SOCI – Committee and Appearance Overview – September 28, 2023

About the Committee

Mandate

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) has the mandate to examine legislation and to study issues related to cultural affairs and the arts, social and labour matters, health and welfare, pensions and housing. It is also responsible for considering fitness and amateur sport, employment and immigration, consumer affairs and youth affairs.

Studies & Legislation

In December 2022, Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents), was studied by SOCI.
In November 2022, the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs studied S-230, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The study can be found on Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.

A full list of studies and legislation the committee has considered in the 44th Parliament can be found on Studies & Bills - Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.

Appearance Background

Background

On Thursday, September 7, 2023, an invitation was received from the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) for Minister Marc Miller to appear on Canada’s Temporary and Migrant Labour Force. Upon Minister Miller declining the appearance, an invitation was issued to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Deputy Minister.

SOCI has held seven meetings on Canada’s Temporary and Migrant Labour Force since November 3, 2022. However, the committee has done so under the guise of “examining and reporting on such issues as they may arise from time to time relating to social affairs, science and technology generally,” rather than through a formal study prompted by a motion or Senate order of reference. This practice is not uncommon across Senate committees.

The Deputy Minister will deliver a 5-minute opening statement, followed by rounds of questioning from committee members. The following officials will provide support:

• Louise Baird, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic & Program Policy
• Michèle Kingsley, Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations

Appearance Strategy

Employment and Social Development Canada’s Minister and officials are scheduled to appear for the first hour of the meeting, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a focus on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. IRCC would appear for the second hour from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. to continue addressing committee questions.

Environmental Scan

Recent topics of interest include:

• Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence pathways
• Conditions and vulnerabilities faced by temporary and migrant workers
• Rights of temporary and migrant workers
• The International Mobility Program and its relationship with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
• Labour shortages and the role temporary and migrant workers play in the economy
• Data and trends pertaining to temporary and migrant workers
• Settlement and legal supports for temporary workers
• Work permit issues
• Immigration consultant practices
• International students holding work permits/Post Graduate Work Program
• The Immigration Levels Plan

Committee & Appearance Overview

Committee Membership

Senator Ratna Omidvar – ISG – (Ontario)
Chair

Jane Cordy – PSG – (Nova Scotia)
Deputy Chair

Wanda Thomas Bernard – PSG – (Nova Scotia)

Stan Kutcher – ISG – (Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia)

Sharon Burey– CSG – (Ontario)

Marie-Françoise Mégie – ISG – (Quebec – Rougemont)

F. Gigi Osler – CSG – (Manitoba)

Marilou McPhedran – Non-affiliated – (Manitoba)

Chantal Petitclerc – ISG – (Quebec – Grandville)

Donna Dasko – ISG – (Ontario)

Rosemary Moodie - ISG – (Ontario)

Judith G. Seidman – C – (Quebec – De la Durantaye)

Conservative Party of Canada

Top Party Issues

The Conservative Party of Canada focused on the expected positive economic impacts of family reunification.

The Conservative Party of Canada supports the amendment to allow the use of foreign health insurance providers and has asked the government to review the low-income cut off requirement for parents and grand-parents.

Recent Party Activity

• June 7, 2023 – SOCI: inquired about the work and living conditions of East and West coastal labour markets for temporary and foreign workers (Seidman).

• March 8, 2023 – SOCI: noted an issue of implementation for Bill C-242 by IRCC (Poirier).

SOCI Members

Judith G. Seidman
(Quebec – De la Durantaye)

Independent Senators Group

ISG Profile

The Independent Senators Group (ISG) does not function as a conventional political party, rather, it governs itself through a set of guiding principles, and invites like-minded senators to join under its banner.

The ISG’s purpose is to: share information and expertise, engage in dialogue, take collective action on bills or issues that the ISG as a whole has designated as priorities, and build on their Modernization Agenda, through which they promote changes in Senate rules and practices.

Members of the ISG generally approach issues independently, and without whipped votes (with the exception of agenda items designated as ISG priorities).

Recent Group Activity

• June 7. 2023 – SOCI: inquired if exploitation or maltreatment of people under the TFWP occurs in the seafood industry (Kutcher).
• March 28, 2023 – SOCI: expressed that the government should provide international students with settlement supports so they do not fall victim to extortion in housing (Omidvar).
• March 9, 2023 – SOCI: noted a lack of including temporary migrant women and the presence of power imbalances in permits (Petitclerc).
• March 8, 2023 – SOCI: highlighted the need to support grandparents coming to Canada, as they are often facing vulnerable situations (Petitclerc).
• February 22, 2023 – SOCI: highlighted the need to significantly increase Canada’s immigration levels if work permits are replaced with permanent residency on arrival (Omidvar).
• February 16, 2023 – SOCI: inquired about data on the movement of racialized women into modern slavery because of the conditions as migrant workers (Kutcher).
• November 17, 2022 – SOCI: inquired on the resources temporary workers receive upon facing abuse (Petitclerc).
• November 17, 2022 – SOCI: questioned if TFWP and IMP workers should have the same agency and rights as Canadian workers (Kutcher).
• November 3, 2022 – SOCI: highlighted the need for French-speaking countries like Haiti in the list of countries where TFWs are recruited (Mégie).

