Evidence of meeting #81 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was youth.
A video is available from Parliament.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Minister, we're so fortunate because we have that experience. I'm thinking of members of Parliament who joined us in 2021.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Right, but you also are very aware of the program.
Were there a lot of members of Parliament in 2021 who recognized it?
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
I wasn't that aware of the program, so I can speak to my experience as a new MP.
What I will say to you, Karen, is that—
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Minister, this is really important for my time.
We know that many people had a reduction. Were the new members of Parliament aware of the reduction?
I know, from speaking to members of Parliament, that they weren't aware and that people in our communities were not aware that the money had been decreased over the last four years.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
It was listed in FES—the fall economic statement. It was there.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Okay. Canadian companies knew. Thank you. That's perfect.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Ms. Vecchio.
We'll go to Mr. Long for six minutes, please.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Thank you, Chair.
Good morning to my colleagues.
Minister, thank you so much for coming.
Obviously, I'm going to focus my attention mainly on the Canada summer jobs program, but before I do, I want to talk about the youth employment and skills strategy program, or YESS, which is an unbelievable program in my riding of Saint John—Rothesay.
We have an organization called the Human Development Council that administers that program. I can honestly tell you that it's probably the most transformational program that we deliver as a government in my riding of Saint John—Rothesay. We have given to literally hundreds of youth who needed it and who face many barriers a chance, a second chance, whether it's through on-the-job training, writing skills or social skills. The program is unbelievable.
First and foremost, I want to thank you and I want to compliment you on the YESS skills training for jobs. The program is absolutely unbelievable.
I was elected in 2015. I started to learn a lot about programs, what we were doing and what we were going to deliver. The Canada summer jobs program is a program that we doubled. We started to talk to mainly non-profits in the riding about the unbelievable need and our responsibility to offer programs to youth. I can speak to my riding. Give or take, there were about 300 jobs we offered in the first year. We're almost in my ninth year, so that would be almost 2,500 to 2,700 jobs that we have offered youth in my riding.
It's transformational. We have given them wonderful opportunities. Obviously, the priority is not-for-profits. We can rank and list, but not-for profits.... Whether it's the YMCA of Greater Saint John, the Crescent Valley Resource Centre, the Teen Resource Centre or ONE Change, the list goes on and on of the programs and the number of youth we're giving that opportunity to for summer jobs.
It's a vital initiative, obviously. It allows employers to expand their workforce. It gives young Canadians the opportunity to learn skills that will benefit them in their future endeavours.
My first question, Minister, is this: Can you discuss how the department takes employer and youth feedback into account and how, if at all, that feedback helps to shape the Canada summer jobs program?
Thank you, and good morning.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Good morning, Wayne. Thank you so much for this question.
First and foremost, thank you for highlighting that Canada summer jobs is an important program. It's what I call a jewel in a crown, but there are other jewels in that crown too. YESS is part of that. It's about meeting kids where they are, at different ages and different points in their lives. That is something we listened to and heard about. This is why the suite of programs under that strategy exists.
With regard to YESS and the success rates among employers and among students as well, YESS does very, very well. It homes in on something really important, and that is learning skills and being skills-ready to take a job. These are young people between the ages of 15 and 30, so it goes outside the scope of high school and beyond that to post-secondary, where some people still considered youth might have left school and are looking for new opportunities. It provides those opportunities in a skills-based and work-integrated way that is so important. It's what's necessary. With regard to employers and student success, the number we're looking at is 96%. They love it. More importantly, it's bearing results.
I'll go back to CSJs for a second, if I might, since that's why we're here. Half of the kids who work those summer jobs are employed beyond that, meaning that employers see something in those kids and they hire them, so the jobs continue.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
I have lots of questions.
One of the great things I love about the program—obviously, we're back in our constituencies in the summer—is that we can get out and visit the employers. We can get ops—
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Yes. We can get pictures with students. It's wonderful. What I love about the program too is that MPs have input into this program—
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
We can always improve, but it's one of the programs that we can actually look at and determine rankings, evaluations and things like that.
I speak with my constituents and business owners, and I just want to make sure that what I hear from them is reflected in the job opportunities provided. Can you elaborate for a minute on the selection process and whether you, like me, think the MPs' role in the delivery of this program is integral?
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Marci Ien Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Yes, Mr. Chair.
MPs get to rank local priorities. They know their communities best. That's what this program is about. They're on the ground. They know. They can advise.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Minister and Mr. Long.
Ms. Chabot, you have the floor for six minutes.