Conservative Government Supports M-430; Reaffirms Commitment to Persons with DisabilitiesMay 02, 2013,
Ottawa, Ontario, May 2, 2013—The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced the Government’s support for private Member’s motion 430, Strengthening Employment for Canadians with Disabilities. This motion endorses the findings of the report of the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and commits to furthering public-private cooperation to improve the employment situation of Canadians with disabilities.“Canada needs all of our available talent at work,” said Minister Finley. “That is why Economic Action Plan 2013 is increasing opportunities for people with disabilities, helping them gain the skills and training they need to better participate in Canada’s labour market.”
The Harper Government created the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Economic Action Plan 2012 to identify private-sector successes, challenges and best practices in employing people with disabilities. Motion 430, presented by Phil McColeman, Member of Parliament for Brant, calls for the Government to support the Panel’s findings, recommending greater education and training to overcome barriers, dispel myths and better engage people with disabilities in contributing to a stronger economy.
“With the recent Panel report, the importance of strengthening employment opportunities for people with disabilities is gaining national attention,” said Mr. McColeman. “Employers need to be looking at the strong business case for hiring people with disabilities.”
“I am happy to see the Government taking action to help more Canadians with a disability enter the workforce,” added Kathy Martin, Senior Vice-President, Loblaw Companies. “The motion is another positive step towards more employment and opportunities for people with a disability.”
Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes new measures to connect Canadians with available jobs and equip them with the skills and training they need. These include the Canada Job Grant, creating opportunities for apprentices and providing support to under-represented groups such as people with disabilities, youth, Aboriginal people and newcomers. To help people with disabilities in the workforce, the Government has committed to:
- negotiate a new generation of the Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities by 2014 to better meet the employment needs of businesses and the employment prospects of people with disabilities;
- provide ongoing funding of $40 million per year starting in 2015–2016 for the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities;
- · extend the Enabling Accessibility Fund on an ongoing basis at a level of $15 million per year;
- additional funding of $7 million for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council; and
- a $2-million investment to support the creation of the Canadian Employers Disability Forum.
The measures announced in Economic Action Plan 2013 will help ensure continued economic growth, job creation and long-term prosperity, while better aligning training solutions to labour market demand.
For more information on M-430, visit www.philmccolemanmp.ca
For more information, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
Economic Action Plan 2013 measures supporting people with disabilities include:
Reforming Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities
Economic Action Plan 2013 announces the introduction of a new generation of Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities by 2014 with an investment of $222 million per year. The reformed Agreements will be designed to better meet the employment needs of Canadian businesses and improve the employment prospects for people with disabilities, in keeping with transformed Labour Market Agreements, and will put stronger accountability regimes in place.
Existing Agreements will be extended for one year, until March 2014, to allow for new Agreements to be renegotiated.
Provide ongoing funding for the Opportunities Fund for People with Disabilities
Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes ongoing funding of $40 million per year starting in 2015–2016 for the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities. The program will also be reformed to provide more demand-driven training solutions for people with disabilities and make it more responsive to labour market needs. Employers and community organizations will be involved in project design and delivery.
Extending the Enabling Accessibility Fund
Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes to extend the Enabling Accessibility Fund on an ongoing basis, at a level of $15 million per year, to support capital costs of construction and renovations related to improving physical accessibility for people with disabilities through projects with demonstrated community support, including workplace accommodation. This builds on the Budget 2010 commitment, which provided $45 million over three years to extend the Enabling Accessibility Fund and expand its eligibility to mid-sized projects, allowing communities to undertake larger retrofit projects to enhance accessibility of existing facilities or create new accessible facilities.
Creation of the Canadian Employers Disability Forum
Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes to provide a temporary investment to support the creation of the Canadian Employers Disability Forum, as recommended by the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
The Forum, an initiative led by a number of Canadian businesses, will be managed by employers, for employers, to facilitate education, training and sharing of resources and best practices concerning the hiring and retention of people with disabilities. Under the leadership of the Forum, employers will help to promote and further the invaluable contributions that people with disabilities can make to their businesses.
