Evidence of meeting #12 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was energy.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Renée St-Jacques  Chief Economist and Director General, Micro-Economic Policy Analysis Branch, Department of Industry
Martin Green  Acting Director General, Program Policy Planning and Analysis, Department of Human Resources and Social Development
Howard Brown  Assistant Deputy Minister, Energy Policy Sector, Department of Natural Resources
Michele McKenzie  President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Tourism Commission
Cliff Halliwell  Director General, Policy Research and Coordination, Department of Human Resources and Social Development
Margaret McCuaig-Johnston  Assistant Deputy Minister, Energy Technology and Programs Sector, Department of Natural Resources
Robert Lamy  coordinator, Department of Industry
Éric Parisien  Director, Sector Council Program Division, Department of Human Resources and Social Development
Sara Filbee  Director General, Manufacturing Industries Branch, Department of Industry

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC

The question is for Mr. Green.

I want to talk about the feasibility study on older workers announced in the budget. Can you tell us what your main findings were? Have the clienteles been identified? How many workers aged 55 and over are there in Canada, for example? Can you give us a copy of the progress report on that effort? If you can't do that today, I would ask you to do it as soon as possible.

1:05 p.m.

Acting Director General, Program Policy Planning and Analysis, Department of Human Resources and Social Development

Martin Green

I'm not sure exactly of its status right now, but I'll see what information we can provide to you, as to where the—

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC

Are you aware of that feasibility study announced in the budget?

1:05 p.m.

Acting Director General, Program Policy Planning and Analysis, Department of Human Resources and Social Development

Martin Green

It was announced in the budget. Quite frankly, I can't tell you exactly—

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC

Is your department responsible for this file? Can you promise to check that and to send a copy of the progress report or of the order that was made, if something was contracted out, so that we can know exactly where we stand?

I'll give you a piece of information. I know a business that patented a method for determining, when 100 workers are laid off from a business, the age of each of them and the number who won't find another job. That information can be provided to you any time. Out of a group of 600 employees Whirlpool in Montmagny, 150 were over the age of 55. So when they apply to an employer, regardless of their qualifications, obviously no one will want to hire them.

I just want to get the information to see whether there's been any change, to know where we stand in this effort and what figures you have found.

1:05 p.m.

Acting Director General, Program Policy Planning and Analysis, Department of Human Resources and Social Development

Martin Green

Absolutely. We'll make that available to you.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you, members.

Thank you all for staying with us for an extra 10 minutes. We appreciate it very much. If there is anything further you think should be added to the committee with respect to the manufacturing sector, please forward it to me, as the chair, or to the clerk, and we will distribute that to members.

Thank you very much for being with us here today.

The meeting is adjourned.