Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) met on November 25, 2025, to study the government's efforts to strengthen the economy, protect jobs, and support workers. The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, appeared alongside Paul Thompson, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

Paul Thompson, Deputy Minister of ESDC, confirmed that internal investigations into ESDC employees who fraudulently applied for CERB while employed have been completed, with action taken against approximately 50 employees. He agreed to provide the committee with further details on the number of employees cleared, those who had security clearances revoked, those formally terminated, and whether any cases were referred to the RCMP for potential criminal investigation.

Minister Hajdu outlined several measures taken in response to tariffs, including flexibilities to the EI work-sharing program that prevented nearly 12,600 layoffs, eliminating the one-week waiting period for EI, allowing workers to keep severance pay, and extending EI by 20 extra weeks for 190,000 long-tenured workers. She noted that 35% of EI recipients are now using the modernized job bank, up from 10%, and that the government is investing $50 million to further modernize it. She also highlighted the $1.54 billion in youth employment programs supporting 175,000 young people, the expansion of affordable child care to an average of $16.50 per day with nearly one million families benefiting, and the permanent national school food program now reaching nearly 400,000 children. On the Canada disability benefit, she noted an additional $115 million over four years for a one-time $150 payment to help with disability tax credit application costs.

Regarding the forestry sector, Minister Hajdu said the government is supporting companies through EI work-sharing and a $500-million training fund for tariff-exposed sectors, and she rejected the suggestion that the government is abandoning forestry workers. On the union training and innovation program, she highlighted a new $75-million investment to help unions train skilled trades workers, noting that hundreds of thousands of tradespeople are due to retire soon. She also defended the government's use of section 107 of the Labour Code in the Air Canada flight attendants' dispute, stating that both parties declared an impasse and that the Canada Industrial Relations Board was asked to help resolve it.

On the issue of student grants for career colleges, Minister Hajdu explained that the government is limiting Canada Student Grants to public and not-for-profit private institutions because public funds should go to public institutions and to address the practice of some career colleges extending programs to make students eligible. She noted that the minister has exemption authority for specific programs and is open to hearing from interested parties. On the foreign credential recognition action fund, she said it is a new approach to support provinces and territories in sharing information and working with regulatory bodies to speed up credential recognition.

Minister Hajdu did not provide a specific date for the rollout of the 15-week attachment benefit for adoptive and intended parents under Bill C-59, which received royal assent in June 2024, but committed to including MP Falk in the work. She also declined to rule out an increase in EI premiums, stating that the government will wait for the advice of the chief actuary and the EI commissioners. On the issue of baby formula inflation, she pointed to the Canada child benefit, which is indexed to inflation, and other affordability measures in budget 2025 that the Conservatives voted against. She did not directly answer whether she had specifically discussed baby formula inflation with the Prime Minister.

The committee also heard debate on procedural matters, including points of order about interpreters being unable to hear due to multiple members speaking at once. No motions or votes were recorded during the meeting.