Indeed, I would say that right from the start, before a company proceeds to layoffs, it should have an opportunity to keep its employees and train them.
I think this is where employment insurance could come into play. We could have job-sharing. We should be able to reduce working hours and allow for EI to compensate for reduced hours of work due to training.
I think it is a tool, an important lever that employment insurance would give to companies. It would allow workers to remain with a company, to get access to resources, to complete their training or to learn new skills, all with the support of employment insurance.
There would no longer be a waiting period. The program could be far greater in scope than it actually is when it comes to job-sharing or time-sharing.
Allow me to digress, but it would seem to me that we are forgetting about an important segment of the population. A great deal is said about youth, but I think we are often forgetting about aboriginal youth. There should be specific programs to help them enter the labour market. They are ready to work. However, given their context, we need to make a special effort to support them. This is a source of young Canadians that need to get involved in the Canadian economy.
Thank you.