Northern remote communities face unique challenges relating to their geography and size. It is critical that communities are involved in, and benefit directly from, economic development in their region. In order to do so, Canadians in northern remote communities must have the necessary education and skills training to participate in the local jobs economy. The New Democratic Party therefore supports this report on skill development in northern remote communities, but we think the recommendations should go further to ensure that skills training and development will be available to northern remote communities.

PARTNERSHIPS APPROACH

New Democrats find it disappointing that no witnesses representing employees or labour unions were invited to participate in the study. Skills development needs to be a shared project between governments, employers, labour representatives, community groups and individuals in order to ensure that the needs of both employers and employees are met. The report recommends that the government of Canada invest in and facilitate public-private partnerships to provide residents with skills development programs. New Democrats recommend that such partnerships include all existing community partners, including federal, provincial, territorial and Aboriginal governments, businesses, labour unions, and not-for-profit groups.

One key partner is sector councils, which bring together “business, labour and educational stakeholders.”[i] Sector councils provide very useful sector-specific labour market information that helps governments, businesses, and training and education facilities to direct education and skills training programs to areas of need. Given the committee’s recognition of the growing need for labour market information, New Democrats recommend that the government restore the core funding for Sector Councils that was cut in 2011.

FIRST NATIONS, INUIT AND MÉTIS

First Nations education is the jurisdiction of the federal government, which does not provide equitable funding for First Nations children. According to the Assembly of First Nations, $500 million per year is needed in order to bring funding for First Nations K-12 education to parity with non-Aboriginal Canadians. If educational outcomes are to improve for Aboriginal students, they need adequately funded education that respects their unique culture and history in safe and healthy school facilities. New Democrats therefore recommend that the government provide equitable funding for First Nations K-12 education. We also recommend that the government provide sufficient and equitable funding for post-secondary education, including vocational training, apprenticeships, and the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy, and that the government remove the punitive 2% cap on funding for First Nations.

I think, as you think about your children and your grandchildren, that they should be able to go to a first nation on-reserve school and get the same quality of education as a native child going to a school here in Ottawa. If we really believe in public education, that's the measure, and that is why that deficit of about 25% that exists between first nations on-reserve schools and off-reserve schools has to close.

Kelly Lendsay, Aboriginal Human Resource Council

The federal government also provides funding for Inuit education through territorial transfers and land claims agreement transfers. The education system is seriously failing Inuit youth, with only 25% graduating from high school. Those that do manage to graduate are still not at the same skill level as non-Aboriginal graduates.[ii] The report of Thomas Berger, a conciliator appointed to resolve differences in the negotiations of the Implementation for Land Claims Agreement, found that education is a key factor in impeding progress on Article 23, which calls for Inuit representation in the public service to match their percentage of the population. He called for an increase of $20 million annually to education funding, beyond what is provided through territorial financing.[iii] The same holds true for other jobs: Inuit youth need culturally and linguistically appropriate education that enables them to stay in school and graduate with the skills they need to join the workforce. New Democrats therefore recommend that the government increase funding for Inuit education, beyond the funding provided through territorial financing and land claims agreements.

The National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education provided an excellent report on what is needed to improve educational outcomes for First Nations students. New Democrats believe that the Panel’s recommendations should be implemented in consultation with First Nations. However, we are dismayed that the committee report recommends that the government only “implement the priority recommendations, taking into account that Canada is in an era of fiscal restraint.” New Democrats believe that the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Canadians should not be subject to fiscal restraint. We believe that a relationship of mutual respect between Canada’s government and Aboriginal peoples requires a nation-to-nation partnership that respects inherent Aboriginal and treaty rights as rights, not as options dependent on the spending priorities of the government of the day.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis Canadians also have unique cultures that are intimately connected to their history and geography. Unless employers are aware of the unique cultures of Aboriginal employees, they will have difficulty retaining their Aboriginal employees and helping them to succeed. While training should help to prepare Aboriginal Canadians to be successful employees, New Democrats recommend that employers also take cultural training in order to provide a respectful and accommodating environment for Aboriginal employees. 