SOCI Member

Senator Ratna Omidvar
(Ontario)
Chair
Stan Kutcher
(Nova Scotia)

Chantal Petitclerc
(Quebec – Grandville

Donna Dasko
(Ontario)

Rosemary Moodie 
(Ontario)

Marie-Françoise Mégie – ISG – (Quebec – Rougemont)

Progressive Senators Group

PSG Profile

The Progressive Senators Group (PSG) does not function as a conventional political party, rather, it governs itself through a set of guiding principles, and invites like-minded senators to join under its banner.

The PSG formed in 2019 as a more progressive, unstructured offshoot of the ISG. The group does not whip votes.

The PSG believes that Canadians share a responsibility to advance the public good, including advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. They view government as a positive force in advancing the public interest.

SOCI Member

Jane Cordy
(Nova Scotia)

Wanda Thomas Bernard
(Nova Scotia)

Recent Group Activity

• June 7, 2023 – SOCI: inquired on the percentage of temporary foreign workers in the fishing industry aiming for permanent residency (Cordy).
• April 26, 2023 – Twitter: retweeted a senate interception on the rights and conditions of temporary immigrants (Bernard).
• April 26, 2023 – Debates: noted the inhumane working conditions temporary immigrants face with closed work permits (Gerba).
• February 16, 2023 – SOCI: highlighted the deep systemic discrimination within the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (Bernard).
• February 15, 2023 – SOCI: questioned if there are still migrant caregivers entering Canada under defunct programs (Bovey).
• February 15, 2023 – SOCI: inquired if there is any economic analysis done on the cost of family separation and reunification (Bernard).
• February 8, 2023 – SOCI: highlighted the issue of medical insurance expiring after the migrant is in Canada for a year (Bovey).
• February 2, 2023 – SOCI: questioned how many people from the Parents and Grandparents program would account within the 500 000 immigration target (Cardozo).
• February 1, 2023 – SOCI: voiced support of Bill C-242 (Bovey

Canadian Senators Group

CSG Profile

The Canadian Senators Group (CSG) was founded in November 2019 by 11 senators who share an interest in furthering the modernization and independence of the Senate, while actively representing regional interests in the Senate Chamber and in committees.

CSG members act and vote independently. There is no requirement or expectation for members to agree on all issues or to vote en bloc. Each member will continue to work with all senators on legislation and important issues to Canadians. 

CSG senators are committed to maintaining openness and transparency, engaging in solid research and robust debate, and preserving the highest level of decorum in the Senate Chamber.

Recent Group Activity

• June 7, 2023 – SOCI: inquired if a pathway to permanent residency for temporary foreign workers could be a solution to labour shortages (Burey).
• June 7, 2023 – SOCI: questioned if the Fisheries Council of Canada provides cultural resources for temporary foreign workers (Osler).
• March 9, 2023 – SOCI: inquired if current regulatory amendments incorporated an intersectional and equity lens for foreign workers (Osler).
• March 9, 2023 – SOCI: noted that the use of employers’ specific work permits increases the vulnerability of foreign workers or exploitation (Osler).
• March 8, 2023 – SOCI: questioned how insurance companies are regulated abroad (Patterson).
• February 16, 2023 – SOCI: highlighted the lack of recognition for essential work majority done by racialized persons in the National Occupation Classification (Burey).
• February 16, 2023 – SOCI: inquired on the amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, and what they set out to do (Osler).

SOCI Members

Sharon Burey
(Ontario)

F. Gigi Osler
(Manitoba)

Non-Affiliated

Profile

Senators have not affiliated themselves with any group or party.

Recent Group Activity

• March 9, 2023 – SOCI: inquired if there are any international programs Canada may study that would bring structural stability and safety to temporary and migrant workers (McPhedran).
• February 1, 2023 – SOCI: inquired if the Bill C-242 “wellness” threshold was used as a cover for discrimination on the basis of disabilities (McPhedran).
• November 16, 2022 – SOCI: questioned how Canada deals with foreign workers who become disabled temporarily or on a long-term basis (McPhedran).

SOCI Members

Marilou McPhedran
(Manitoba)