Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the question posed by the hon. member on the human resources investment fund that was recently announced in the budget.
The human resources investment fund will build on the strengths of its initial program components. Those program components include employment programs and services, social development programs in such areas as literacy and participation of disabled persons, the Canada student loans program and youth programs such as Youth Service Canada and Youth Internship.
The terms of the fund's operation will be developed in the coming months in consultation with the provinces with whom the government has already indicated its willingness to work.
The objectives of the fund may in some cases be best achieved through the direct delivery of services by the federal government. In other cases provinces or at times even local authorities may be best placed to achieve our common goals.
Based on what we have learned through the broad consultation process associated with social security reform, the new fund will establish certain principles. It will help create opportunities for people to develop skills, secure employment and adapt to change. The fund will better equip Canadians to keep their jobs in a changing world and provide the skills to find a new job quickly if it becomes necessary.
The new fund will focus on individual and local needs instead of trying to fit people into programs with rigid eligibility criteria. Programs will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual. At the same time the fund will encourage people to take charge of their own lives, establishing mutual responsibility. Individuals, employers and local communities will have as much at stake in the employment initiatives as governments.
The human resources investment fund will strengthen partnerships and create an effective division of responsibility between levels of government as well as among governments and the private sector.