Evidence of meeting #102 for Finance in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was finance.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
I know there was extensive collaboration and consultation with provinces. I'm just trying to see if I can find you something more specific on that.
5:20 p.m.
Catherine Demers Director General, Strategy and Partnerships, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
We could probably obtain for you as a follow-up the specific organizations that were consulted, but certainly—
5:20 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Partnerships, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Indeed.
In terms of the organization, there has been, over a two-year period, discussion and collaboration with stakeholders on the creation of the council. That has been done in partnership with provinces and territories, so, really, broad-based discussions.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
On this LMI information, you have to be aware that in western Canada there is private-sector LMI being collected by the different HR associations.
There is an Alberta HR trends report, a western Canada trends report, and an individual trends report being produced for every single province by associations, which include about 20,000 human resources practitioners under the certified professionals in human resources.
Is this duplicating that effort or is this trying to replace it? Is it competing with it, or is it something new?
5:20 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Partnerships, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
It is meant to work in complementarity with all the organizations across Canada that produce various levels of labour market information. It is really an opportunity to bring together the various information sources that are collected by sector organizations, through Statistics Canada, and through various educational institutions as well. For various holders of labour market information, the idea is to provide an opportunity to offer a common platform for access to labour market information for Canadians.
5:25 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Partnerships, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
The council is made up of representatives of the federal government, the provinces, and provincial and territorial governments, with the advice of a national stakeholder advisory panel.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Wouldn't you want to have included in that HR professionals, people who are certified in the profession who make hiring decisions knowing what the labour market is like? This would include the hiring, firing, and skills assessment in the workplaces for large, small, and medium-sized organizations.
5:25 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
As mentioned, the national stakeholder advisory panel that will be established to support the council could be comprised of HR professionals, experts, students, workers, educational institutions, indigenous organizations, and business organizations. We're trying to make this advisory council cover as broad a spectrum as possible.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
For my last question, it says it's going to start in the fall. Is there a specific time? The fall hasn't really started, so October, November?
5:25 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Partnerships, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
The creation of the council is expected to be announced soon, this fall, around the Forum of Labour Market Ministers meetings. It's in the context of an upcoming meeting of labour market ministers. The details of the creation of the council and the members will be made available very soon—this fall.
5:25 p.m.
NDP
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee.
My question is related to what I said earlier about inclusive growth, which means growth that benefits all Canadians, especially those living in the most precarious situations.
My question is in the same vein as my question about the labour market and the skills of Canada's workforce. What is the current picture of the labour market shortage? Actually, I think everyone can agree on this: there is a tremendous need for human resources in several sectors. In Sherbrooke where I'm from, I regularly hear business leaders talk about the lack of skilled labour and the difficulty of filling positions in companies.
Is there a national picture of the labour market shortage? Has an analysis been made of what the labour market will need? What is the shortfall? What is the strategy to address this lack of human resources?
5:25 p.m.
Director General, Strategy and Partnerships, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Information on the job market and on job availability in Canada is currently available on the Job Bank site, which is managed by the department and made available to Canadians, employers and educational institutions.
In fact, the site has been extensively redesigned to improve it, to make it easier for workers and job seekers to access it, and to target information on more specific areas. A resident of a given community will be able to know what jobs are available and what the salaries are. The website also contains information on the eligibility requirements and education required. There has been a real increase in the amount of information available to job seekers, as well as easier access to employers who are looking for talent and workers in their own region. We are really trying to make this information easier to access. National information is also available on this site.
As I mentioned earlier, in addition to the Job Bank, the creation of the new Canada Labour Market Information Council is designed to make information more readily available by grouping together on the joint platform data collected in the regions, in the provinces and in different sectors. The site also aims to improve the quality and relevance of available information by proposing better measures and more coherent methodologies. The labour market in Canada will therefore benefit from expert input.
Our goal is to improve the quality and relevance of labour market information in order to better match supply and demand.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
Thank you.
Since I still have a little time, I will turn to Mr. Purves.
Mr. Purves, I don't know if you are the one who takes care of this program, but I will still ask you a question in anticipation of our pre-budget consultations. I assume that you are in charge of the equalization program. If so, is the current equalization formula adequate? If not, should it be reviewed?
5:30 p.m.
General Director, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Thank you for your question.
If you don't mind, I'll answer in English.
5:30 p.m.
General Director, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
As you know, under the act, the Minister of Finance's authority to provide under the equalization program expires on March 31, 2019, so currently we're looking at the current equalization framework and conducting as normal in these instances when there is a sunset.
We're looking at the framework to see if it continues to serve the interests of the federation in the best way possible. We continue to go through that review. Through that, we have had discussions with provinces and territories—at the officials level, of course—and we continue to do our work on that. It would be too early for me to sort of signal at this juncture any indications of any potential changes, if at all.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Thank you, Pierre.
We will have to adjourn there.
Some of you were here for the earlier discussion by the finance committee member on a motion. I just couldn't help sitting here and thinking we are pretty good at make-work projects for ourselves. Maybe ESDC could learn something from that. We can make more work and pile it on next week.
Anyway, hopefully that will be all for the better.
I do want to thank you for waiting. Thank you for your presentations.
The meeting is adjourned. We'll meet tomorrow.