Speaking Notes
for
the Honourable Candice Bergen,
Minister of State for Social Development,
to announce Opportunities Fund support to
the March of Dimes Canada
Toronto, Ontario
November 29, 2013
Check against delivery
Merci, John, pour cette aimable présentation.
[Thank you, John, for that kind introduction.]
Good morning everyone, and thank you all for being here.
Before I begin, I just want you all to know how extremely happy I am to be here and I’d like to thank the March of Dimes Canada for hosting this event.
Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, our country is full of talented and experienced people looking to find jobs and progress in their careers. This, of course, includes Canadians with disabilities.
However, many of them are unemployed or under‑employed.
Earlier this year, an expert panel found that almost 800 000 people with disabilities, who were capable of working, did not have a job.[1]
Of these, almost half of them have some form of post‑secondary education.
This a very frustrating situation, and it’s a real loss to the Canadian economy.
Considering the skills and labour shortages we are facing in some regions and industries, we can’t afford to let anyone who wants to work sit on the sidelines.
Nous devons nous assurer que tous nos travailleurs sont à l’œuvre pour contribuer à la prospérité de notre pays.
[We need to ensure that all of our talent is at work, contributing to our country’s prosperity.]
In Economic Action Plan 2013, we ramped up our efforts to get more people from under-represented groups into the workforce. This includes Canadians with disabilities.
From our government’s perspective, any vision of Canada’s economic future is incomplete without making sure that we harness all of the potential that people with disabilities can bring to the workforce.
That is why we partner with organizations like the March of Dimes to help these Canadians gain the skills and experience they need to get satisfying work.
These partnerships are forged, in large part, through the Opportunities Fund, a program that has proven and demonstrated results.
Since 2006, the Opportunities Fund has helped over 34 600 Canadians with disabilities.
What we are announcing today will help even more Canadians with disabilities gain work experience, particularly with small- and medium-sized businesses, that would benefit from their skills and talents.
Budget 2013 committed to maintaining funding for the Opportunities Fund and thanks to this support, people with disabilities will benefit from more training for in‑demand jobs.
Cet investissement s’inscrit dans notre stratégie générale qui consiste à donner aux Canadiens et aux Canadiennes l’occasion d’acquérir les compétences et de suivre la formation dont ils ont besoin pour accéder aux emplois disponibles.
[This is part of our overall strategy to equip Canadians with the skills and training they need to connect with available jobs.]
I’m pleased to announce today that the Government of Canada will be supporting the March of Dimes with an investment of over $7 million.
With this funding, the March of Dimes will offer support to people with disabilities in areas across Canada and will help them develop the skills they need to enter and participate in the job market.
This support will also allow the March of Dimes to raise awareness of the important contribution Canadians with disabilities can make to the workforce and the economy.
Every time a Canadian gets a job, whether they have a disability or not, he or she gets more than a paycheque. They also get a boost to their dignity and their independence.
And this is what the March of Dimes and other organizations across the country are doing.
They are giving Canadians with disabilities the resources, the hope and the encouragement they need to participate fully in their communities and contribute to the economy.
Friends, Economic Action Plan 2013 introduced additional measures to support Canadians with disabilities. Measures such as: a new generation of Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities; an extension of funding to the Enabling Accessibility Fund to improve accessibility in facilities across Canada; and support for research related to the labour market participation of people with disabilities.
Ladies and gentlemen, our government’s top priorities are creating jobs and economic growth. To support Canada’s long-term prosperity, we must ensure that everyone who wants to work has the opportunity to do so.
Together, we can give people with disabilities the support they need to make a meaningful contribution to their communities because, as we all know, stronger communities create a stronger Canada.
Merci.
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