WENDAKE, QUEBEC, February 20, 2009 --Aboriginal people will gain valuable vocational skills and employment experience required to work in the tourism industry through a new strategy announced today.
The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister for La Francophonie and Member of Parliament for Louis-Saint-Laurent, made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development at Hôtel–Musée Premières Nations, in Wendake, Quebec.
The Anionwentsaen project, funded with resources committed to the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) in Budget 2007, will assist Aboriginal people with vocational training in 32 different occupations leading to employment in the tourism industry. This project will assist in implementing a major tourism industry development plan for the Aboriginal community of Wendake.
"This investment of $4.9 million in Anionwentsaen will provide training and skills development opportunities for about 300 Aboriginal people leading to 120 long-term jobs in the tourism industry in the Quebec region," said Minister Verner. "Each partner will bring its unique expertise and contribution to the funding to ensure the successful implementation of the project."
"This is the first ASEP agreement signed in Canada to support a First Nation's tourism industry. The Council of the Huron-Wendat Nation is proud to work in collaboration with the federal government to invest in skills development and job creation. The winds of optimism are blowing through our nation," said Grand Chief Konrad Sioui of the Huron-Wendat Nation.
The Corporation Anionwentsaen is a formalized partnership between the Aboriginal partners, educational institutions and the Province of Quebec that promotes cultural and heritage tourism development in the Quebec region. It has already contributed to the tourism industry of the area by supporting the 400th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Québec City in 2008.
The Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program focuses on sustainable Aboriginal employment by providing the skills and training needed to participate in economic opportunities such as tourism. Through the creation of such partnerships the Government of Canada is taking action to ensure that Canada's work force for the future is the best-educated, the most-skilled and most flexible in the world.
Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, Budget 2009, the Government is continuing its commitment to enhancing the availability of training by investing an additional $100 million over three years in the nationwide ASEP program. This investment will support up to 25 new ASEP projects, which could result in up to 6,000 jobs for Aboriginal people across the country.
Canada's Economic Action Plan aims to create more and better opportunities for Aboriginal Canadians with increased investments in Aboriginal skills and employment programs.
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This news release is available in alternative formats on request. Call 1-800-788-8282 on a touch-tone phone or through a teletypewriter (TTY).
For further information (media only):
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
For further information on Corporation Anionwentsaen:
Raymond Picard
General Manager
Tourisme Wendake
418-847-1835
Backgrounder
Anionwentsaen Project Description
The project will train about 300 Aboriginal people in the Quebec region and provide at least 120 participants with long-term jobs in the tourism industry. Special consideration being given to promote employment of Aboriginal youth, women and persons with disabilities.
The Centre de développement et de formation de la main d'oeuvre (CDFM), a main partner to the project and a major Aboriginal vocational training center in Wendake, will be responsible for recruitment, literacy and essential skills upgrading and vocational training of participants.
Project Sponsor
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada: $4.9 million (40%)
Aboriginal Governments and Organizations: $6.9 million (57%)
Government of Quebec: $400, 000 (3%)
The Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership Program
Launched in 2003, the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) program is designed to maximize training and job opportunities in major economic development projects across Canada. It does this by meeting employers' needs and labour market demands for skilled workers.
ASEP's ultimate success is contingent on the strong partnership forged between Aboriginal groups, the private sector, federal, provincial and/or territorial governments, labour, and educational institutions. Since the program's inception, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has successfully delivered programming with over 90 partners.
Budget 2009 committed to enhance the availability of training by investing an additional $100 million over three years in the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) initiative.
Canada's Economic Action Plan, Budget 2009, is committed to enhancing the availability of training by investing an additional $100 million over three years in the ASEP program.
Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund
The Economic Action Plan also proposes $75 million over two years that will be used to establish an Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund. The Fund will lay the groundwork for a partnership and results based successor to the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy (AHRDS).
The Fund will strengthen partnerships between Aboriginal employment service organizations and employers through training-to-employment programs and will support deeper investments in training for individuals facing barriers to employment such as low literacy and essential skills. There will also be opportunities to support training initiatives associated with other elements of the Economic Action Plan, such as infrastructure and community investment. Canada's Economic Action Plan includes $25 million for 2009–2010 to maintain current AHRDS funding until the new overall strategy is put in place in April 2010.
