SUMMERSIDE, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, October 14, 2009—Today, the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament for Egmont, announced Government of Canada funding for the Aboriginal Labour Market Transition Project. This skills training initiative, delivered by the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island, is receiving funding under the regional component of the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund.
Minister Shea made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
“The Government of Canada is dedicated to helping foster the best educated, the most skilled and the most flexible workforce in the world,” said Minister Shea. “Through the advanced training and partnerships provided by the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island, Aboriginal people in the province will gain the skills they need to participate in the labour market today. They will also be ready for the jobs of the future.”
Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides $75 million for the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund over two years, which will help create opportunities for Aboriginal workers through skills development during these tough economic times. The Mi’kmaq project will receive $258,267 and is one of 70 short‑term projects that will provide training opportunities for 5800 Aboriginal individuals and create 2100 jobs across Canada. Through the Fund, the Government of Canada will help Aboriginal people get the specific skills they need to benefit from economic opportunities in a variety of sectors, such as health, aviation, trucking, construction and forestry.
“Developing necessary skills and building capacity within the PEI Aboriginal population remains a top priority for the Mi’kmaq leadership,” said Ms. Tabatha Bernard, First Nations Ambassador for the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island, on behalf of Chief Darlene Bernard of Lennox Island First Nation and Chief Brian Francis of Abegweit First Nation. “Today’s announcement is an important investment, and we look forward to working with all of our partners towards a successful future.”
This project will address the skills development and employment needs of 10 individuals who have struggled to make the transition into jobs or career-related training. In small groups, participants will develop the skills they need to get jobs.
Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund projects are initiatives in various industries that test innovative ideas and approaches to delivering Aboriginal labour market programs. They may also provide training to help individuals overcome barriers to employment, such as low literacy.
All projects will deliver measurable results within the two‑year timeframe and will be completed by March 31, 2011.
The Government of Canada also recently announced the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS). The Strategy will help Aboriginal people receive the training and skills they need, both now and for the long term. ASETS will focus on three strategic priorities, including supporting demand-driven skills development, fostering partnerships with the private sector and the provinces and territories, and putting emphasis on accountability and results. ASETS will replace the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy and will be put in place April 2010.
More information is available on the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Web site at www.hrsdc.gc.ca.
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This news release is available online at www.actionplan.gc.ca.
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
Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund
Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund projects were selected using an application process. These projects will identify and implement distinct, short-term, focused initiatives designed to help Aboriginal people get the specific skills they require to benefit from economic opportunities.
There are regional and national components to the Fund. The regional component supports training-to-employment projects, skills development projects and service improvement projects on a regional basis.
The national component of the Fund will be used to support initiatives that are national in scope and partnership-based (Aboriginal organizations, governments, sector councils, and national training and employment groups, etc.), and will result in the development of tools, services or promising practices that will enhance the range of client and business services provided under the successor strategy to the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy.
Projects are funded for a maximum of 18 months, and all projects must end on March 31, 2011.
