Evidence of meeting #77 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 students.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Internship and Work Placement Services, Université de Sherbrooke, As an Individual
Of course, we are the second biggest francophone university to be part of the association. The École de technologie supérieure is more or less part of it.
One of my objectives is certainly to come closer to that association. Up to now, the association people have been sensitive to that reality.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, how much time do I have left?
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
I'm going to try to switch to Newfoundland, Mr. Slaney. You've mentioned that entrepreneurship is important for you. How do you feel about entrepreneurship in the context of what we're talking about here in Ottawa, which is tax reform? We don't know how it will impact businesses. You've mentioned that you were disappointed by the fact that the pipeline won't be built. Do you think government can play a role in stimulating those important projects that create jobs?
Director of Training, United Association Canada
In my talks with the pipeline companies, I always hear from them that the biggest issue they have is not getting pipeline approvals or not getting the work allocated and all that kind of stuff, the permitting and that kind of thing. In the conditions set out by government and by the regulators, they could have as many as 200 to 300 conditions that have to be met. These can range anywhere from approval from every single resident of a particular community to.... They're just unbelievable requirements that are impossible to reach.
The amount of work that could have been generated by that TransCanada pipeline was immense in our industry, with the piping and all the trades that support it, and all the service industries and everything else that goes with that. It's a massive amount of work, and it could have meant the regeneration of the refinery in Montreal. The largest refinery in Canada, in Saint John, New Brunswick, would have doubled in size. Irving was ready to double that completely, if you want them directly—
Director of Training, United Association Canada
The amount of work from it is huge. It's massive.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
There is a refinery in my riding too, in front of Quebec City, sir, so we certainly would benefit from it. We'd both benefit—Newfoundland and Quebec.
Thank you.
December 7th, 2017 / 4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Thank you, everybody, for coming and presenting today.
Ruth, Orville, I love having you here.
As you know, I am a big fan of your program. I have some quick questions. Over the course of the year, how many folks do you put through the program?
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
Right now we're on a three-year contract that will touch 302 youths.
Liberal
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
Oh, we've had so many, because usually per intake we have anywhere from 13 to 15 seats, and about 100 youth apply.
Liberal
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
That's a lot who are turned down.
Now, how do you turn them down. You base it on what?
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
We try not to turn them down coldly. We kind of give them something to work on while the next intake happens. There is a way that we select the youth. We're trying to look for that hunger that they want to be employed at the end of it. We give them a little homework to go back to, and then we bring them back. We mentor them. Everything we do is intertwined with mentorship. Even though they're not in our program, they're certainly in our mentorship program. The wait-list consists of building relationships until the next intake happens.
Liberal
Dan Ruimy Liberal Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Of the people you do accept, how many of them are challenged in, say, life skills? You have people who come in and who are going to teach them how to do resumés. That's really the skills link training program. How many of them need a lot more than that?
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
A hundred per cent.
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
I don't know; pressures of life. A lot of them come from disadvantaged backgrounds. A lot of them are undiagnosed in terms of mental health, with anxiety and depression. Some families don't want to embrace that their child has that, so care is not ever taken. As Orville said, we deal a lot with foster children, kids in care. At the age of 18, they're cut off the system and they're wavering around.
Going back to the ones who have post-secondary education, the ones we see through our doors are the ones who never complete university. Due to their mental health, the pressures of university just break them down.
