Evidence of meeting #53 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was jobs.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Gerald Keddy Conservative South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS
On the panel before you—and I'll be very quick here—the term “youth underemployment” was used several times during the discussion. I would just like to ask you, because you look at this from a slightly different angle, is that a real term?
Is there underemployment or is there overeducation, and have we done a poor job as a society—I'm talking our high schools, our community colleges, our universities, straight across the board—at steering people toward an active role in the workplace?
5:40 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Futurpreneur Canada
We did a cross-country series of round tables and a national summit. It pointed out that we're not preparing our young people to create their own opportunities.
Just on Startup Canada, we are very different. We have an almost 20-year-old track record that's pretty much a volunteer-led organization. We have a mentoring program that is very well designed. It's considered the gold standard internationally. We've had 3,000 volunteer mentors go through. It's tracked. We work with the mentors and the mentees every step of the way. That's the kind of mentorship young people need.
They don't need a dabbling in and out. They get very, very frustrated with that. I think you want results from the mentoring program as well that an organization like ours can deliver.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
5:45 p.m.
NDP
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to mention this first.
Youth underemployment is a very real thing. In fact, one in three youth are underemployed in Canada today, which is a very high number.
Mr. Thivierge, I would like to thank you for your comments and recommendations. Your concerns resonate with people in my riding of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles. I know that you are part of the Quebec coalition against employment insurance reform. That reform has greatly affected rural areas.
Could you expand on how the reform shows a poor knowledge of the economic realities of rural areas? Have you felt the effects of this reform in Quebec's rural regions?
5:45 p.m.
Corporate Secretary, Solidarité rurale du Québec
Eastern Quebec is a classic case. Fisheries and agriculture come to mind. Because of our climate, Canada has a long, harsh winter, and people generally fish in the summer. Therefore, those activities will necessarily mean that there is a period when employees are unoccupied in the winter.
The employment insurance program, as it was conceived, was a support for maintaining those jobs. If Canadians want to continue to eat lobster and shrimp, they are going to have to think about how the industry can be sustained.
Having said that, the current employment insurance program allows a person to go through a period of inactivity, which does not mean that there couldn't be job creation or economic diversification to achieve full employment.
There is no doubt that reducing this program or making access to it more difficult will certainly prevent economic diversification, even in communities that are based on seasonal employment. The tourism industry has also been greatly affected. It is important to understand that despite what you may think, hotels and restaurants require qualified staff. That is a real problem right now.
It is important to understand that if several of these rural areas that benefit greatly from tourism do not have access to qualified staff, the quality of the welcome that foreign visitors get will be affected. A large part of the economy of Quebec and Canada benefits from foreign tourism.
The employment insurance program is necessary in order to keep jobs in the regions and to allow for the diversification of economic activities in the medium term. Combining the employment insurance program with flexible assistance on the ground would make this diversification possible.
We need to understand that the employment reality in the Gaspé is not the same as in Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto. Considering an employment insurance program that could have flexible conditions across Canada would ensure that diversity.
5:45 p.m.
NDP
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Actually, in my riding in the Lower Laurentians, agri-tourism is vital to our prosperity. Your comments fully resonate in my region.
In 2013, the Government of Quebec released its third edition of its national policy on rurality. Claire Bolduc, who represents your organization, said that the federal government should also adopt such a policy.
Could you elaborate on that?
5:45 p.m.
Corporate Secretary, Solidarité rurale du Québec
That is sort of what I was saying about rural pacts between the government and municipalities. The agreements would enable municipalities to bring together the dynamic forces of communities and choose where to invest.
Allowing communities to choose economic opportunities will definitely lead to far greater investments in time and resources than if an initiative came from the top.
The concerted effort made at local and regional county municipality levels has generated a significant amount of activity. The OECD said that 25% of Quebeckers live in rural areas, while generating 30% of Quebec's gross domestic product.
So people must not think that our rural communities are a source of poverty, quite the contrary. Rural communities are a source of prosperity across Canada.
5:45 p.m.
NDP
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Absolutely.
We must promote our rural communities and recognize their contribution both to our economy and to our Quebec and Canadian identities.
You also raised the issue of land use. Your organization said that rural communities were not sure whether having natural resources is a blessing or a curse because they do not really have a say in the development of the natural resources.
Do you have any comments on that?
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
5:50 p.m.
Corporate Secretary, Solidarité rurale du Québec
Yes, it is important to consider the people who live on the land when we think about using natural resources. They must be the first ones to benefit from the resources because they live on that land. They watch the forest, mines and oceans being developed. So they must be considered. They will also fill those jobs. As a result, recognizing them will automatically make it possible to guarantee prosperity.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you, Mr. Thivierge.
Thank you, Ms. Liu.
I apologize for the shortened panel, but I think we have up to nine votes tonight, colleagues, so we'll be in the chamber for quite a while.
On behalf of the committee I want to thank all of you for participating in pre-budget consultations. If you have anything further for the committee, please submit it to the clerk. We'll ensure all members get it.
Merci beaucoup à tous.
The meeting is adjourned.