Finance Committee on March 27th, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Mr. Saxton.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

I appreciate that. I wanted to point out that the Canada summer jobs program funding was actually increased not in this budget but the year before, 2013, by about 10%, I think it was.

It was increased, so I wanted to know what time period you were talking about so that we're on the same page. It has gone up; I think you've answered my question. That's great.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay, thank you. I'm going to Mr. Allen.

Unless it's a point of order, Mr. Brison?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Is there another time for just a brief intervention?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

No, there's not.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

To find some information...?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

There are no “points of information”, as you know.

Mr. Allen.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Jonathan, I can start with you.

My first question is with regard to incoming students who come in, and your association. Now, your association has talked about unhooking the transfer and having some accountability back on the education transfer to the provinces. What kinds of things are your student associations doing with your universities to make accountability in reporting the metrics of success at university? And what are you also doing to work with universities to prepare incoming students for maybe the things they should be looking at taking to prepare them?

[Jonathan Champagne]

Our association represents universities, graduate students, undergraduate students, as well as colleges and polytechnics. I guess from the incoming standpoint—and it will refer slightly back to the guidance counsellors and what we've heard from the Canada student loans program as well—there is information out there that helps educate or inform high school students in terms of what their options are in being able to obtain funding, different scholarships, whatever it is, to be able to access their post-secondary institution of choice. Being able to effectively communicate that through is important to help make sure they make the right decision, and what educational institution best fits their career outcomes.

I guess the other point is that when you have a post-secondary education system as a whole, there are jobs today that we can train and educate people for. There might be jobs in five or ten years from now and we don't know what they are right now, we don't know that they exist. Just like 10 years ago we didn't know many jobs that currently exist, would exist. So it's making sure that the education we have really provides a comprehensive, well-rounded skill set. Perhaps people want to become poets or actors, or maybe later on in their career they decide they want to become welders or carpenters or politicians, or whatever their career outcomes. Preparing them to be able to adapt to our changing economy and changing labour market is incredibly important.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

What I didn't hear in that answer is that you haven't really taken on with the university administration to help you make your case for an independent transfer to say that the reporting of the metrics....

[Jonathan Champagne]

We have in the past advocated for separating out the Canada social transfer, the part that goes toward post-secondary institutions, so that remains an important priority for our members.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Okay, but are you going to go and flog your universities since you represent 300,000 students? I would suggest you go and flog your universities to report back on those metrics of success. Because I understand, Ms. Robinson, that your institutions are reporting to your masters in terms of your success and the metrics of success.

[Nobina Robinson]

We are tethered to the provincial governments; universities are independent organizations.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

I'm just suggesting there's possibly a way to actually do that.

I guess my final question, then, is to Mr. Annan. You gave some pretty good targets. You're up to 10,000 students in graduate workshops now. What are the types of things that you and your paid internships...20% are hired into newly created positions...? How are you tracking this kind of stuff? What are your metrics for success? Where do you think that will grow to?

[Robert Annan]

In terms of growth, we still see ongoing demand both from company sponsors and students. This year we'll do about 3,000 internships. We have a goal of 10,000 over the next five to seven years. We have a couple of people in the organization whose primary responsibility is tracking these outcomes, which we do through surveys, longitudinal studies, as well as specific evaluation projects with the companies we work with. I'm with Nobina on this. I think the tracking outcome is absolutely essential especially when we're making decisions about tax dollars and where they're going to go. So we encourage more, and also the information-sharing that comes out of it.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Thank you.

I'm sorry I didn't leave Mr. Brison any time.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

I want to thank our panel. It was a fascinating discussion here this afternoon.

Thank you for your presentations and for having answered our questions.

Colleagues, I just have a couple of housekeeping items.

First of all, it's to remind finance members of the committee that on April 1, on Tuesday, we have an informal meeting with a delegation from Nigeria.

Second, you have a proposed budget in front of you for the study we are doing currently, so I sincerely hope it passes. It's the proposed budget on the amount of $38,000 for the study on youth employment.

Can I get somebody to move that?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

So moved.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

All in favour? Opposed?

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you again, colleagues.

The meeting is adjourned.