Evidence of meeting #7 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was victoria.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
NDP
Fin Donnelly NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you.
One of the concerns I have, as you mentioned, is training and workload, and the standard you want to continue it to. You've said that you're looking to do that in July, to send folks to the college, yet you want to go forward with this in May. My understanding is that you were at least looking at the fall. There seems to be shifting deadlines in terms of what actually is happening on the consolidation and how you can actually be ready with trained people who could be in these centres maintaining all this traffic and providing the safety we need for mariners.
I'm wondering if you could comment on that.
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Maybe I can just start by saying that the people who will start their training in July will not be ready until the next year.
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
No, one year. They spend six months at the college. Then they get on-the-job training and familiarization. On average, it's about six months by the time they get familiar with the geographical area or with the station.
So it is one year. It could be a little bit more than a year, but typically it's six months at the college and six months of on-the-job training.
With regard to Victoria's plan, I'll turn it over to Superintendent Bain. He can speak a little bit more to the HR plan.
Superintendent, MCTS Western Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I can clarify where the two-year figure came from.
Once a vacancy has been identified, it takes about two years to launch a process and then do the hiring, do the selecting. Then we have to wait for the Coast Guard College to have availability in order to get somebody in the college. Over the past year, all that planning has taken place. Over the next year, the training will take place. So it is about two years from the time a vacancy has been identified.
The people we're talking about in July, as the deputy commissioner has said, are the people who will go to Prince Rupert. The people who are in Comox now and have accepted jobs.... All have been offered, and nine have accepted. One person is on long-term sick leave, but eight will be coming to the centre. A number of others are interested in coming to the centre on travel status to help out.
Right now—
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Robert Sopuck
You'll have to end it there; sorry. This is the official closing of the committee. Perhaps you can help Mr. Donnelly out later.
Thank you for making my first chairing job so easy, colleagues. This was a most interesting meeting.
We are adjourned.