Annexe X - Joint Committees
1.0
Canada-Québec Joint Committee to Implement the Labour Market Agreement during the period preparatory to the assumption of responsibility by Québec, the transition and the adjustment period
1.1Term
1.1.1 This committee shall be established for the period beginning at the time the Implementation Agreement is signed and ending upon termination of the adjustment period.
1.2 Composition
1.2.1 The committee shall have an equal number of representatives of Canada and Québec. The total number of members remains to be agreed on. There shall be a joint chairmanship and secretariat. The committee may add members on an ad hoc basis depending on the subjects it is considering. It may establish subcommittees if necessary.
1.2.2 To ensure continuity in managing the Agreement, the people who are permanent members of this committee for both Québec and Canada shall also sit on the Canada-Québec Joint Committee to Oversight the Labour Market Agreement.
1.3 Operation of the committee
frequency of meetings shall be based on need;
decisions of the committee shall be made by consensus;
the committee may make recommendations to the parties.
1.4 Mandate of the committee
1.4.1 The committee’s general mandate shall be to facilitate resolution of issues specifically related to the period preparatory to the assumption of responsibility by Québec, the transition and the adjustment period
1.4.2 The issues to be addressed shall include:
co-operation to ensure quality services throughout the period preparatory to the assumption of responsibility by Québec, the transition and the adjustment period (APPENDIX III of this Agreement);
mechanisms for interrelations between Québec's employment services and Canada's employment insurance services, reflecting the two parties' needs for efficiency and effectiveness (clause 2.1 of APPENDIX III);
determination and monitoring of the operating terms and conditions for referral of employment insurance claimants to Québec's points of service (clause 2.3 of APPENDIX III);
development of a pro forma services agreement covering office space and equipment (clause 2.2 of APPENDIX III);
determination and monitoring of the terms and conditions for implementing section 3.0 of APPENDIX III of this Agreement, relating to the period preparatory to the assumption of responsibility by Québec;
monitoring of contract arrangements to ensure a smooth transition for the participants and the organizations (clause 4.3.6 of APPENDIX III);
transfer and deployment of human resources corresponding to 1 038 employees (section 6.0 of this Agreement and clause 1.2.9 of APPENDIX III);
transfer of physical resources (clause 7.3 of this Agreement);
follow-up to Training Purchases in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Training Purchases operational guide revised by the parties (clause 7.1.2 of this Agreement);
designation of expert representatives responsible for systems implementation, under the committee’s authority (clause 8.4.1.1 of this Agreement).
1.5 The committee may consider any other matter related to the period preparatory to the assumption of responsibility by Québec, the transition and the adjustment period, and propose appropriate solutions.
2.0
Canada-Québec Joint Committee to Oversight the Labour Market Agreement
2.1 Term
2.1.1 This committee shall be established, for an indeterminate period, when Québec assumes responsibility for the measures set out in the Agreement.
2.2 Composition
2.2.1 The committee shall have an equal number of representatives of Canada and Québec. The precise number of members remains to be agreed on. There shall be a joint chairmanship and secretariat. The committee may add members on an ad hoc basis depending on the subjects it is considering. The committee shall also designate expert representatives for those parts of the Implementation Agreement which provide for such representatives.
2.2.2 To ensure continuity in managing the Agreement, the permanent members for both Québec and Canada shall be the same people who served as permanent members of the Canada-Québec Joint Committee to Implement the Labour Market Agreement during the period preparatory to the assumption of responsibility by Québec, the transition and the adjustment period.
2.3 Operation of the committee
the committee shall meet at the request of either party;
decisions of the committee on matters falling under its authority shall be made by consensus;
the committee may make recommendations to the parties.
2.4 Mandate of the committee
2.4.1 The committee’s general mandate shall be to facilitate implementation and monitoring of the permanent provisions of the Implementation Agreement and the Agreement in Principle
2.4.2 In this regard
A.the committee shall be a forum for exchange of information and discussions, enabling the circulation of all information needed for smooth operation of the Agreement;
B.the committee shall serve as the forum for co-operation between the parties on such matters as they may agree on;
C.the committee shall serve as the forum to oversight the implementation terms and conditions agreed on by the parties;
D.the committee shall be the forum for preparing joint decisions on specific matters.
a.A forum for exchange of information and discussion on such subjects as:
service delivery structure (clause 4.1 of this Agreement);
possible recourse to a financial dispute resolution mechanism as described in clause 7.8 of this Agreement;
forwarding of Québec’s annual plan (clause 5.4.1 of the Agreement in Principle) and preparation of the Annual Appendix (clauses 7.2.1.6 and 7.2.1.7 of this Agreement);
forwarding of Québec’s annual report (clause 5.5 of the Agreement in Principle);
forwarding of information and data that will allow the two governments to fulfill their respective responsibilities (clause 5.7 and APPENDIXES I and V of this Agreement);
sectoral activities (clause 10.3 of the Agreement in Principle);
any other matter which either party deems useful for improving the operation of the Agreement, including legislative, regulatory or policy changes which either party may be considering and which may have an impact on the other party’s responsibilities as set out in the Agreement in Principle.
b.A forum for co-operation, including with regard to:
detection and control of abuse of active employment measures (clause 5.6 of this Agreement);
improved labour-market research and innovation (clause 11.5 of this Agreement);
any other matter which the parties may deem useful.
c.A forum to oversight the implementation terms and conditions agreed on by the parties, including as regards:
implementation of the National Employment Service functions (clause 3.4 of this Agreement);
labour market information (clause 3.5.2.3 of this Agreement);
provisions under which, at Québec’s request, Canada can handle correspondence in English with companies in relation to the National Employment Service functions (section 3.6 of this Agreement);
the quality of service to users (section 4.1 of the Agreement in Principle);
designating of expert representatives with a view to holding discussions regarding section 5.4 of this Agreement;
designating of expert representatives for the exchange of information and data (clause 5.7.1.2 of this Agreement);
possible recourse to a conflict resolution mechanism (section 7.8 of this Agreement);
implementing computer systems (clause 8.4.1.2 of this Agreement); public information (section 9.0 of this Agreement);
any other matter which the parties may deem useful.
d.Forum for developing proposals for submission to the parties, with a view to reach decisions on the following matters:
agreement to changes to existing measures, or new active measures which Québec may wish to establish in conformity with the provisions of section 3.1 of the Agreement in Principle;
during the initial three-year period, examination of results achieved, review of accountability mechanisms and framework, and review of provisions pertaining to funding of Québec’s active employment measures and to physical and financial resources, in order to decide whether the parties wish to continue with the Agreement (clauses 9.1 and 9.2 of the Agreement in Principle);
review of colocation scenarios and preparation of a report for authorities on both sides during the twelve months following the signing of the Implementation Agreement (clause 12.5 of this Agreement);
any other matter which the parties may deem useful.