WATCH: Discussing National Childcare, Employment Insurance, and the Minimum Wage

On May 26, 2021 during the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology’s pre-study of Bill C-30, the Budget Implementation Act, Senator Ratna Omidvar asked about national child care, employment insurance, and the need for a low-wage commission. 

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In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks Karen Hall, Director General of the Strategic and Service Policy Branch of Employment and Social Development Canada, what success will look like in the first year of the national childcare program.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks Karen Hall about the impact the national childcare program will have on non-regulated childcare workers.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks Karen Hall what impact the national childcare program will have on the labour force participation of parents.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks Ken Boessenkool, J.W. McConnell Professor of Practice, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University, about the national advisory council that has been announced as part of the new national childcare program.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks Craig Alexander, Chief Economist and Executive Advisor to Deloitte Canada, what level of uptake can be expected for a new national childcare program, and if access to childcare will have an impact on the fertility rate.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks Morna Ballantyne, Executive Director of Child Care Now, and Craig Alexander how much it costs and how long it takes to become an early childhood educator.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, what principles the Employment Insurance Commission is using to review the EI system, and how long the review will take.

In this clip, Senator Omidvar asks the Honourable Carla Qualtrough if she would support the creation of a low-wage commission to study the impact of the minimum wage.