Mr. Speaker, I have enjoyed today's debate because it clearly illustrates the different philosophies of the different parties. We on this side believe the role of government is to act as facilitator, to aid small businesses, to give them the types of tools required not only in the financial sector but also in the development of human resources.
The hon. member who has just spoken cited some of the areas in which she would like to see an improvement. She was referring to the concept of developing an apprenticeship system which might give some tax breaks to small business and providing the sorts of incentives that would result in the development of the type of workforce that may be more in tune with the economic reality of today's marketplace.
I would like to tell the hon. member that the federal government has initiated a number of programs in co-operation with the private sector which speak to the issues raised by the hon. member.
I had the pleasure on August 28 to be in the province of Quebec with the president of Chrysler Canada, the CARS Council and a local school board to engage in the type of partnership that will lead to approximately 1,000 jobs for young people. This is done through the youth internship program in co-operation with the National Sectoral Council.
I would like to speak about these initiatives because they address the human resources planning that a modern, developed nation should be addressing. In fact, surprisingly, the minister of education from the Parti Quebecois was present and co-operated with the federal government in kicking off this initiative.
What does this really mean? It means that we on this side of the House have realized we cannot have a program for every challenge we face. The answers are really found at the community level, at the industry level. Our role as a government is to bring about the meetings of the minds around the table, so that we can institute programs which deal with the challenges of the ever changing nature of the workforce.
At that announcement, Chrysler committed itself to provide an internship program for 200 young people. The sectoral council initiative committed itself to a cumulative number of 1,000. That means these young people will go through an internship program and will have a job waiting for them at the end of their one year or nine months worth of training.
This federal government initiative has been extremely successful. Under our red book commitment we originally stated that 24,000 young people would participate in this program. To date, 27,000 young people are participating. They are participating in programs I am certain will bring about positive changes in their lives.
Equally important is that for the very first time all sectors of our society, the educational institutions, industry, labour and management, together are addressing standards for the industry. They are addressing issues and concerns that have blocked the progress of a particular industry.
Whom are we linking these industries with? We are linking them with Canadians who are willing to learn a profession or trade so that they will have the type of skills required in the ever changing Canadian economy.
Why are we excited about these prospects? We are excited because we see our role as a facilitator to be a very important one in setting the parameters of economic development within our country. That is one initiative which has worked very well. We have linked our initiative not just to any industry, but we have linked our initiative to industries that provide jobs with a future.
For example in the automotive industry, gone are the days when there were mechanics. Those are jobs of the past. My father was in the trucking industry for a number of years. He would have the local mechanic look at his truck and the mechanic would put his ear near the engine to hear the noises. That is gone. Computer chips are now a very important part of the engine. The job of a mechanic is obsolete. What do we do? We have to retrain people to become auto technicians, to give them the tools to understand how the new engines work.
I give that example because I think it is a fundamental one. It clearly illustrates how quickly our country and our economy is changing. In the same way we cannot fix a 1995 car with a 1965 car repair manual, we certainly cannot fix the challenges we face in 1995, whether it is labour market strategy or small business initiatives, with 1965 programs.
This is very important to this government. It is for this reason that we have taken up the challenge to modernize Canada's social security system. This is the reason we are reviewing all our training programs. This is the reason we are promoting innovative programs and effective and strategic partnerships that speak to a modern economy.
How does this translate to the local reality where I live in my riding? What does this all mean to the residents of Aurora, Woodbridge, Maple, Richmond Hill, Oak Ridges, King and Nobleton? What does it mean to the over 260,000 people I represent in the House of Commons? How do I as a member bring about this vision of how we modernize and become more innovative in real terms? How do I make the translation from this beautiful Chamber of the House of Commons on to where the people live, play and work?
Yesterday was our anniversary as elected officials here. I have spent the past couple of years building the partnerships required to have real change occur at the community level. Last year I began planning and setting priorities for my area. I developed the York North technology strategy. Today I take this opportunity to outline some of its major principles.
Along with the residents of York North, I have realized quite clearly that in order to succeed in the new economy we cannot fear technology. We cannot fear technology infusion in the workplace. We cannot fear that in certain cases technology may reduce employment opportunities in old economy industries.
Instead of fear, the response I received from the residents of York North was one of excitement. Change in a society brings about two emotional responses: one either gets anxious about change or one gets excited. The people of York North decided that there was no great happiness in being anxious about change and technology and that we should not only absorb the technological revolution which is occurring globally but we should also find ways in which we could lead the way in our area.
I called a meeting of local stakeholders in my community, mayors, business representatives, members of labour unions. I called local school boards and people from the Career Foundation, the foundation which brings all these people together. I said that perhaps we should begin to experiment to find new ways of dealing with the technological changes that were occurring.
On September 11, 1995 we announced a major local economic development strategy, the York region strategic alliance. For now, it is a pilot project. What does it do? It gives the businesses in my area an opportunity to place their business in a database which can be accessed worldwide. We are not happy with just being able to access it within Canada. We understand the potential for export. We also are fully committed to building worldwide strategic alliances in order for business in my community to prosper. This is what some of the partners have said about the initiative.
Steve Quinlan, president of Seneca College, said that Seneca College, York region, the federal government and other partners have co-funded and developed a strategic alliance partnership to strengthen opportunities for jobs and growth. This initial research is a valuable resource, using information systems technology to rapidly assess regional needs in response to a changing global economy. This initiative is a pilot model to show how business, government and education can in fact work together.
Eldred King, chair of the Regional Municipality of York, stated that the strategic alliance initiative is an important component of the region's visions and plans for the 21st century. The region must provide leadership if change is to occur. He said that their plans strike a balance between economic growth, healthy communities and sustainable development.
Mayor Lorna Jackson from the city of Vaughan said that she was very excited that Vaughan was chosen as the test site. Not only is it one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, it is a bastion for industry. She stated: "I have no doubt that we will serve our country proud".
The reason I bring these names to the floor of the House of Commons is to clearly illustrate to Canadians that partnerships at the local level can work. Government, business and labour can come together to create the type of environment in which jobs flourish. This partnership is not just found in the riding of York North, it is found in every single community in Canada.
I say to hon. members that they should return to their ridings and engage local stakeholders to take charge of the future of the community. They should excite people about the new economy. There are great opportunities.
If there is one thing about the information highway, if there is one thing about the new economy, it is that they have redefined time and space. They have made geography less important. Now we are linked by satellite. The information highway will link us to the world. This is something we should be getting excited about.
We need to give people the tools. That is why I am happy with the commitment of the federal government to establish the Canadian Business Development Bank, which is providing people with the important capital to start their businesses.
That is why I am happy that on October 2 of this year I was able to establish the Vaughan Technology Enterprise Centre where 60 young people will be taught entrepreneurial studies. They will be linked with small business people in the community in a mentorship program. They will acquire the skills which are so important in creating jobs.
That is why I am so happy that the federal government has a program called self-employment assistance which has enabled 34,000 unemployed Canadians to create their own businesses. Better still, not only have they created businesses, they have created over 68,000 jobs.
That is the type of transition we want. We want people to get off the unemployment rolls of the country and onto the payrolls of this nation. It is happening in every single community.
I have a very clear message that we on this side of the House understand the important role small business plays. We want to clearly reach out in as many ways as possible to bring about positive change, jobs and healthy communities throughout this land.