Evidence of meeting #7 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was population.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Patrick Brown Conservative Barrie, ON
If you could pass that along, it would be appreciated.
In terms of the median retirement age, do you have any statistics on how that has changed over the last 20 years, what it is today compared to two decades ago?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
I think we had a chart on that, didn't we?
10:35 a.m.
Manager, Current Economic Analysis, Statistics Canada
We certainly do have data on that.
It generally showed a decline, particularly when you could take your CPP benefit at age 60 instead of 65. That seemed to trigger a long period of decline.
It's on the bottom of slide 8, the median age of retirement.
Recently it has been stabilizing because older workers are staying in the labour force longer. We know, certainly in the government sector, jurisdictions are lifting mandatory retirements.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
10:35 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Let's go back to people who are looking for work. Have you established or are you in a position to tell us the percentage of people who would be employable and who have withdrawn from the employment availability list because they are discouraged and sick of looking for work because there is none in their region? Do you have that percentage?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
We do not have it here, but that information exists. We can send it to you.
10:35 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
I would like you to do that, if you don't mind. Do those numbers apply for Canada as a whole, for each province and for each of the employment insurance administrative regions?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
It depends. I don't even know if we have reliable data for the administrative regions.
10:35 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
That might give us information on regionalization.
Also, what is the situation with first nations? What is the unemployment rate for aboriginal people, on-reserve and off-reserve?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
The information we have only covers the off-reserve population. I don't know if we have with us the numbers for the unemployment rate. No, I'm sorry. We don't have that information here, but once again, we can get that to you.
For now, the information we can send you is based on 2001 numbers as they apply to the off-reserve native population across Canada. That's a possibility. If you want more recent data, the information we have comes from the study on the working population and covers the four western provinces. So we can send you the more recent information for that population.
For now, the information on the attachment of native people to the labour market only covers the western provinces. We are in the process of obtaining up-to-date information for all native populations on-reserve.
10:40 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
We would like to have that information.
Is there a particular reason why you cannot get the numbers for aboriginal people living on-reserve?
10:40 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
It's more difficult to get on-reserve information. We have tried to do so through census figures and through certain post-census studies, but we need the agreement of the aboriginal people themselves in order to enter a reserve. Sometimes we can and sometimes we can't.
10:40 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Have you determined the rate of education on-reserve and off-reserve?
10:40 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
We have been doing so since the 2001 census.
10:40 a.m.
Director General, Labour and Household Surveys, Statistics Canada
That's fine. Furthermore, the results of the 2006 census will soon be available.
10:40 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
So you could give us that information as well.
What is the level of work mobility of native people?
10:40 a.m.
Manager, Current Economic Analysis, Statistics Canada
You mean in geographical terms?
10:40 a.m.
Manager, Current Economic Analysis, Statistics Canada
We have not measured that.
10:40 a.m.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Furthermore, you said that over half a million persons living with handicaps cannot find work because of the degree of their handicap. Can you tell us whether special measures have been taken to include these people in all kinds of activities? As it now stands, they are more involved in activities rather than in paid employment.
For instance, we have a member of Parliament who is a paraplegic. Physically, I believe his capability is very limited. However, intellectually, he has an extraordinary contribution to make to society. I believe he is an associate minister. There's no doubt that this is a very exceptional man.
So I would like to know whether there is a study which outlines how we can help these 600,000 people live fuller lives and develop within our society.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
Manager, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, Statistics Canada
We have very limited information from 2001. There will be a lot more information being gathered in 2006. In 2001 we asked really only about labour force participation for people with disabilities. In the new survey we're asking about volunteer work, life satisfaction, social participation, barriers to full participation in business. So the short answer is we had very limited information for 2001. We will have more information in the coming year.
