Evidence of meeting #16 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was forest.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Yes, the components of those that have been successful--the recommendations that are in your report.
4 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Maybe I'm misunderstanding your question. I haven't been directly involved with the programs. I know of them. We've been told about them by businesses in the Yukon and Nunavut. If you want more details, I'd be happy to make that connection for you.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Okay. I'm also wondering if you have any additional non-monetary suggestions that you feel could encourage the private sector to get involved in the development of remote and rural communities.
4:05 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Well, again, as we suggest in the paper, I think the notion of partnerships, whether it be P3s or some type of forum that the government makes happen and that creates the ability to come together for those with infrastructure needs and those who perhaps have excess infrastructure they don't need.... That's one of the proposals in the report. We think that would be relatively low cost and/or of no cost for the government, but it could create a wonderful ability for people to do what they did on Baffin Island with the fishing coalition.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Are there programs the federal government has that could be re-engineered to be more effective without increasing the budget of these programs?
4:05 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
I don't have any specifics on that. There certainly are some, and I'm speaking more from the aspect of HRSDC programs targeted to aboriginal skills and training, but we do feel that there needs to be more involvement of business. One of the programs--I believe it's ASETS--is actually due to wind up next year. I guess we would encourage the government to take a look at some of those programs and how business could become more involved in helping them be more effective.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Are there any federal programs that you think are particularly successful?
4:05 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Again, we've identified HRSDC's support through the ASEP program for these private community-government partnerships--for example, the Yukon Mining Training Association. Actually, there was an example back several years ago, to go back to the Baffin fishing coalition. Fisheries and Oceans wasn't able to provide funding to them, but was able to provide some mapping for the fishery.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Thanks very much for being here today.
I want to commend you because I'm familiar with the Baffin Island success. That was a neat project in the way it evolved. There was no real human resource infrastructure in the commercial fishery, or it was very, very limited--and as well, the vessels and all the gear and that.
There's one thing where I think they were successful. Maybe this will come out through the study, but if we want some hands-on training and mentoring--which you mentioned was an important thing--and if there's a P3 going forward as part of that business plan, they can factor in used equipment. For many of the federal programs, if you're going to acquire specific equipment, there's a condition that it be new equipment. But I think one of the successes of the Baffin Island program, which you're familiar with, was that this was used gear for the most part, wasn't it?
4:05 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Yes. They started out with equipment from the Newfoundland fishery, and they've gone on now to purchase two factory freezer trawlers, one of which they own 100% and the other one, I believe, they own the majority share in—so, yes, absolutely.
Another thing with regard to infrastructure in Nunavut is that when the government is making infrastructure investments—and the example of the military deep sea port at Nanisivik came up—it should consider commercial applications as well, so those will be factored into it. This could be a no-cost measure.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Absolutely, it should. I think it's also essential that used equipment and used assets factor in and be eligible for support as components of that commercial application.
There were a couple other aspects of the study. It's essential that we improve the outcomes in secondary education even before we get to post-secondary education. We're all very much aware of the gap in funding between first nations communities and non-first nations communities.
Do you think it's essential that the gap be closed in order to really realize success in that area?
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Yes I do, although we're not advocating incremental spending—let's be clear on that. The Canadian Chamber is very much on the record as supporting the elimination of the deficit, so I guess we would suggest that the funding formula be re-examined.
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
I'm sorry?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
You're looking at the elimination of the financial deficit?
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
That's correct.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
You do not necessarily mean the human deficit in education?
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
That's important as well.
I'm suggesting that the funding formula be re-examined with a view to eliminating that gap for first nations schools.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
I guess I should have asked the presenters this on Tuesday, but do you have an overview of the situation regarding access to broadband in rural and remote communities? Are we close at all?
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
It depends on where you are.
I couldn't give you an exact number. Again, it depends on whom you talk to. If you're talking to people in Nunavut, there are some concerns with the technology that's being used.
We do talk about broadband and its importance as an element of critical infrastructure, both for getting business into remote communities--because when you're in an urban setting or even in a non-urban setting, broadband service is taken for granted--and from an educational perspective. It's also important from a social perspective of connecting people, of making people in remote communities feel they're connected to the rest of the world, so that they're part of the culture, that they know what's going on and are part of it.
We did propose in the paper that the government take a look at perhaps re-thinking some procurement strategies and allowing different companies to come in and bid on the same component of broadband delivery, and at using different technologies and continuing to act as a lead user—which it has been in broadband—in the delivery of services and that kind of thing, to encourage uptake in usage.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
I'll just ask one parting question.
As this study goes forward, what would be the key components that you would cite, if we want to improve our success with investing in training opportunities here?
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
If we're being specific to education and training, I think perhaps we should be a bit more focused when we look at the needs of remote communities. We did hear from some of the business people that there is a tendency to want to trot everybody down to southern Canada for heavy equipment training, only for them to return to their community and find out that there's never going to be a mine or anything. This results in some frustrations. So the training that is promoted in certain communities should be focused to reflect the realities of that community.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
It's like the chicken and the egg: They need the people, but....
4:10 p.m.
Director, Parliamentary Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Absolutely, so that would be number one.
Number two is looking at alternative ways of delivering skills and training, of not necessarily having on-site training and not necessarily having to take people out of the community, but looking at technology.
I think number three would be some of the peripheral issues of a social nature around why people don't complete high school, which can be anything from health care issues to housing. As you know, if you live in a house that's crowded and you can't study, then your success rate is not going to be that high.
I would say that those would be the three top ones.
