Evidence of meeting #9 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was syncrude.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:40 a.m.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Forgive me, I think I am going to change things around a bit. Since I don't have much time, I am going to go to my second question. I think that your reply, Mr. Anderson, is also going to cover the other questions to some degree.
We have heard that the training programs to prepare aboriginal persons to fill certain positions are sometimes not available. In that case, do your companies go through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
Vice-President, Government and Public Affairs, Syncrude Canada Ltd
I'll start.
Syncrude has a very strong relationship with the Alberta Building Trades Council, and on the rare occasions when we have peak workforce needs that exceed the Canadian capacity, we work with the building trades for them to identify, through the American building trades or the Irish or others, a supply of workers who come in through the building trades council. They're certified by the trade union. They pay dues and then they are brought to our site under the temporary foreign worker program in partnership with the building trades. We as a company can be confident that both the Alberta building trades as well as the broader Canadian building trades have exhausted all potential supply before we do that.
10:40 a.m.
President, Calgary, Kinder Morgan Canada
I would only add I entirely agree with Ms. Flynn. It's a pool of last resort. Our efforts would be to maximize the existing talent pool within the communities. We see the first nations community as being a largely untapped pool that needs more development.
10:40 a.m.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Let's talk about promotion. I think that Mr. Mercredi referred to this a little.
Does the company have programs to promote employees? Do they have to get further training to acquire additional skills? How does it work? How are things done in the context of that program?
10:40 a.m.
Senior Specialist, Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition, Cameco Corporation
Yes, we have several programs to allow people to move up within the company. Typically most aboriginal people are hired at the entry levels, so it's very important to move them into those supervisory roles that come with experience. We have some formal programs such as our career transition program whereby we pay employees' wages while they return to university to obtain a degree and perhaps move to a more professional role.
We have career development services when we meet with employees and find out what their long-term goals are and set up customized individual training programs for them so they learn leadership and computer skills, whatever it takes to move them to that next level. That's really what our focus has been lately, our internal workforce and how to move people up within the company, particularly aboriginals.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Phil McColeman
Thank you for that. That's over time. We have come to the end of our time here today at committee.
Thank you on my and the committee's behalf for taking the time today to explain to us what you are doing within your corporate structures and your businesses to assist aboriginals in developing their skills and becoming involved in your companies. We appreciate that. I think sometimes it takes people like you to describe to us the depth of your commitment. It helps us to get a thorough understanding of what's happening on the ground within your companies, so we appreciate that. Thank you again for taking the time.
That's the end of the committee meeting.