Evidence of meeting #74 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employers.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC
I will share my time with Mr. Sangha, if you don't mind.
Good afternoon, Minister.
According to what I understand, you drew inspiration from some of the best practices abroad, particularly in Europe, to develop your approach.
I would like to know what type of programs inspired the changes and the model you are implementing here in Canada.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
That's an excellent question. I think other countries are doing some things that we certainly could model. When I had an opportunity to visit Germany—this, I think, is where I was the most inspired—I saw that true relationship between government, employers, and academic institutions. It starts as young as high school, as a matter of fact.
The critical component was really the three parties working so closely together. Government was there to provide some support, to provide the legislative element, and to provide some of the funding that allowed this program to go on. The employers were there in terms of their commitment to having the skills training and experiential learning on site in their shops. I visited thyssenkrupp, for example, a large steel manufacturer. Some of you may be familiar with them. They have 25% apprenticeship rates with their employees.
That partnership we witnessed is something I think we're very interested in. We have some challenges in that we have a different set of jurisdictional realities in Canada than perhaps they have in Germany, but we think there's a very promising model in bringing together government, academic institutes such as colleges and polytechnics, and employers to create opportunities for experiential learning. That's what's advised us in the student work placement program—that opportunity to create those relationships.
Just as in Germany, what is happening in Canada already is showing some promise in that employers are saying, “I've invested this time in this young person, and it's been a worthwhile investment.” They've invested half their salary, in some cases, and the time to train them to a very specific role in their company. They get a chance to actually see how that individual will work out. That investment propels them to make a permanent job offer. That's exactly what we're hoping for with an increase in student work placements.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Thank you.
Thank you, Minister.
In my riding of Brampton Centre, and all over the ridings, we feel there is a shortage of manpower. Businesses are looking desperately for manpower. I feel that the student work placement program is the best program to put students into the workforce. What are you doing to involve businesses in the student work placement program? What type of businesses will take part in this program?
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
That's an excellent question. I think you're absolutely right that if we don't have the co-operation of employers, we really can't move forward. That's why the student work placement program is so important, because it doesn't only provide financial incentives to businesses in the form of subsidization of the rate of pay for the young person, but it also provides, as I was just talking about, the opportunity to play a bit of a matchmaker role. It takes students from sectors that are often experiencing those great shortages and matches them up with employers who are looking for those specific skills. These are the STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—and business sectors. The program brings students from those sectors to employers who are saying they have a shortage of labour in those areas and see this as an opportunity for them.
We do this by offering incentives to employers. There are financial incentives, but we also show them the benefit of hiring young people in their organizations. In fact, employers tell us time and time again that they love this program because it gives them an opportunity to introduce a young person to their sector and see if they have that aptitude for their particular sector. It's also an opportunity for students to see if this is really the sector they want to work in, so it is an opportunity for both the student and the employer to assess whether or not this will be a good match, and as their skills develop with that employer, they're able to utilize the skills in other work experiences.
5 p.m.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Thank you.
There is apprehension in the minds of business people that when new students come to the job, they don't fully deliver. Rather, they need more attention and spoil the job. What is the government doing on that?
5 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Well, I think there has always been a stigma against youth, right? We've always heard those kinds of statements about young people, but what I can tell you is that employers who have been thoughtful about including young people in their workplaces are reaping the benefits.
In fact, young people are bringing in that spirit of innovation and that new way of doing things. I think our challenge as older folks is to understand that things don't remain static, and that as the workplace and technology evolve, we need to evolve with them and be thinking about how we meaningfully include the next generation of workers.
Having said that, I think there is an opportunity, when we work closely with post-secondary institutions, employers, and young people, to work on some of those soft skills that are universal and ageless. These are the skills about basic human decency: treating each other kindly, knowing what to do when you don't get along in the workplace, answering a phone professionally, and knowing the importance of showing up on time. Those are things that some people gain throughout their life experience but others struggle with. I would say that what employers are saying is that student work placement program experiential learning gives them that opportunity to teach young people how to manage through some of those things.
