OTTAWA, ONTARIO, February 5, 2009-The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today met with national sector council leaders to express the Government's continued support and confidence in Canada's sector councils and discuss Canada's Economic Action Plan to stimulate economic growth, restore confidence and support Canadians and their families.
"Our government understands that being competitive and productive means ensuring Canadians have the skills and training to adapt to a changing global market," said Minister Finley. "Canada's Economic Action Plan demonstrates our commitment to skills training and income support, but governments cannot do it alone. This has to be a partnership, and we recognize the strategic importance of Canada's sector councils in facilitating those partnerships."
Speaking at the Château Laurier in downtown Ottawa, Minister Finley underscored the valuable role that sector councils play in strengthening Canada's labour market, and their role in ensuring that the goals and commitments outlined in Budget 2009 are met.
"We work with employers across many sectors who increasingly value a well-educated and highly skilled work force," said Ms. Cheryl Paradowski, Chair of The Alliance of Sector Councils. "We were therefore pleased to see the emphasis on skills development and higher education in the Budget. It's important for re-training in the short term and vital for the skills we need in the long term."
Canada's Economic Action Plan will provide almost $30 billion in support to the Canadian economy this year, and demonstrates the Government of Canada's commitment to helping Canadians weather this economic storm.
"I am genuinely excited about the momentum I see building all across this country, as Canadians start to look beyond the challenges to the opportunities in our fast-changing economy," said Minister Finley. "These are times of unparalleled change and challenge; these are, equally, times of exceptional opportunity."
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For further information (media only):
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
To compete in today's increasingly competitive global economy, the Government of Canada recognizes that developing Canada's human capital is vital to maintaining the country's knowledge advantage, and to ensuring that we have the best-educated, most-skilled and most flexible work force in the world. Through the Sector Council Program, the Government of Canada is working with the private sector to enhance adult workers' skills through activities such as increasing employer investments in skills development and promoting workplace learning and training.
Sector councils are national partnership organizations that bring together business, labour and educational stakeholders. Operating at arms length from the Government of Canada, sector councils are a platform for stakeholders to share ideas, concerns and perspectives about human resources and skills issues, and, in a collective, collaborative and sustained manner, to find solutions that benefit their sector.
Sector councils undertake initiatives/projects to address Canada's workplace skills and labour shortages, and build essential skills, lifelong learning and skills development in the workplace. Projects include:
- studies to help define and understand skills requirements;
- labour market forecasting and analysis;
- national occupational standards, to describe the skills and knowledge needed to perform competently in an occupation;
- core curricula tailored to industry sector requirements, to promote skills standardization; and
- human resources management tools, to help employers.
Between 2004 and 2008, sector councils successfully leveraged over $200 million in outside support from industry stakeholders, resulting in 70 cents of outside investment for every dollar invested by the Government of Canada.
