Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here this morning.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the voice of Canadian business. Our network consists of 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade across the country, representing 200,000 businesses. We also have over 100 corporate members and an equal number of association members.
Digitalization, automation, Industry 4.0, and artificial intelligence are all top of mind for individuals, organizations, businesses and governments alike across the country, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce included. For example, over the past year, our activities have included a report called “Skills for an Automated Future”, which examines the effects of automation on the workforce, the skills and training that people will need to work in a digitized world, and ways to facilitate that training.
Our national AGM in Thunder Bay, our executive dinner in St. John's and Ontario's economic summit all had a focus on skills challenges and the workforce of the future. As well, this month and last, March and April 2019, we have hosted a series of round tables on artificial intelligence. On April 16, in Montreal, our AI and the workforce session will explore not only the specialized talent needed for the country, but also focus on how to facilitate the integration of the broader workforce, those who interface with AI and the skill sets needed to do so. This future of work has brought us all here today, to drive towards a definition of precarious work and its impacts on Canadian society.
There is a new reality in the Canadian workforce landscape, which started as early as the turn of the century and has picked up momentum since. To seemingly state the obvious, and to state it simply, gone are the days when Canadians go to secondary school, then possibly, or not, post-secondary, get a job with a single company over a lifetime and then retire at 65 with an income and benefits arrangements.
What this all means is not clear cut. Increasingly, as the data and research shows, full-time employees or employees in the public sector might feel precarious or insecure. At the same time, contractual or part-time workers are not necessarily vulnerable. They can, in fact, on a fully informed, personal-choice basis, be embracing this new gig economy.
Further, for example, survey results from BMO's wealth management survey, published in January 2018, found that the most cited reason for becoming self-employed was voluntarily making the choice, at 60%, or wanting a new challenge or change, at 49%. BMO also made the point that those in the gig economy range from the traditionally defined blue-collar workers, to IT, engineering, accounting and HR professionals.
As the future of work in the new economy is evolving, so much is unclear. I'd like to make three points about what the Canadian Chamber of Commerce thinks is clear.
First of all, it's not all doom and gloom. There is possibility, potential and opportunity. In December 2018, I conducted a series of interviews with influencers and thought leaders in the chamber network.
I'll quote a bit from the conclusions, as follows. Discussion on artificial intelligence in the workforce is welcomed and important, yet we must acknowledge that the technology is still nascent and much is unknown. Disruption is inevitable, and it is acknowledged that the conversation speculating about massive job loss persists in the media and the marketplace; however a more prevalent sentiment among interviewees was the expectation that while there will be some impacts on jobs, the labour market will evolve and adapt.
Second, within this evolving landscape, we need to be wary of the data and its implications. You've heard testimony already, which is reflected in the literature and research, about the qualitative lens that needs to give the numbers real and true meaning. You've also heard that how to do so is really problematic. Until we know if and where the issues and challenges lie in a gig economy, especially in the federally regulated private sector, we should not be jumping to program solutions.
Third, what we need is to set up Canadians, all Canadians, in all regions across the country—all ages, genders, fields and backgrounds—for success.
How do we do this? The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has recommendations for the federal government in two key categories.
First of all, in focusing on the future of work, the government should focus on skills. As this committee has heard on a number of occasions over the past year, the Canadian chamber and its members and network across the country have a series of policy resolutions and recommendations for developing a skills agenda for the 21st century workforce. In essence, it involves developing a national, overarching skills and competency framework, followed swiftly by a gap analysis and forecasting of future needs; and promoting and developing a competency-based assessment or assessments. The Government of Canada can demonstrate leadership in this area by implementing such evaluations within the federal public service. Our third recommendation is facilitating corresponding and requisite education and training and promoting a culture shift for lifelong learning.
Those are easy to state, colossally more difficult to implement, but critical for success. This is where the Government of Canada's focus should be, in partnership with all levels of government, the business sector, the education sector and all stakeholders involved in skills.
Recognizing my previous comments on programming in the absence of defined issues, the Canadian chamber does have recommendations vis-à-vis three areas of federal government programming related to the future of work, the Canadian workforce and notions of precarious work.
The first is with EI, the employment insurance program. The Canadian chamber has long called for a review of Canada's EI program, particularly as it relates to contribution ratios and the programs that EI dollars fund. I reiterate that again here today and add that a truly substantive review of the program would allow for real visioning on how best to support Canada's workforce in this century and through the ebbs and tides of labour market conditions. The Canadian chamber supports the idea of exploring how the EI program and other income support programs can be effectively combined with skills training and employment services.
This review would also include consideration of budget 2019's proposed Canada training benefit. The potential impact on small as well as medium and larger businesses of providing four weeks is unclear. There is the EI small business premium rebate to offset costs, but the structure of the program is still undefined, and there are also questions about what courses and programs will qualify and how these align with business needs. It is critical to consult employers.
My time is running out.
We also have comments around the portability of benefits. There have been a lot of initial discussions about what benefits will be portable and how they could be operationalized. We have struck a working group that will respond to the expert panel that has been established on workforce issues. Recommendations are forthcoming. We encourage you to proceed very carefully; there are jurisdictional cost and feasibility issues.
We also have comments regarding a national pharmacare program and support a concept that fills in the gaps. I have a position brief to share with those interested.
In closing, I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to speak today and underscore the importance of including the business sector in these discussions. The Canadian chamber with its members are willing partners in consultation and collaboration.
Thank you.