Thank you.
There have been references to the list the minister supposedly had. There's a big difference between mentioning a sampling of decisions and asking for a full list. We have the Bacardi grants in Ms. Dhalla's riding, and Wal-Mart. Those are examples, not a full list.
I would like to congratulate those involved in this program on the civil service level, because this is a first year with new priorities. When you change, adapt, and improve a program, that transition year can have some challenges, and I think you've handled it well.
I want to look at the 12 criteria and how they have changed from different years. I know there's been a lot of defence of political meddling and the old system of standing up for big conglomerates--standing up for MPs dictating to have grants go to their ridings. I have the list here, and I'd certainly be interested in which of these 12 criteria the opposition don't support. To help understand why they oppose these 12 criteria, it would be good to get some information on how it used to be.
They include jobs being created in geographic areas with high unemployment rates--hopefully they're not against that; jobs in small, urban, rural, or remote areas; project activities directed towards members to support the vitality of official language minority communities--I certainly hope you don't oppose that; employers committed to hiring priority students; jobs in high-crime areas; employer focuses on the provision of services to persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, aboriginal persons, members of visible minorities, persons who are homeless or street involved, other groups with social employment barriers, children or seniors, environmental protection or other priorities--hopefully you're not against those criteria.
The job must provide clear related experience or early work experience; the job provides employability skills; the employer provides supervision and mentoring; duration of the job contributes to the student's experience and income; the salary offered contributes to the student's income; and finally, the job is associated with a special event, is a unique work experience.
When I look at these criteria I am very impressed at how in-depth this program is with these new changes. It really focuses on areas of need, on areas or communities that need a helping hand from the government. It doesn't go back to defending political meddling and standing up for the Bacardis and Wal-Marts of the world.
Maybe you could shed a little bit of information on how these criteria have changed from previous years.