Actually, Mr. Chair, there is a process in place. We must consider that the whole issue of internationally trained workers is a multiple jurisdictional issue. There are provinces, unions, regulatory bodies and universities and colleges involved. I think what we have come up with as a federal government is the taking on of a leadership role even though not all of these are our jurisdictions.
We have just announced an internationally trained worker initiative. It is made up of a series of policies that are interwoven and integrated in order to work specifically with credential recognition bodies across the country. They are all looking now at a pan-Canadian assessment model, whether they are engineers, nurses or doctors. The doctors have already put theirs in place. The nurses are ready to go with theirs. The engineers have just been funded to do theirs. This is going on.
We work with sector councils that are going to help us look at the non-regulated workers in other areas such as the restaurant industry, et cetera. Industry Canada is working on some of those initiatives with them.
We are working with the unions to look at some of the issues of either the unskilled workers or the skilled union workers. The unions are now prepared to work with us to help to train them.
We know that there are a couple of things that form barriers. One of them is recognition of credentials. That is why we are working on this. The other one, in some instances, is language training and that is why Citizenship and Immigration Canada, as one of the departments participating, has put up $20 million a year for that kind of technical and enhanced language training.
We also know that bridge to work, that is, not having Canadian experience, is a huge beast. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has been looking at putting money forward in bridge to work initiatives.
Health Canada has been doing it for the human health resources sector. We recently announced money to allow for foreign trained physicians to be able to move into the system, be assessed on line and get residency programs to get them to move forward. We are doing the same with nurses. Currently we are working with pharmacists.
Now we are working with the business sector, where the private sector needs to be able to get that bridge to work. The private sector people are working with Industry Canada. They are working with Health Canada on pharmacists. They are working with Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. They are working with ACOA.
There are about 15 departments that are currently working with us and we are working with the provinces and municipalities and all of those bodies. In fact, it is working quite well, surprisingly, because everyone seems to be on side and wanting to make it happen.