Another challenge is the cultural shock that can be experienced on the job site. This, along with the isolation from family and friends, can impact the retention of aboriginal people. Employment and training opportunities that have more than one aboriginal person in attendance help to address the isolation issue. Cultural awareness training helps to provide an understanding of the workplace culture and helps employers understand the culture of aboriginal people.

Rosemary Sparks, Construction Sector Council

ACCESS TO INTERNET

Access to the internet is becoming increasingly important for social inclusion, economic development, and education and skills training. However, access to reliable high-speed internet remains a challenge for many remote northern communities. Even when communities have internet access, it can be difficult for the more vulnerable members of the community to access that service — low income Canadians and Aboriginal Canadians in particular. Only 54% of the poorest 25% of Canadians (those with incomes of less than $30,000) had internet access in 2010.[iv] According to the First Nations Regional Health Survey, only 51.8% of all First Nations homes have internet, compared to 77.8% of all Canadians.[v]

The Community Access Program was developed by Industry Canada to help rural and remote communities and underserved communities in urban settings to achieve affordable public internet access. Canadians could access internet services at local public venues such as schools, libraries and community centres through the program. CAP was a very important source of internet services for low income Canadians. Unfortunately, the Conservative government cut the funding for this important and effective program in Budget 2012. New Democrats recommend that the government restore funding for CAP.

Access to the internet is also increasingly important for enabling lively democratic participation. Social media offers opportunities to participate in ongoing discussions, emerging ecommerce has made business products and services available online more than ever before, and government services — including health services, skills development programs and job postings — are increasingly being made available online.  New Democrats recommend that access to the internet for all Canadians be a government priority. This means undertaking to implement measures that will continually improve access to the internet across Canada. 

INFRASTRUCTURE

As the report notes, “The Committee was told about the need for affordable, reliable and efficient sources of energy; affordable and adequate transportation; access to clean and abundant water; better overall living conditions on reserves and in Aboriginal communities; among others.” It is very hard to focus on education or skills training programs or to be a successful and effective employee when you are faced with crowded, unsafe or unhealthy living conditions, when you don’t have access to clean and safe drinking water, or when transportation to and from school or work is difficult. New Democrats therefore recommend that the federal government provide adequate investments in transportation, water and housing to Northern communities, according to federal government jurisdiction and in partnership with the provinces and territories.

Far too many of our communities have far too many barriers that prevent people from prospering. We need to access those same building blocks to success that are enjoyed by most Canadians. Imagine if all of our ASETS clients lived in communities with proper housing, water, and even recreational services. Imagine if they had access to a high school in their community, and they were able to graduate at rates equal to the rest of Canada.

Peter Dinsdale, Chief Operating Officer, Assembly of First Nations

RESOURCE REVIEW

While the majority report suggests that speeding up the regulatory process for the approval of new projects would help to alleviate the labour shortage, that is not an obvious conclusion and wasn’t supported by testimony.  Speeding up the approval of new projects could also exacerbate the labour shortage by resulting in more projects competing for the same workers at the same time.  In fact, New Democrats believe that the regulatory process has little to do with labour shortages and skills development.  Instead, reviews are meant to ensure that projects are safe and will not result in significant environmental degradation or health challenges for the current population or for future generations.  When such reviews are not done thoroughly and lead to significant environmental impacts without mitigation, they can compromise the ability of Canadians to function as safe and healthy workers.  Failure to effectively consult and engage communities in assessments risks the erosion or loss of social license and thereby increases costs to industries as lawsuits and public protests can create delays, uncertainty and unpredictability.  It also represents a failure of the government’s duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal peoples on projects that will affect them.  New Democrats therefore oppose the destructive changes being made to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Fisheries Act and the National Energy Board Act by the Trojan Horse Bill, Bill C-38.