House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2000, with 56% of the vote.
Human Resources Development May 16th, 2000
Here we go again, Mr. Speaker, with the member ranting innuendo.
This process is an administrative process. It is done by statute every five years. It is gazetted. It was gazetted on Saturday. Members of parliament have the opportunity, along with other citizens of Canada, to make comment on the proposals. I hope the hon. member will do that.
Human Resources Development May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, what I can confirm is that this information was received by the department last Tuesday. It reviewed it and felt it was wise and appropriate to send it to the RCMP. The matter now rests there.
Human Resources Development May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I am informed that last Tuesday the department received new information on this file. On Wednesday it reviewed the information. On Thursday it transferred it to the RCMP, which, in its authority, will determine what steps to take next.
Human Resources Development May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, again let me say to the House that the department is working diligently to ensure that the information requested is made available. Thousands of pages of information have been provided to the public as a result of access to information.
In this case the hon. member confirms that he has made a request. He has asked for the invoices. Again, it is an arm's length process. The request will be reviewed and any information that can be made available will be made available.
Human Resources Development May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the department has received hundreds of access requests as a result of undertakings these last few months.
The department is working very diligently to respond to the requests of members of the House and of others with regard to their concerns. Again, I am convinced that whatever information can be made available under the access program will be made available in due course.
Human Resources Development May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, as I said in the House before, the department did an administrative review of this file. It identified there were invoices that concurred with the terms and conditions of the program.
The hon. member has said that he has requested the invoices through an access to information request. Again I would say that this is arm's length from the minister. The information that can be made available will be made available.
Human Resources Development May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has told the House that he has made an access request for these invoices. I have said a number of times that I agree that the responsible approach to take when we are talking about individual companies with personal information is to use the access to information process.
I am sure that the department, when it reviews the request, will make available all information that it can make available.
Questions On The Order Paper May 8th, 2000
(a) The Government of Canada is aware of the special difficulties experienced by older workers in the labour market. The Government of Canada takes seriously its responsibilities toward older workers and is taking action on several fronts.
(1) First, concern for older workers has been frequently raised in the federal-provincial arena. At the 1998 annual premiers conference, premiers agreed that “the situation of older workers should be addressed”.
The Forum of Labour Market Ministers, FLMM, established an ad hoc working group on older workers composed of representatives from the Government of Canada and from provinces and territories in December 1998. Quebec and Canada co-chair the ad hoc working group.
This ad hoc working group on older workers is responsible for developing a diagnostic of labour market adjustment issues faced by older workers, including issues specific to each province-territory. The ad hoc working group also co-ordinates pilot projects.
(2) Second, the Governnent of Canada underscored its commitment to assist older workers who lose their jobs and have a difficult time finding new employment by announcing the older worker pilot project initiative on June 18, 1999.
The Government of Canada committed $30 million over two fiscal years, 1999-2000 and 2000-01, to held older Canadians who want to stay in the workforce but who are facing difficulties. This money has subsequently been reprofiled to accommodate provincial-territorial starting dates.
At the Forum of Labour Market Ministers meeting on September 30, 1999, ministers agreed to put in place pilot projects to assist older workers to get back into the labour force.
The older worker pilot project initiative is a partnership approach between the Government of Canada and the provinces-territories in searching for innovative approaches to assist older workers.
(b)The parameters and key features of the older worker pilot projects initiative include the following: test innovative measures designed to reintegrate displaced older workers aged 55 to 64 who have an attachment to the labour force or older workers threatend with displacement into sustainable employment; focus on active measures; a variety of approaches designed to meet older workers specific labour market needs, to be tested: awareness, promotion, prevention, adjustment, and labour force participation; and that all pilots will be evaluated.
Pilot projects will be developed and implemented by provinces and territories expressing interest in participating in the initiative. Participating provinces and territories will also commit resources to the pilots. Projects will not duplicate or overlap existing federal or provincial employment programming.
(c) Currently, as of April 14, 2000, several jurisdictions have entered into negotiations with the federal government. However, jurisdictions vary widely in terms of where they are at with developing their pilot projects. Some provinces are still fleshing out ideas they have for pilots. Some provinces have developed their proposals and have submitted them for review, while still others are close to finalizing their agreements. It is anticipated that jurisdictions close to finalizing their agreements will be able to undertake their pilots in the near future.
The parameters of all proposals are to fall within the guidelines described in the key features. See answer to part (b).
(d) The Government of Canada is not currently studying passive measures such as income support measures.
The Government of Canada has been adopting active employment measures in assisting Canadians. The older worker pilot project initiative is designed to assist older workers experiencing a difficult time to find new employment. This initiative is intended to actively assist older workers back into the labour force. See answer to part (b) for details. Passive income supports are not featured in the older worker pilot projects.
(e) Pilot projects will be developed and implemented by provinces and territories. Projects that are proposed by the Quebec government, once approved that they adhere to the key features developed by all jurisdictions, would be available to older workers in Quebec that are interested in participating. Potential candidates could express their interest to the appropriate representative in their jurisdiction.
(f) The province is responsible for proposing and seeing the pilots implemented. The procedures to propose the projects have been described above. See answer to part (b).
Youth May 8th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, this gives me the opportunity to tell all members of parliament that this is indeed International Youth Week. We should thank the youth action network for preparing opportunities for all of us to celebrate our very important human resource, our Canadian youth.
What is also interesting is that for the 32nd year in a row Human Resources Development Canada will, in this timeframe, be opening the centres for Canadian youth. This is where we have youth advisers working with their counterparts, young people, to find very often that very important first job. They connect employers with employees.
We anticipate over 400,000 young people to go through these centres. I would also note that as a result of our Canada youth strategy—
Human Resources Development May 8th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise the House that by statute every five years the Employment Insurance Commission must review the economic zones, the data from which are used to establish employment insurance benefits. This process is underway.
I am hopeful that in the very near future the proposals of the Employment Insurance Commission will be made public so that the MPs can review them and other Canadians can comment on them.