SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
March 18, 2024 09:00AM
  • Mar/18/24 9:50:00 a.m.

I want to thank the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills for your comments, and also the member for Kitchener—

Interjection.

This is the Working for Workers bill. I was at a protest recently at city hall with gig workers, and they were talking about how they’re making $6.37 an hour because this government passed another Working for Workers bill that stripped them of their protections under the Employment Standards Act. In fact, it actually makes them—gig workers—a separate category of workers that are not entitled to the protections, such as minimum wage protections. Some of these gig workers are making $6.37 an hour.

My question to the member is, should this government repeal that legislation and allow gig workers protections under the Employment Standards Act? I’ll ask it to the member from Mississauga–Erin Mills.

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  • Mar/18/24 10:00:00 a.m.

I want to thank both my colleagues for their comments this morning.

My question is to my colleague from Kitchener South–Hespeler. I appreciated her comments about her front-line experience as a server in the hospitality industry, but I know she’s also a lawyer. My question is: There’s an obligation in Ontario for employers to provide a workplace that is safe and free from harassment, and I’m wondering if my colleague could please comment on the regulation of the use of NDAs in the case of workplace sexual harassment, misconduct or violence and how that’s going to further protect our workers across Ontario.

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  • Mar/18/24 10:00:00 a.m.

Thank you to my colleagues for their comments on this Working for Workers bill.

The member for Kitchener South–Hespeler said women earn up to 30% less than men when she was talking about pay transparency. There was a bill, the Pay Transparency Act, 2018, that would have helped to address this and put some real teeth to the bill. This schedule of the bill duplicates the title but doesn’t have the enforcement in it.

I was just wondering if the member could explain to me how, with this schedule, all you have to do is say that the range—I said in my debate between $1 and $1 million. But if the range is 30% of a range, how does that help close that gender pay gap if women are just being told that the range in pay is varied between 30%?

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  • Mar/18/24 11:30:00 a.m.

I’ll remind the members to please make their comments through the Chair.

Supplementary question?

To reply, the Minister of Health.

The next question.

Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1140 to 1145.

Mr. Cuzzetto has moved private member’s notice of motion number 81. All those in favour, please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Motion agreed to.

The House recessed from 1149 to 1300.

Does the member wish to make a brief statement?

Debate adjourned.

Mr. Calandra, on behalf of Ms. Mulroney, moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 174, An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 / Projet de loi 174, Loi autorisant l’utilisation de certaines sommes pour l’exercice se terminant le 31 mars 2024.

First reading agreed to.

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