Speaking Notes
for
The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Association of Canadian Community Colleges
November 29, 2010
Chateau Laurier
Ottawa
Check against delivery
Thank you for your kind invitation.
First, I would like to acknowledge the tireless work of Canadian Community Colleges.
Canada has one of the strongest community college systems in the world, and this brings us many advantages. Community colleges play a key role in building skills for Canadians and future prosperity.
It's so important that we maintain open lines of communication between us.
With emerging skills shortages in key sectors of the Canadian labour market - our Government has made post-secondary education and skills training a clear priority.
Whether attending trade school, college or university, the Canada Student Loans Program helps students and families participate in post-secondary education. Last year, our Government provided 400,000 students with loans and grants.
In 2009, when the global economic crisis happened, we again stepped up to the plate through Canada's Economic Action Plan.
As part of that Plan, we launched the Apprenticeship Completion Grant, building on the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant. Our goal with this grant is to encourage individuals to finish their apprenticeship training and get their journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal Trade.
Nearly 35,000 Apprenticeship Completion Grants have been issued as well as over 177,000 Apprenticeship Incentive Grants.
There are many success stories as a result of these grants. For example, Ward Webber from Alberta always liked wood-working. He received the Apprenticeship Completion Grant when he successfully completed his training as a certified cabinet-maker at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Community colleges have been central to this initiative.
To support Canadians through the economic crisis, Budget 2009 also announced an additional $1 billion over two years for Employment Insurance training programs. And we invested an additional $500 million over two years to support the training needs of individuals whether or not they qualify for EI.
This funding supplements existing transfers to provinces and territories under various labour market agreements.
The Ontario government used part of this funding to further support individuals through the Second Career Program.
For example, Jeff Statham lost his job after working almost 13 years in an automotive plant in Whitby. The Second Career Program covered his tuition to study in a law and administration program at Durham College. He is now on the Dean's list, and aspires to become a police officer in the near future.
Let me also briefly mention the Knowledge Infrastructure Program. Under the Economic Action Plan, we have been turning adversity into opportunity. Through investment in the construction and renovation of facilities at community colleges, we're preparing Canadian for the jobs of tomorrow.
Canadians need colleges, business, labour and governments to all work together. Partnerships and initiatives like those that I have just mentioned allowed us to weather the economic downturn much better than some other countries.
That is why the Government's goal is to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world.
And that is why we work with the provinces and territories, as well as the community colleges, to deliver this training to Canadians.
One thing is clear to all of us. Our prosperity in the coming decades will depend on more Canadians having the skills needed in the labour market that post-secondary education provides.
We all have to make sure that post-secondary education remains one of Canada's advantages. That we don't rest on our laurels but continue to find ways to improve.
Looking forward, let me outline some of the challenges facing us in the years ahead.
As technology evolves, it will be harder and harder to participate in the labour market and society unless you have digital skills.
Here is a critical statistic: over 40 percent of the workforce currently lacks the basic literacy and digital skills that are needed to thrive in the digital economy.
That means working with you to make sure students graduate with the right skills.
We need to expand our partnerships. We need to make better use of new technologies. And we need to challenge old assumptions about how things must be done.
One particular challenge we face is in finding ways to ensure no one is left behind and increase access to labour market opportunities.
I congratulate you on your initiatives to accomplish this. I understand the ACCC held a symposium in Yellowknife on October 19 to discuss how you can better serve Aboriginal learners in rural and remote communities.
And I also know that ACCC is managing a project to increase the employability of Canadians who are marginalized from the labour market and working with a wide range of partners - literacy groups, sector councils, colleges, and target groups are involved.
I'm also aware that the ACCC has received $8.3 million to deliver programs and services for immigrants, starting in their country of origin and continuing after they arrive in Canada.
Through pilot offices in China, India and the Philippines, prospective immigrants have been provided customized advice. They've also received practical assistance on credential assessment, settlement, skills and language upgrading and job search while still in their home country.
A second challenge is to help individual Canadians make good career choices.
To make good career decisions, Canadians need to know where the opportunities are so they can make the right decisions on what and where to study.
How can community colleges reinforce their role as a strategic partner in giving students the tools to make decisions that are right for them?
The Government is looking to your members to find innovative ways to help Canadians gain skills.
It takes business, labour, governments, and post-secondary institutions working together to find effective ways to help expand opportunities for skilled workers to make a difference.
Allow me to conclude by thanking you for playing an important role in our communities.
The quality of your programs and of your graduates will remain the key to success. I know that we can work together.
Canada needs you. Thank you.
