Speaking notes
for
the Honourable Diane Finley,
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development,
to
the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Annual General Meeting
September 24, 2012
Hamilton, Ontario
Thank you for that kind introduction.
I’d like to thank Bob Youden, Chair of the Board of Directors, and the Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, for inviting me to speak at at this year’s Annual General Meeting.
I’m not so sure I’m thanking you both for slating me between everyone and their dinner – so I’ll try and keep things moving along.
I’d be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank all the local Chambers of Commerce who, over the last few months, offered me and my government colleagues an opportunity to speak to their members about our Economic Action Plan 2012.
Those breakfasts and lunches provide us with wonderful opportunities to get out of our offices (which is important!), give updates and – most of all – listen to Canadians in cities large and small. So thank you.
Today, we are here to celebrate Canada, more specifically A Canada That Works.
Our economic performance has been far better than that of many countries around the world, particularly in Europe.
In fact, since July 2009 almost 770 000 new jobs have been created in Canada.
That makes us the country with the strongest employment growth among the G7 countries!
Great news, right? The answer is: “yes, but”.
We can’t lean on this record of success. We can’t rest on our laurels. In fact, some would say that if you’re resting on your laurels…they are on the wrong end.
Canada is still facing significant challenges that threaten our economic growth.
As business people, you know better than anyone that the global economy remains fragile and that any setbacks in other countries could have an impact on us. They could be ripples—but they equally could be waves.
Here at home, we are facing the paradox of high unemployment in some regions, and labour shortages in others. And, in some cases, labour shortages in areas of high unemployment.
There is also a “disconnect” between the needs of employers for skilled workers… and the supply of people in the labour force who have those skills.
You yourselves have identified Canada’s skills shortage as the number one barrier to the success of your members, as noted on in your report of the Top Ten Barriers to Competitiveness.
You describe it as “the major socio-economic challenge confronting this country.”
Going forward, you can expect the situation to worsen as our population ages and many people leave the work force.
You can also expect strong competition for skilled workers across international borders.
Our future prosperity will depend, in part, on our ability to meet emerging and growing labour market needs. On our ability to adapt, to change, to evolve, and to grow.
How are we going to do all of that?
Let me start by telling you a story.
Picture a small town business owner – an entrepreneur – who had been in business for years.
This shopkeeper had always done well – and he was the main game in town.
One day, a brand new business much like his own, opened up next door and erected a sign which read ‘BEST DEALS’.
The shopkeeper was stunned.
It got worse.
Within weeks another competitor opened up on his other side—and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, reading ‘LOWEST PRICES’.
The shopkeeper panicked…until he got an idea.
He put the biggest sign of all over his own shop.
It read ‘MAIN ENTRANCE.’
Now I tell this story because it relates, in a way, to what I believe are strong foundations in communities from coast to coast to coast in Canada. Things like flexibility, innovation, resilience, and success.
Canadians want to work, have a good life and raise a family.
And you want to leave things better for your children.
So the last thing that you want is empty political rhetoric.
You want action.
That is why the Harper Government has made job creation, economic growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians as our top priorities.
We believe that it is absolutely critical to address the problem of skills shortages…to get Canadians back to work…and to diversify our workforce.
And so today, I’d like to talk to you about a few of our Government’s initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges we’re facing.
In June, there were 263,000 job vacancies across the country.
It’s quite a surprising figure, particularly since we know Canadians are looking for jobs and want to work.
So why such a high vacancy rate?
There are many reasons for this. Some individuals may not know where or how to find available jobs. Some people who have spent their working lives in a particular industry or occupation may not be aware that their skills match needs in other industries or occupations.
Think of the truck driver who works in a seasonal industry. He has a specialized license and skill… and could be driving for the moving and storage company down the road, during the off-season, who is crying for workers…
The same moving and storage company owner who can’t find local drivers, has to hire from off-shore, and pay to train temporary foreign workers.
That’s a problem. And that doesn’t make sense.
So what’s the first step to addressing this situation?
First, we are making changes to the Employment Insurance program to make it easier for unemployed Canadians to search for and find work.
I don’t think I need to remind all of you in this audience that Employment Insurance is just that…an insurance program that exists to support you when you are out of work, at no fault of your own.
With that support, comes the responsibility for you to be available and actively looking for work.
After all, as someone who has been working for as long as I can remember, sometimes multiple jobs when I had to…and as a Conservative…I firmly believe that Canadians want to work. And our Government wants to help them.
I spoke with a hotel owner recently. He has three locations and has a fabulous young man working his front desk, on the night shift, in the high season.
A few weeks ago, he asked him if he would consider working some hours…just part-time, in the off-season, at the other locations.
The hotel owner thought he was rewarding the young man by giving him more work…but had a rude awakening when the young man said:
“I’d love to, but I can’t afford to.”
“I’m on EI in the winter. If I worked for you, my benefits would be clawed back. I’d lose money. That’s just the way it goes.”
Do you think that story describes a system that is fair, flexible, and responsive?
I didn’t think so.
There has been much discussion and debate about the changes we announced to EI this year…which include sending Canadians more frequent information about local opportunities—and better defining what qualifies as “suitable employment” or a “reasonable job offer”.
Essentially, we’re tightening—and better defining—the rules so that Canadians have greater chances of finding and accepting work.
We’re changing things…so that areas with similar unemployment rates are treated similarly when it comes to calculating EI.
We’re changing things… so that areas with similar unemployment rates are treated similarly when it comes to calculating EI.
We’re updating the program to reflect the reality of our labour market, of coming skills shortages – and regional differences.
Now, as I’ve said many times, we know that some parts of our country are driven by seasonal industries. We know that in some communities, the jobs just aren’t there like they are in bigger centres.
For those people who—plain and simple—don’t have other options for work, Employment Insurance will continue to be there for them, as it always has been.
That is why the Prime Minister, and my colleagues and I are travelling around the country…talking to hard-working employers and employees—young and ‘experienced’ alike…and listening to their stories and ideas.
I must admit that a number of those conversations have revolved around training—and capitalizing on under-represented subsets of the workforce. I’m talking about older workers, persons with disabilities, people from Aboriginal communities.
From those conversations, I would appeal to you tonight that the private sector has the opportunity to ramp up efforts and responsibility when it comes to training—or re-training—workers.
Government plays an important role in skills and training—no question. That’s why we provide the provinces and territories significant funding for exactly that purpose.
But government can’t, and shouldn’t, do everything. As we see the baby boomers start to retire…as we start to see the impact of skills and labour shortages…there will be an ever-increasing role for skills and training.
And employers frankly need to be prepared for that.
Now I touched on the fact that businesses—large and small—are hiring temporary foreign workers to fill acute labour and skills shortages.
Let me be clear: there is a need, particularly west of Ontario, for workers. It’s real.
I was in Edmonton in April, and heard the same message again and again and again from employers.
“Minister Finley, we need people.”
That is primarily why we have the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in Canada, and it is working well. It’s in place to help employers access workers when they have exhausted all efforts to hire Canadians and come up empty-handed.
In fact, we’ve sped up the process, by cutting the red tape and making it faster for trusted employers, who play by the rules, to hire temporary foreign workers.
Known as an Accelerated Labour Market Opinion, some employers can now expect to receive a decision on whether they are able to hire temporary foreign workers within ten days.
Believe me, that’s been a huge improvement for employers.
Yet at the same time, we’re also cracking down on our compliance measures.
Employers who don’t play by the rules now run an even greater risk of having their labour market opinions revoked.
And that’s the way it should be.
But let’s go back to my example of the moving company needing to hire drivers from offshore… when there are local drivers available for work but on EI…
Folks…that’s the definition of disconnect.
So, as a part of our overall improvements to EI, we’re connecting the EI and Temporary Foreign Worker programs together for the first time.
Aside from being common sense…we want Canadians to always have first crack at available jobs.
We believe in helping Canadians understand what we’re doing to address those challenges and help ensure that you—and your families—will be better off.
I’d like to switch subjects for a bit now and take a few minutes discuss some of the other ways in which we are addressing skills shortages.
In late August, I officially launched the Sectoral Initiatives Program.
Aren’t we brilliant at naming things in government?
Under the new program, critical labour market information will be gathered and made available through the Working in Canada online portal.
This will help Canadians become more aware of the skills that are needed for the jobs that are in demand.
Think sectors like healthcare. IT. The skilled trades.
By giving people access to better information…employers, workers and job seekers alike will be able to make better, more informed decisions.
As a part of this initiative, we launched a call for concepts for partnership-based projects.
And here’s where I want your ears to perk up because companies represented here tonight—and perhaps the Canadian Chamber of Commerce as well—are all invited to participate.
I challenge you—all of you—to think about national proposals that could help support the development of labour market information…and address skills shortages in key sectors of Canada’s economy.
I encourage you to talk to your members about this opportunity as well.
The call is open until October 29, 2012 to submit proposals…so get your thinking caps on!
With that pitch out of the way…I want to start winding up by talking about the next generation of texters, typers and multi-taskers.
I want to talk about our young people.
Young workers are finding themselves facing an uncertain job market.
Many are graduating into unemployment rather than into jobs or a career.
Why?
Because they don’t have the skills that employers need.
It reminds me of Jimmy.
Several weeks after Jimmy had been hired, he was called into the HR director’s office for a “very important meeting”.
We all know that sort of meeting request is never good.
Jimmy arrived at the door. The air was tense and the director was terse.
“What is the meaning of this?” the director asked.
“When you applied for this job, you told us that you had five years’ work experience. We’ve since discovered that this is the first job that you’ve ever held in your life.”
The young man was quiet for a moment but took a deep breath and said, “but in your advertisement you said you wanted somebody with imagination.”
Personally, I applaud Jimmy for having some hutzpah—but his story is reflective of what I call the “no job, no experience—no experience, no job” cycle… to which our young people are bearing witness.
As all of you know—and your recent report succinctly cites—Canadian companies need to embrace the next generation of workers…and now.
As one of Canada’s most important resources, we need all of our young people—and their talent—at work.
But right now, the level of youth unemployment is double that of the rest of the population.
It’s not just a matter that we need to change that—we must change that.
That’s why the focus of our national Youth Employment Strategy is all about helping young Canadians gain the skills and experience needed to get into the workforce.
Over $300M per year is pumped into this strategy, with highly successful results coming out of programs delivered right across the country.
The flagship program that tends to resonate with everyone is Canada Summer Jobs.
This year alone over 36,000 students were busy at work between their studies. They were “earning and learning”—gaining experience and new skills that will carry them through to that first job.
And in some cases, after being exposed to new things, they were figuring out exactly where to take their futures.
Sometimes that direction can be a full-“180” as they say, when a summer job can help identify what you don’t want to do.
I suspect pretty much all of us have been there.
Now, when students spin on their heels and end up in jobs that are in high demand…all the better.
I have a perfect example from my riding, just down the road in Haldimand-Norfolk.
For as long as she could remember, this young woman had wanted to work in a daycare.
She had the smarts, took the courses, and thought her future was set.
That was, until she hit a slight snag…
She realized that she and children weren’t exactly a… “match,” shall we say.
So guess what? She took advantage of training services in her community, learned new skills and guess what?
Now she’s a welder.
A woman in a high demand, skilled trade? Do you think I might be just a “bit proud”?
As business people, as government, as leaders… our mind sets must be to think outside of the box and be creative… That we can shift the gears, do things a little differently, and deliver even better results.
After all, you can’t expect a different result if you keep doing the same things, in the same way. Right?
So, I think you’ll be pleased to hear that earlier this month, I announced a new initiative to tackle youth unemployment.
Through an investment initially outlined in this year’s Economic Action Plan, we are aiming to better connect young Canadians with the skills and information that they need to get the jobs that are in high demand.
By fostering our private sector partnerships, we are honing in on where the jobs are, where the needs are… and encouraging employers to hire young Canadians into roles where they can obtain that critical on-the-job-experience that they so desperately need.
It’s win-win-win. Young people gain experience…and are better coached to align their education choices with where the jobs are. Employers benefit by gaining skilled (or trainable) workers. And the economy benefits by having young people at work in their communities.
Today’s youth are tomorrow’s workforce and one of Canada’s greatest assets.
By investing in them, we are investing in Canada.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we’re on the same wavelength here. You want A Canada…that works.
And I want to ensure that businesses, like yours, have the skilled workers that you need to grow and prosper.
The Harper Government also wants a Canada that works.
This is why we will continue our efforts…and we will foster partnerships… to help Canadians obtain the right skills and training to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow.
It’s a common goal that’s good for employers, good for the economy and most importantly…it’s good for Canadians and their families.
Do we have a serious situation ahead of us, when it comes to skills and labour shortages?
Yes.
Can we accept the challenges, head-on, and work together to ensure Canada’s continued prosperity?
Absolutely.
I say—bring it on.
With the help and work of organizations like yours—and the companies that you represent—we can do it.
Together.
Thank you.
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