Evidence of meeting #8 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Innovation Sector, Department of Industry
That's a competitive process with peer review. That's how the funds are allocated.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you very much.
We'll now go to Mr. Warawa, for five minutes.
December 4th, 2013 / 4 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I would like to continue with similar questioning that Ms. Sgro had regarding youth. You touched on the youth employment strategy. How has that program changed? It has been around for a number of years, and it's a very important program. You said that you seek the funding every year and it's been similar funding. Has the program changed, or has it been similar over the years?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
This program has been similar over the years. There are two components to it.
One is related to the computers for schools program, where federal computers are refurbished and then provided to schools. As a part of that, youth are provided with the opportunity to learn skills, to work on those computers, and to do a lot of the technical work to refurbish those computers. That is part of it.
The other part is related to community access sites, libraries and that sort of thing, that may have public access to computers. There are opportunities and internships for youth to provide technical support and that sort of thing, as an adjunct to those sites.
Those programs have existed for many years and have remained substantially the same.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you.
My next question refers to what you were speaking on, the refurbishment of used computers. You touched on a $3.5 million request to support the technical work experience program offered to students and recent graduates to refurbish computers. Is this the same program that you were just referring to?
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
The computers are coming from where and going to where? Also, is this in partnership with any of the provinces?
4:05 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Management Sector , Department of Industry
Yes. They come from federal government departments. They come from the provinces and other non-private sector sources.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
This is funding the hardware primarily, and then the software, and updating the computers so they are usable through the different school systems. Is that correct?
4:05 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Management Sector , Department of Industry
Exactly.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Are the people doing this recent graduates from tech schools, then?
4:05 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Management Sector , Department of Industry
Yes, and it's a fundamental part of the program, this work experience that these people get in doing this.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Management Sector , Department of Industry
No.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
It's right across Canada. Okay.
Could you touch briefly on the $6 million for Mitacs? That was for attracting students to Canada and also for Canadians experiencing international R and D.
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Innovation Sector, Department of Industry
Certainly.
I think it's a very exciting program. We recognize that in Canada we'll never be more than about 4% of the world's research and knowledge, so building strong links with people in other countries and having those people who are going to be leaders in their own countries spend time here is a great way of developing those networks. This program has them working in private Canadian firms, again developing those networks, and of course, because Canada is a wonderful place, a lot of those people will end up staying here too.
The purpose of this is to make sure that we have an opportunity to offer those kinds of experiences to people from other countries. Also, as I said at the beginning, there's a component here for Canadians to have an experience in another country.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
What age group are we talking about? Are we talking about university graduates or tech schools again?
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Innovation Sector, Department of Industry
This is primarily...it's a university program. There's a component for people who are undergraduates, and there are also graduate fellowships.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Innovation Sector, Department of Industry
There are countries that we've been dealing with primarily, but we're not limited. China, India, and Brazil have been very active.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
To the witnesses, thank you for being here today. I know this has to be difficult with so many of us asking questions on so many different areas within the ministry. So with that being said, Ms. Morgan, earlier you mentioned the office of consumer affairs. Would you or one of your officials know offhand what the budget is for the office of consumer affairs through Industry?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
Yes. We have $2.7 million in the office of consumer affairs.