Minister, following up on that last exchange, I wonder if you would like to comment on some of the reactions to the team Canada strong plan. You and I have met with various organizations and institutions across the country, which have provided feedback on our plan to recruit, train and hire up to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers. What have you heard in reaction to this plan?

9 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Thank you very much for the question, and thanks for giving me a few moments to respond.

It's been an incredible launch. We've heard real enthusiasm from pretty much all of the sectors engaged. We've heard from employers that this is exactly what they need for recruiting the next generation of talent. We've heard from unions that they're very thrilled with the support for their members, in particular for their apprentices, who often face low completion rates related largely to financial concerns. Many of the measures we are supporting individuals with are financial boosts to make sure that it's not money that makes them drop out of the trades.

We've heard from trainers that they see merit in the attraction stage of the plan, which is about partnering with youth-serving organizations—colleges, high schools—to expose young people to the trades, contrary to what the member opposite was saying. In fact, over the last decade, many governments have worked to attract people to the trades.

We have seen an aging population in the skilled trades. My son is 29 years old, and he is the oldest operator on the job site. You can imagine, then, the challenges that employers are having, and it's with a variety of different skilled trades. It's not just the building trades. It's certainly all of the automotive trades.

There's passion and enthusiasm across the country. There's the $6-billion investment, which the party opposite voted against. They like to talk about supports for workers and youth, but they vote against them every time, which to me is quite shocking because this is, one would think, something they would support. It's skilled trades. It's big projects. It's unions. It's youth. It's pretty much everyone.

There's excitement and enthusiasm, and everybody wants to help. Everybody has put their hands up to help. This is very exciting. There are some really good ideas out there about how to utilize this program in a way that will help us launch the next generation of skilled trades workers.

9 a.m.

Liberal

Leslie Church Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON

Go ahead, Ms. Harrison.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Emma Harrison Liberal Peterborough, ON

Good morning, Minister.

You and I have spoken about this. I come from a skilled trades family. My dad and my brother are members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, and my childhood was marked by travelling Ontario—northern Ontario—to visit my dad. He passed away in 2010 from pancreatic cancer, but this is a moment in time I wish he could have seen. I wish he could see our government's commitment and passion behind supporting and developing Canada's skilled trades sector.

I was recently at Fleming College, which has the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre, and they are over the moon about what we are doing. I visited with a lot of students, especially in the welding sector, and they don't even have enough spots to host the number of students who would like to go into welding specifically.

My dad was a self-taught welder and a self-taught heavy-equipment mechanic, but he was highly sought after. He spent a lot of time in Fort McMurray, in the oil sands, as did my brother. When we talk about this, one thing is sometimes missing. Yes, there are really well-paying jobs, highly skilled jobs, but it's about the pride that comes with being a skilled tradesperson. Now that my dad is gone, when I travel the country, there is a physical manifestation of my dad across the country because of the projects he was part of.

As we talk about this, I feel that our government has really encompassed how important these jobs are. We have approached this in a really thoughtful way so we can make sure that people go from start to finish through the Red Seal trades.

If there's still some time left, could you elaborate on some of the supports for this and how we're going to see, from start to finish, people making it through a Red Seal certification?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Thank you so much for telling the story of your dad. That's the story of so many tradespeople. They were self-taught and certified at a time when it was completely different. I don't know if your dad is retired or not, but those are the journeypeople who are now training the next generation.

I would say that your dad travelled a lot, and to tag into Ms. Falk's comments, there are challenges that men in particular face when they're far away from home. I want to acknowledge how hard that was on your family.

My son also travels for work. There is a deep concern in the trades about mental health supports for men in particular—women too, but it's often men—who are far away from home, feeling lonely and feeling bored, in some cases. They're in a work camp far away. That has come up, and we are working to give full support to people who are far away.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

I have a point of order.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Yes.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Those are explicitly the comments that the minister said did not exist. She's literally saying them right now.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

I did not say that.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Ms. Goodridge and Ms. Harrison.

Thank you, Minister.

This part of the meeting has concluded. Thank you for a very spirited round of questions.

Before we—

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Chair, I have a point of order.

The minister is scheduled to be here for an hour, which isn't that long. We have time for another round of opposition questions.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you. Mr. Genuis.

We're moving to the votes, which I have to conclude.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Chair, no, we're not moving to the votes. We have five minutes to allow questions from the opposition. The minister is scheduled to appear for an hour. It is on the agenda for the minister to appear for an hour. There is time for—

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Mr. Genuis.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

We have very little time with the minister, in general. The minister is here. I want to respect her time and the commitment she made to us.

I'm happy to split the remaining time with the government, which is more than I should offer, frankly.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey