The HRSDC Newsletter – November 2007
Dear readers:
As my government said in the Speech from the Throne, Canadians can be proud of their country and its achievements. We live in a country that is prosperous and safe, and we have a federation that is united here at home and respected abroad. Now is the time to continue building a better Canada.
The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our families, and to helping those seeking to break free from the cycles of homelessness and poverty. Families are the building blocks of society, and the Government will continue to help them achieve their hopes for a better future.
This commitment builds on the previous accomplishments of this government:
- the Universal Child Care Benefit that provides $100 per month for each child under six to 1.5 million families and 2 million young children;
- the Working Income Tax Benefit to help low- and modest-income Canadians over the “welfare wall” by making work more profitable;
- the Registered Disability Savings Plan to ensure the financial security of families caring for children with severe disabilities;
- tax relief measures to help seniors keep more of their hard-earned money;
- and our work to find solutions to homelessness in Canada in partnership with communities, governments and key stakeholders.
Our government is taking action to support low income Canadians, to ensure that all families are sharing in the country’s economic prosperity and to bring about an even better Canada for our children.
Sincerely,
Monte Solberg, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
Investing in our Future
On October 24, Minister Solberg was pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. He used this occasion to reinforce our government’s belief that a highly skilled work force is the key to Canada’s competitive advantage.
A crucial part of this is ensuring that our youth have access to post-secondary education. To this end, we have already committed to investing over $8.4 billion this fiscal year to support post-secondary education through transfers, direct spending and tax measures.
Starting next year, we will increase the Canada Social Transfer by $800 million per year in support of the Government of Canada’s commitment to post-secondary education excellence. This represents an increase of approximately 40 percent. “Whether we are educators, policy makers or entrepreneurs, we need to take bold action to leave this country better than we found it,” said the Minister.
Further, to help address ongoing challenges in post-secondary education infrastructure, we recently provided $1 billion to provincial and territorial governments through the Infrastructure Trust Fund. These types of investments will help make sure our students have the facilities they need to get the best post-secondary education possible.
“Our greatest strength lies in our energy and determination to move forward and build a better future,” said the Minister in closing. “We must work to produce even more skilled, innovative and highly educated citizens who can compete with the best in the world.”
To learn more about postsecondary education and learning resources in Canada, please view our Web site at http://www.canlearn.ca./cgi-bin/gateway/canlearn/en/home.asp.
Improving Affordable Housing
Almost two years ago, our government made a promise that we would help Canadians have access to safe, affordable housing by making direct investments to help people get back on their feet. Over that time I am proud to say that we have delivered on our commitment.
In Budget 2006 we announced up to $1.4 billion to be invested in three housing trusts: the Affordable Housing Trust, Northern Housing Trust, and Off-Reserve Aboriginal Housing Trust. Further to this, our $269.6 million Homeless Partnering Strategy is helping support effective and sustainable solutions to homelessness.
Our government has chosen to live up to our responsibilities and the result is that the total annual federal spending on housing has never been higher. The federal government is committed to continuing to work with communities across the country to address these issues and provide concrete and meaningful results for Canadians.
To find out more about the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, please visit our Web site at http://www.homelessness.gc.ca.
Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW)
Canada’s labour market is red hot, and our government is committed to giving all Canadians a chance to participate in this boom, including older workers. We have implemented the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW), which is aimed at giving older workers in areas of high unemployment or where there is a reliance on a single industry affected by downsizing, the retraining they need to find another job.
The TIOW is a 2 year, $70-million plan that is targeted to unemployed older workers in sectors like forestry, fishing, mining and textiles across Canada. Through the Initiative, provinces identify projects designed to help people from 55 to 64 years of age, by assessing their skill levels and providing them with the programming they need to acquire new skills or work experience.
The Government of Canada is committed to making sure that all Canadians have the opportunity to share in this country’s prosperity. We know that older workers helped build this country and we want to make sure that they can continue to be active in the work force and continue to help build a better Canada.
For more information on the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, please visit our Web site at http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/cs/sp/hrsd/eppd/tiow.shtml.
