Speed up childcare funds, says HRDC Minister Stewart
Human Resources Development Minister Jane Stewart wants to speed up the distribution of the new $935-million federal childcare fund set aside last February in the federal budget. The fund, to be spent over five years to reduce the burden of working parents with young children, has been criticized as being “back-loaded” as only $25-million has […]
Canada’s aging population: Time for a plan of action
SAINT JOHN, N.B.–With a massive demographic shift on our horizon, Canada must immediately prepare our social institutions for the coming of age. Statistics Canada has found that between 1991 and 2001, the number of Canadians aged 65 or older increased by 12 per cent. This trend will increase more rapidly as of 2011, when the […]
Manley proposes Minister of Lifelong Learning
Having worked since 1993 to bring the federal government back from the brink of financial and political crisis, we are now working to restore this level of government to its proper place in Confederation. While that proper place does not include running the elementary and high schools, the colleges and the universities, it does include […]
Welcome to Canada! Leave your training at the door
“To succeed in the global knowledge-based economy a country must be capable of producing, attracting and retaining a critical mass of well-educated and appropriately trained people”. So says the Government of Canada’s Innovation and Learning Strategy. Yet, the reality is a far cry from the lofty goal stated by the federal government as young Canadians […]
Don’t play politics with the lives of public employees
Canada has been blessed with a competent and professional public service, but there is much work to be done from the political level to appreciate and support the thousands who administer public affairs. My experience with reviewing and improving Bill C-25 at the Government Operations and Estimates Committee, reminded me of so many problem issues, […]
Robillard: C-25 represents first major reform of legislative framework governing people management in 35 years
Over the last decade, we have seen a profound evolution in what Canadians expect from all levels of government. Citizens are rightfully demanding greater transparency, more open access to decision-makers as well as faster and more cost-effective services. At the same time, the environment in which public policy is developed is becoming increasingly complex. There […]
Large gaps in skilled labour, says HRDC Minister Stewart
Canada’s Baby-Boomers are retiring and leaving behind large gaps in skilled-labour pools that urgently need to be filled, says Canada’s Human Resources Minister. “Employers — particularly small business — are continually reporting to us that the lack of skilled employees is one of their most significant problems,” said federal Human Resources Minister Jane Stewart (Brant, […]
Creating a public service for the 21st Century
The “performance pay” given to senior executives has garnered headlines across the country. Information that I obtained through Access to Information demonstrated that across the federal government, 96 per cent of all senior bureaucrats received bonuses for their work. This is when we read about scandals every other day from the Radwanski affair to the […]
