Parm Bains

Procedure · 29 wordsmoved that Bill C-266, An Act to establish a national framework respecting skilled trades and labour mobility, be read the second time and referred to a committee. He said: ProcedureThanks · 17 wordsMr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Milton East—Halton Hills South for supporting this bill.Thanks Greeting · 33 wordsIt is always a huge honour to stand in the House and speak on vital issues for Canadians. Today, I have an opportunity to speak at length on respecting skilled trades and labour.Greeting Anecdote · 49 wordsAs a former aircraft maintenance engineer, I spent countless hours turning wrenches at a hangar in my hometown of Richmond, British Columbia.¹ When I was campaigning for re-election as MP for Richmond East—Steveston, I did not do it alone.² I was supported by electricians, carpenters, construction workers and unions.AnecdoteOff point Positioning · 18 wordsBuilders and everyday Canadian workers share my vision of a community and a Canada that works for them.Positioning Claims · 19 wordsIt is for these Canadians that I tabled Bill C-266, a national framework respecting skilled trades and labour mobility. Procedure · 9 wordsAt its core, this bill recognizes a simple truth: ProcedureReasoning · 26 wordsCanada cannot reach its full potential if the people who build it, our skilled trades workers, are prevented from working where they are needed the most. Claims · 80 wordsMovement of skilled trades and labour across Canada is essential to the country’s economic development, productivity, infrastructure and competitiveness. However, our economy continues to be weighed down by a system of disjointed licensing requirements, certifications and other restrictions. This has evolved into significant non-tariff internal trade barriers. The IMF estimates that Canada’s economy could gain nearly 7%, ³or $210 billion, in real GDP over a gradual period by fully removing internal trade barriers between the country’s 13 provinces and territories.⁴ Procedure · 5 wordsThis is not just inefficient; ProcedurePositioning · 3 wordsit is unacceptable.Positioning Claims · 114 wordsAcross this country, from the shipyards of Vancouver to the construction sites of Halifax, from energy projects in Alberta to housing developments in Toronto, employers are facing unpredictability. On one hand, there are acute labour shortages delaying critical projects, and on the other, there are skilled, qualified workers in other parts of the country who are ready and willing to step in, but they are held back by regulatory barriers that make mobility difficult, costly and slow. A welder trained in Saskatchewan may encounter different certification requirements when attempting to work on major infrastructure projects in British Columbia. These inconsistencies do not improve safety or enhance quality. They create duplication, inefficiency and unnecessary costs. Procedure · 8 wordsThe same holds true for major infrastructure projects.Procedure Claims · 292 wordsWhether it is expanding transit systems, upgrading ports or building clean energy infrastructure, delays in mobilizing skilled labour translate directly into higher costs and missed opportunities. Every week that a project is delayed because workers cannot be certified quickly enough is a week that Canadians are left waiting for essential services and economic benefits. Of course, there were efforts to correct this growing problem. If we go back to the Agreement on Internal Trade in 1995, it would, “enable any worker certified for an occupation by a regulatory authority of one Party to be recognized as qualified for that occupation by all other Parties.”⁵ Regrettably, the AIT did not achieve this crucial goal, which is why in December 2014, the federal, provincial and territorial governments began negotiations to strengthen and modernize into the Canada Free Trade Agreement.⁶ The Red Seal program has been an important step forward toward standardization, allowing certified workers in certain trades to move more easily between provinces. However, not all trades are covered, and even within the program, variations and administrative barriers can persist. Efforts to harmonize certifications and labour regulations across Canada’s economy made limited progress, not because electricians who reside in Manitoba have unique insight into the functions of an electrical circuit compared to electricians who reside in Nova Scotia or the risk to a trucker’s safety changes radically when driving from B.C. to Saskatchewan, requiring different regulations and insurance, but because incentives favoured the status quo. Regulators looking to retain their authority and protect regional labour economies had little incentive to loosen their grip and provide easy access to competition from other provinces. Skilled workers, understandably unenthusiastic about acquiring and maintaining credentials across provinces, could always find ready work down south in the United States. Procedure · 6 wordsHowever, this status quo is over.Procedure Claims · 40 wordsSince President Trump’s unacceptable comments about Canada’s sovereignty and turning his back on the deal that he signed, applying tariffs to Canadian lumber, steel and cars, Canadians have started to see our relationship with the U.S. in a new light, ⁷Positioning · 14 wordsbut more importantly, how we view ourselves and our future in a new light.Positioning Claims · 18 wordsThe comfortable norms Canadians took for granted with our American partners, like trust and predictability, no longer exist. Reasoning · 20 wordsWhile time will tell if this relationship can be repaired, it is clear that Canada must forge a new path.Unearned certainty Claims · 19 wordsAs our Prime Minister has said, we can give ourselves far more than the Americans can ever take away. Reasoning · 14 wordsBill C-266 is an essential step in charting a new path forward for Canada. Claims · 123 wordsI have heard from the Canadian Construction Association, and it said, “The CCA welcomes the introduction of Bill C-266 and the development of a national framework to modernize, streamline and harmonize skilled trade certification processes.