Evidence of meeting #15 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was board.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
It's about students, children and youth.
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
I understand. It's how the mandate has been broken down at ESDC, which is why I think it's better to get the deputy to give you those details.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Could you follow up in writing, then?
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Minister Hajdu will be here next week, I think.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
You're the Secretary of State for Children and Youth.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Okay, hopefully....
Polytechnics and career colleges in general have been highly critical of the budget because it generally leaves them out. It puts new money into traditional universities, but we're seeing pretty aggressive policy moving against the interests of polytechnics and career colleges.
Minister, are you prepared to speak on the government's rationale for that, or would you like to defer that as well?
Liberal
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Have you received correspondence from Polytechnics Canada with their concerns about how there is new money for traditional universities but no support whatsoever as part of the government's training profile for polytechnics? Have you heard that criticism?
Liberal
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
You haven't. Have you met with Polytechnics Canada at any time since you've taken this portfolio?
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Minister Hajdu may have. I have met with U15 Canada.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Respectfully, you haven't engaged with Polytechnics Canada. You're not aware of the career college changes. You don't want to talk about child sexual abuse material.
Your title is Secretary of State for Children and Youth. I mean, to coin a phrase, what do you do?
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
I am supporting Minister Hajdu on the child care file and on youth unemployment. I am lead on the—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
But it's not youth unemployment, clearly, because you're not involved in the training issues.
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
I support Minister Hajdu on these files as the secretary of state.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Are you involved in training policy at all or not? That seems to be an important part of youth unemployment.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Which kinds of institutions do you support? Are you involved in that work at all?
Liberal
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
You can ask her next week. I think she'll be here.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Madam Secretary, we've heard a lot about how the government's immigration and credential recognition failures have contributed to youth unemployment and have driven intensifying competition for entry-level positions.
I wonder if you're ready to speak to that issue, at least. Do you think the government's immigration policies have contributed to the youth unemployment challenges we're seeing?
Liberal
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
I would suggest that immigration questions be directed to the Minister of Immigration.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Well, thank you for taking the time to come here and respond to our questions.