits in services and innovation, promoting remittance services, and renewing Canada Post's leadership.We made this promise to Canadians, and we have kept our promise.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for her tireless advocacy on behalf of Canadians with disabilities.I would also like to thank the DisAbled Women's Network for its advocacy, for pointing out that the majority of people living with disabilities are women and that among women in Canada, women with disabilities live with the highest rates of violence, the lowest incomes, and the highest rates of unemployment. That is why I am very proud of the work done by the current and former ministers of Status of Women on gender-based violence, drawing upon the work of DAWN. I am also very proud of the accessibility legislation we are developing to make sure every Canadian with a disability is included in society.

Mr. Speaker, harassment and bullying of any kind are unacceptable, period. My office has reached out to the individual from Winnipeg who raised these concerns. Our government ran on a commitment to take action on workplace harassment in federally regulated workplaces. That is why all parties worked to get Bill C-75 to committee, which would create a more robust regime that would better address harassment and violence in the workplace, including at Canada Post.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has determined that we do not need a second Asterix or Obelix while Seaspan is building the joint support ships. We appreciate Davie's excellent work on the Asterix, but we do not need a second ship.

Mr. Speaker, both the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and I agree that this is unacceptable. That is why we are taking steps to fix it.The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has called for a comprehensive review of CPP disability to ensure that it is more responsive to the needs of Canadians with severe and prolonged disabilities. Actions have already been taken to date, including simplifying the appeal process, creating a working group, contacting citizens proactively, and revising the operations and processes to make them fair and efficient.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her continued work on this important file.We heard from thousands of Canadians about what an accessible Canada would look like to them. We heard about the barriers that they continue to face as they try to navigate this complex world that was not necessarily built for them.I can assure the member that we had many excellent suggestions from Canadians, including specifically with respect to enforcement and compliance. We are looking at these suggestions and looking forward to continued discussion as we craft this new law and have discussions in the House.

Mr. Speaker, our government is getting results for Canadians by providing the navy and the Coast Guard with the ships they need to serve the Canadian public. Through the national shipbuilding strategy, our government is creating good jobs for the middle class. We have awarded 17% of the strategy contracts, valued at more than $1.3 billion, to Quebec companies. We are getting results for Quebeckers and for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to open, fair, and transparent procurement processes. Through proactive disclosure of contracts, our government operates according to the principles of openness, transparency, and accountability. The contracts issued are compliant with government policies and legislation, just as they were many times under the former Conservative government.

Mr. Speaker, our government expects all employers to provide safe workplaces. As Canada Post works to reduce the backlog, the health and safety of its employees will continue to take the highest priority.However, the labour dispute has taken its toll on Canadians, including workers, charities, organizations and businesses of all sizes. Canada Post will be doing everything it can to get up to full operations as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.

Mr. Speaker, let me assure everyone that resolving this is our top priority. We understand that it is completely unacceptable that workers are not being paid. What we are asking of them is really unacceptable. We are leaving no stone unturned. We are working on governance. We are working on technology. We are working with our partners, including unions, who are helping us to find solutions. We are working to improve communication with workers.I can assure the House that we are leaving no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with this family. Resolving this as quickly as possible is our priority. These issues have caused real hardships for many public servants and their families. They should not have to face this kind of situation. We will leave no stone unturned.

Mr. Speaker, we of course recognize the expertise of Davie workers. The Coast Guard has requirements for the icebreakers and we are continuing our discussions with Davie to meet them. I obviously cannot negotiate in the House, but I can assure my colleagues that we are continuing our efforts, which are very genuine.

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member and all members of the House that we are looking into this. I have asked Canada Post to look into this file. I will get back to them as soon as I get an appropriate answer.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, we are negotiating with Davie shipyard regarding the Canadian Coast Guard's icebreaker needs. We will continue our negotiations. We are doing the necessary checks, and the process is ongoing.

Mr. Speaker, our goal is to provide Canadians, including media, with timely, factual information, while ensuring sensitive information remains protected. I directed my department to ensure that we provide accurate information regarding ongoing conduct with industry partners, while ensuring the privacy of all individuals who deal with my department is respected.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from St. Catharines for his work on this file.The Canada Games leave valuable legacies in host communities and lasting memories for young Canadian athletes from across the country. The Canada Games increase the volunteer capacity of communities, improve local infrastructure, and have a significant economic impact.For many athletes, this will be the pinnacle of their athletic careers, and for others, this will be an important step along their journeys, but they will all look back at their Canada Games experiences with pride and fondness. Congratulations to all the candidate cities for 2021. I am confident that the Canada Games in Niagara will be fantastic.

Mr. Speaker, as a former athlete who represented Canada and stood at the podium proudly, I can assure the House that we think of athletes at the core of every decision we make.As part of our ongoing due diligence and our quest for accountability, transparency, and the effective use of public funds, we are looking at our entire targeted excellence strategy, including our support to Own the Podium. The fact is that athletes and coaches know that we have to review our game plan on an ongoing basis. That is what we will do. We will do the best for athletes, and they will represent us proudly next summer in Rio.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Moncton—Riverview—DieppeWe are very proud of this major announcement made earlier in the month. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ensures the protection and promotion of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities so that they may be treated equally and without discrimination. Our government will continue to work with all levels of government and stakeholders, as they all play an important role in the process of Canada's accession to the optional protocol.I would like to congratulate my colleague from Global Affairs. The standing ovation he received from the disability community at the time of this announcement was well deserved.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Long Range Mountains for her tireless work in advancing this file.Our government recognizes the good middle-class jobs that contractors and subcontractors provide Canadians from coast to coast to coast. That is why we are proud to announce our intention to introduce federal prompt-payment legislation. With the help of experts Sharon Vogel and Bruce Reynolds, we will be seeking input from the construction industry to develop a robust federal regime. This is another important action our government is taking to help the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.We awarded 17% of the national shipbuilding strategy contracts to Quebec companies. Last summer, we awarded a $610-million contract to Davie for three icebreakers. Last week, we awarded part of a $7-billion contract to Davie to maintain 12 Halifax-class frigates. We continue to create good jobs for Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to equipping the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard with the ships they need to serve Canadians. The strategy is a long-term commitment that will reinvigorate our marine industry, support Canadian innovation, and create jobs for Canadians across the country. This strategy has contributed $7.5 billion to our GDP and creates 7,000 jobs a year. We regularly monitor shipyards to make sure they are meeting the strategy's requirements with regard to jobs and economic benefits.

Mr. Speaker, our government was excited to release our vision for Canada Post earlier this year, and we stand behind our commitment to focusing on the core service it provides to Canadians across this country. A parliamentary committee and a second committee have looked at the issue of postal banking. We have tasked our new leadership at Canada Post to look into innovative and creative ways of better providing services to Canada. I am very excited at the progress that is being made.

Mr. Speaker, we absolutely recognize the importance of sign language to the deaf and hard of hearing communities here in Canada, both as a means of communication but also of cultural significance. Our government is very committed to ensuring greater accessibility and opportunities for all. That is why our government was proud to table Bill C-81, which will help ensure that all people, regardless of ability or disability, can fully participate in society.I encourage all members of the House to support this bill and I invite them to join me this evening for a reception with members of the deaf community to celebrate International Day of Sign Languages.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, since January 2018, the backlog has gone down by 160,000 cases. We are doing whatever we possibly can to make sure our public servants are paid on time and accurately. In May of this year, all the departments will be serviced by pay pods. Employees are satisfied by this movement. It was an employee-generated idea.This will be resolved. We will stabilize the system. Yes, it is taking longer than we wish, but rest assured, this is my number one priority.