Human Resources Committee on Nov. 28th, 2013

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

For sure. Absolutely, that's exactly what I've said. Clearly, they're more acute.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

But the jobs grant seems to be this broad-based, one-size-fits-all approach to doing that. And you've said that you want to be flexible, but we're not seeing that yet. What we've seen so far is that you want to continue...that this is the answer, but it seems like too broad an approach to fix certain pockets of areas in certain industries.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Let me clarify, Mr. Chairman, that I've never suggested, nor do I believe, that the Canada job grant is the solution to the paradox of too many jobs without people and too many people without jobs. I don't believe that for a moment.

Let's put this in perspective. If the job grant is fully implemented, we're talking about $300 million out of the $1.6 trillion economy, from governments that spend cumulatively billions and billions on skills development. Ms. Sims talked about a pilot. It's not much bigger than the pilot. It's just one effort to try one different approach, an approach that works in Europe where the employers select the folks who get the training, where we leverage a larger private sector investment in training, and where there's a job at the end of it.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

I have time for one more question here, and it's just about the LMAs. The job grant and the LMA are two different beasts; they serve two different purposes. I see the principles behind the job grant. I think if it were funded separately, I could really buy into that and support that, but taking it from the LMA and asking the provinces.... You say you've had some victories but you're taking 60% of the funding out. What you're asking to be done with the LMA money is like asking your car to do the laundry. You're on record, Minister, referring to the LMAs—I know you know your own words—as “turn[ing] most of the people involved into 'habitual welfare recipients'”.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

No, I didn't say that. I said that many of the programs funded through those dollars by the—

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

That's what we have as a quote for you, sir.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

No, I did not say “turns them into”. I said that the clients often are habitual welfare recipients, and that's true. Not all of them but many of them are, because they're on public assistance.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

There are many success stories. In the leaked document there is a fairly strong statement. They say that “a strong and continuing need exists for LMA programs and services.”

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

That's the end of the questioning—

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

But I want to end on the fact that I appreciate your gesture of working together.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Okay.

We'll go to Monsieur Boulerice for five minutes.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I am going to share my time with my colleague Ms. Groguhé.

Mr. Minister, I would like to follow up on Ms. Sims' remarks about the Homelessness Partnering Strategy. Consultations are fine, but when the projects are so late and when the money set aside cannot be spent, that is not fine. Groups in the trenches are telling us that they cannot help the most disadvantaged, most vulnerable members of our society as they could. That is why the question of speed is a concern for us.

Quebec has a unique approach that is unanimously accepted by all the partners, both elected officials and all the groups involved. Projects underway wrap up on March 30 next year. Are negotiations currently going on between the federal government and the Government of Quebec? What is the status of those negotiations? If the negotiations drag on, will current agreement be extended until the discussions are over?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

I have spoken with people from the Government of Quebec, and we are making progress. We believe that there will be an agreement, but I have no precise date.

Perhaps Mr. Mennill may have something to add, since this is his file.

[Jacques Paquette, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Income Security and Social Development Branch, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development]

My name is Jacques Paquette and I am the assistant deputy minister for the Income Security and Social Development Branch.

Yes, at the moment, discussions are going on with the Government of Quebec. Everything is being considered, including any transition that may be necessary to ensure continuity in the services.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Okay, thank you.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Thank you for being here, Mr. Minister.

My question is about the expenses. There is a transfer of $497,000 from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development to your department to support the Kativik Regional Government to streamline delivery of youth programming.

What activities are involved and which programs do those activities relate to?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Perhaps I can ask Mr. Séguin.

I don't have a note in French.

This funding is made available in the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy at Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. The strategy complements the programs and services provided by the Kativik Regional Government under the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy operated by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development. This transfer to the Kativik Regional Government has been made annually since 2005 and helps to streamline the delivery of services and the preparation of reports.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

So it will be about funding for skills and partnerships.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Yes.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Is that it exclusively, or will there be other programs? For example, does it exclude the mandatory work program on reserves?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Yes, that is it exclusively.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Okay.

Do you feel that your department is better suited for that initiative than the original one? Why did you take it over?

[Ian Shugart]

Mr. Chair, the two departments came to an agreement on this transfer so that the delivery of the services would better match the clients’ training needs.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Will money from this fund be given directly to companies to train workers or will it go to training organizations? Basically, where will the money go?

[Ian Shugart]

The funds are distributed by the Kativik administration according to its own priorities, to match placement opportunities and to respond to the institutions that provide the training.