Evidence of meeting #75 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 young.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank the witnesses for their presentations, and I congratulate Ms. Poitras.
My questions are for Ms. Isaak.
Earlier, the representatives of Employment and Social Development Canada told us that young indigenous people were three times more likely than non-indigenous students to drop out of post-secondary studies. Since the education of indigenous youth is a federal responsibility, I think that our reflection and the committee's study should focus particularly on that aspect.
We are not starting from zero. Some studies are already ongoing. Among others, according to recommendations from the Expert Panel on Youth Employment, we need to target aboriginal youth. The panel asked the government to create urban healing and employment centres for aboriginal people, to invest in essential and educational infrastructure projects, to provide distance vocational training, as well as to create a fund for graduates to provide mentorship and participate and the entrepreneurial development of aboriginal youth.
Last week, at the Youth Strategy round table on “A Common Vision for Youth Employment in Canada”, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations made recommendations pertaining to aboriginal youth.
How does your department take into account recommendations like this that concern you? How do they influence your programs?
5 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Such studies influence us a great deal. In the review of our programs aimed at supporting post-secondary students, we take into account all studies like this, as well as the ideas provided by indigenous groups, experts, students, parents and members of the committee. We really take all of this into consideration.
5 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
You are talking about a complete review of your programs aimed at supporting post-secondary students. I wonder what led you to think that this review was necessary.
Had you identified specific problems?
5 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes, in some aspects.
First of all, very litle money is available. We receive more requests for funding than in the past. And so we must modernize the program. It is very passive, if I can express it that way. It is simply a program in the context of which people may be granted subsidies. It is not linked to the economy. It was designed by people in Ottawa and not by aboriginal groups. Consequently, it does not reflect their points of view or needs. It has been in existence for years.
We have to launch a collaborative process with indigenous groups so that we can develop a new program that truly reflects their interests.
5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
We are just starting out. We have just begun.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Fine.
Have you worked out a schedule? When do you think you will publish a report, with recommendations?
5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
According to the previous budget, we have two years to carry out this review which we have just begun. We are going to issue recommendations before the 2019 budget, but it will not be a report as such.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Thank you.
You referred to the Youth Employment Strategy, which is particularly aimed at young people.
Have you observed any obstacles or gaps in the implementation of this strategy, more particularly as concerns first nations youth?
Are the programs reaching indigenous youth, and to what extent?
5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It's always possible to do better, but these programs are having a lot of success.
Communication with students and young people is always a challenge. In addition, in remote communities, there are few jobs or economic opportunities for young people, which is also a challenge. Nevertheless, the two programs are a success.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Do you have mechanisms to evaluate the progress to date?
5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes.
5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Employment and Social Development Canada conducts a comprehensive horizontal assessment. I don't know if they have finished it, but I can check. The department is renewing the program. We are going to take part in the process.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Thank you very much.
Now we go over to Mr. Ruimy, please, for six minutes.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Thank you for coming in today. I loved your story. I think there are lessons to be learned from it.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Unlike MP Fortier, I don't have post-secondary institutions in my riding, and this makes it difficult. We have seven high schools, and their students have to go outside the riding for higher education.
I want to focus on the federal student work experience program. You say in your brief that you recruited more than 7,000 students. Elsewhere in your presentation you say, under “Student Hiring”:
Young Canadians are interested in joining the federal public service. We know this because the number of applications we receive remains high. ...[We] received nearly 55,000 student employment applications and over 53,000 graduate recruitment applications.
Are those 55,000 student applications for the federal student work experience program?
5:05 p.m.
President, Public Service Commission
Yes, that's the number of applications we received in the last period, which was last spring through summer. The 7,000 is a number that dates back to 2015-16. I don't yet have up-to-date numbers for the more recent year, but it has been increasing over the years.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Are the 7,000 students your quota mark, the number you're allowed to hire?
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Fifty-five thousand applications is a lot. How many could you possibly hire? Why can't you hire more?
5:05 p.m.
President, Public Service Commission
We don't do the hiring; we just facilitate the connection between the students and the hiring managers. It's up to the managers to determine within their budgets how many students they can hire, or whether they can. If there were 55 applicants qualified and they all could be hired, we'd be happy, but 7,000 is the most recent number of those who were hired. We're hoping that number increases over time.
That's just the FSWEP. We also have the co-op programs. The federal government is actually the biggest employer of co-op students in Canada.