As a parent of two young people myself, I can tell you that those are critical lessons. When my older son comes home and talks about the struggles he's having with his colleagues, those are real struggles. We all have those struggles, especially as we are learning how to fit into a workplace, but what employers tell us is that when they have an opportunity to work with a young person in the form of a student work placement, they can help that young person work through those challenges in a safe and supported way.
5 p.m.
Liberal
5 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC
Thank you, Minister. I appreciate your being here. You've acknowledged the importance of all parties working together. Pulling in the same direction, we're much more successful.
The fact is that this was part of your mandate letter: to work in “collaboration with your colleagues” and to have “meaningful engagement with Opposition Members of Parliament” and also with “Parliamentary Committees”, so thank you for being here. You were also encouraged to set the bar higher for “openness and transparency”.
As the members of the official opposition, we support the government on issues with which we agree, and on other issues we hold the government to account when we feel the government is not heading in the right direction.
We agree that it's important that we train our youth, the next generation of leaders, to help them prepare for moving from schooling into the workforce. One thing on which I would disagree with you is older workers. I think you define them as 28 years of age. Older workers are not 28 years old: they're more like 50 years and up. They're older workers like me. I'm 67 and still going strong.
Minister, the previous government really put an importance on the trades and a growing country. The trade apprenticeship program was expanded greatly and has been very good at making sure our youth are trained in the red seal program if they have an interest in this field of work. It has opened up opportunities for the different genders, and we're quite excited about that.
You've said, Minister, that when we invest in Canadians, it's good. I'll just pass on a side note here, which is that the ice rink in front of the Prime Minister's office, the $5.6-million ice rink that will be open for a few weeks, is not a good use of taxpayers' money. Think of all the jobs and job opportunities for our youth if that $5.6 million were to be spent on helping youth.
The other point is that small business is the largest job creator in Canada, and I think the government is heading in the wrong direction in attacking our small businesses through increased taxation. A tax rate of 73% does not encourage growth in business or help youth to get jobs. It actually stifles that.
Minister, I also noticed in your mandate letter that in addition to working with committees and opposition parties and members, you're to work with the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Minister of Infrastructure, the Minister of Status of Women—you've been promoted from that—the Minister of Families and Children, the Minister of Science, and the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, but there is no minister for seniors. I would suggest—
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, on relevance, we have the minister here to talk about experiential learning. I'm not clear as to why we're introducing all these other mandate letters. It's a matter of relevance.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Thank you.
I try to give as much latitude as possible with the questions, as you guys know, but I will ask Mr. Warawa. I've stopped his time. He still has two minutes and 33 seconds.
If you could, please get to something that's topical for the discussion today.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC
You can start the timer. Thank you.
I think this will all make sense in a moment.
If we're all pulling in the same direction, Minister, we will be able to accomplish much more than if we're in a rowboat and all rowing in different directions. The encouragement in the mandate letter is to work constructively.
It's my passion and my responsibility to represent Canadian seniors. There is an incredible job opportunity. You highlighted the changing workplace. Right now, we have a tremendous number of new job opportunities for our youth in geriatrics, palliative care, and home care. I've sensed in this committee to this point that there has not been an interest in seniors' issues. With you being here, Minister, I'm hoping that may change, because that's part of your mandate: to make sure we are working together constructively.
We've heard from witnesses that there are job opportunities for youth in taking care of our aging population. There are tremendous job opportunities there, and also for small business.
Minister, I'm going to move a motion while you're here. Hopefully the committee will support this motion:
That the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities dedicate one additional meeting during the study of experiential leaning for younger Canadians, on job opportunities in home care, geriatrics, and palliative care.
I'm moving that motion.
I hope the committee can deal with this quickly, hopefully within this meeting, and not move into an in camera meeting, because the minister's mandate is for openness and transparency. If there's a motion to adjourn debate or move in camera, then it's not the open, transparent responsibility of the minister.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
We have the minister here, so I move that we adjourn debate and focus on our minister.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Yes, I understand. Thank you.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 3)
Thank you. The debate has been adjourned.
You do not have any time left, sir.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC
There was a point of order, Chair. It was a point of order that was moved by—
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC
The motion has been adjourned, but I still have the—