⁸ Canada’s construction industry is held back by a fragmented internal market where labour mobility restrictions create costly barriers for workers and employers alike.” From my alma mater, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, who is the president of the BCIT, agreed and said, “Canada’s future prosperity is being shaped by large-scale priorities that rely heavily on a strong trades workforce.⁹ Whether it be building affordable and climate-resilient housing or infrastructure to strengthen national security, these national priorities all require a job-ready and adaptable trades workforce.” Procedure · 4 wordsLet me be clear: ProcedureClaims · 9 wordsThis legislation does not seek to override provincial jurisdiction, Aside · 8 wordsand I look at my friends from Quebec.Aside Claims · 15 wordsProvinces and territories would continue to regulate training, certification and labour markets within their borders. Reasoning · 6 wordsThat is both appropriate and necessary. Claims · 55 wordsThrough extensive consultations spanning at least nine months, the minister would engage with provincial governments, regulatory bodies, industry associations, labour unions, indigenous organizations, polytechnics and educational institutions.¹⁰ This would ensure the framework is not imposed from above, but built from the ground up, reflecting the realities of those who work within the system every day. Procedure · 9 wordsThe framework itself wishes to deliver several key outcomes.Procedure Claims · 12 wordsFirst, it would establish a comprehensive inventory of skilled trades across Canada. Procedure · 4 wordsThis may sound straightforward, ProcedureClaims · 18 wordsbut it is a critical step. Today, even defining what constitutes a skilled trade can vary among jurisdictions. Reasoning · 10 wordsA clear shared understanding is essential for any meaningful harmonization. Claims · 10 wordsSecond, it would map equivalencies among provincial standards and credentials. Procedure · 7 wordsThis is where the real work begins.Procedure Claims · 23 wordsBy systematically comparing requirements, we can identify where trades are already aligned, where minor adjustments are needed and where more significant differences exist. Procedure · 1 wordsThird, ProcedureClaims · 34 wordsand most importantly, it would introduce measures to harmonize standards, reduce duplication and streamline regulatory processes. This would mean fewer redundant exams, faster recognition of credentials and clearer pathways for workers moving between provinces. Reasoning · 44 wordsConsider the impact of this on a carpenter relocating from New Brunswick to Alberta. Instead of navigating a confusing and time-consuming certification process, that worker could benefit from a system that recognizes their qualifications quickly and fairly, allowing them to get to work sooner. Claims · 6 wordsFourth, the framework would support modernization. Reasoning · 30 wordsAs industries evolve, so too must the standards that govern them. By coordinating updates across jurisdictions, we can ensure that Canadian tradespeople remain at the forefront of global best practices. Claims · 148 wordsFifth, it would promote ongoing collaboration.Vague promise This is not a one-time exercise, but a continuous process of improvement. The inclusion of indigenous governing bodies and organizations would be particularly important in ensuring that the framework reflects diverse perspectives and supports inclusive economic growth. Accountability is also built into the legislation. The minister would be required to table the national framework in Parliament within one year, ensuring timely action.¹¹ Annual progress reports would track implementation, measure improvements in labour mobility and assess the effectiveness of the framework, and within five years a comprehensive parliamentary review would provide an opportunity to refine and strengthen the approach.¹² The bill would create a structured, collaborative process to bring those systems into alignment where possible and to make them more transparent and interoperable where full alignment is not feasible. The bill is also about national unity. Canada is one country with one economy. Reasoning · 16 wordsWhile regional diversity is a strength, unnecessary barriers that divide our labour market weaken us all. Positioning · 13 wordsThe legislation represents a pragmatic, collaborative and forward-looking approach to a long-standing challenge.Positioning Claims · 10 wordsIt would respect jurisdiction, engage stakeholders and focus on outcomes. Promise · 13 wordsI look forward to collaborating with everyone if the bill advances to committee.Vague promise The ask · 32 wordsI urge all members of the House to support the national framework respecting skilled trades and labour mobility act and to take this important step toward a stronger and more unified Canada.