Creating the Canada Job Grant
As announced in Economic Action Plan 2013, the Harper Government is creating the Canada Jobs Grant, which will take skills-training choices out of the hands of government and put them where they belong: in the hands of employers and Canadians who want to work. The Grant, as delivered through Labour Market Agreements, could provide up to $15,000 per person, including a maximum of $5,000 from the federal government, along with matching contributions from the provinces/territories and employers. Businesses with a plan to train Canadians for an existing job or a better job will be eligible to apply for the Grant.
Government Supports M-430May 02, 2013,
Prime Minister Stephen Harper launches consultations with businesses in Brant on the Canada Job GrantApril 19, 2013,
BRANTFORD, ON April 19, 2013 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today launched consultations with businesses on the Canada Job Grant, an Economic Action Plan 2013 initiative that will create jobs by transforming the way Canadians receive skills training. He was accompanied by Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and Phil McColeman, Member of Parliament for Brant. The meeting took place at SC Johnson and included Brant business owners at a roundtable discussion.“I am pleased to launch consultations on the Canada Job Grant,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “The Canada Job Grant will take skills-training choices out of the hands of government and put them where they belong: in the hands of employers with unfilled jobs and Canadians who want to work.”
Training in Canada is not sufficiently aligned to the skills employers need or to the jobs that are actually available. There are too many jobs that go unfilled in Canada because employers can’t find workers with the right skills. Meanwhile, there are still too many Canadians looking for work.
The Canada Job Grant will transform the way Canadians receive training. Canadians who have an offer for a new job or a better job may qualify for up to $15,000 or more to learn new skills to accept the new or better job, from a $5,000 maximum federal contribution and matching contributions from an employer and province or territory.
Today’s consultation in Brantford is the first of a series of consultations that will take place with stakeholder groups such as employer associations, educational institutions and labour organizations on the design of the Canada Job Grant.
MP Phil McColeman Celebrates Brantford`s Holly RyerseMarch 25, 2013,
Ottawa, ON, March 25, 2013 - Phil McColeman, Member of Parliament for Brant, celebrated Brantford native Holly Ryerse today in Ottawa.
Ms. Ryerse was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal this morning at the Ottawa Police Elgin Street station by the Honourable John Baird, Member of Parliament for Ottawa - West - Nepean and Minister of Foreign Affairs, for a heroic act that she committed while attending school in Ottawa at Algonquin College.
Holly studies television broadcasting at Algonquin where she is a guard on the close-knit Algonquin College Thunder women’s basketball team. The Thunder won the 2012 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championship earlier this year, before going on to place fifth at Nationals.
After returning home late one night in September on a public transit bus, Holly witnessed a robbery and assault being committed on another woman by three young offenders.
As a nearby man stood idle and watched, young Holly intervened. She sacrificed her own safety to protect the victim whom she had never before met and by protecting her head from further assault, Holly likely saved the victim’s life. After helping to end the attack, Holly contacted police who arrived on scene and apprehended the attackers.
After the medal ceremony, Holly and her family gathered in the gallery of the House of Commons as Brant MP Phil McColeman delivered a statement commemorating her heroism. The following is the text of what he said:
“Mr. Speaker,Today I call on this House to join me in celebrating an outstanding Canadian from Brantford, a young basketball star and good Samaritan - Holly Ryerse.
Last summer, late at night, Holly witnessed three young offenders robbing and senselessly attacking a helpless stranger, right here in Ottawa.
As three attackers brutally kicked and slammed the victim`s head into the pavement, Holly intervened to protect the stranger, without regard for her own safety, and then she called the police.
Holly suffered a concussion, emotional trauma, hand and back injuries, but likely saved that stranger's life.
Mr. Speaker, what is so remarkable about Holly is not just her heroism, but her selflessness. She is an outstanding citizen who did what she knew was right - never asking for our recognition or anything else in return.
To Holly, we say thank you for standing up and doing what is right. Your courage, integrity and constant optimism is a blessing to us all. You are a true hero.”
Holly credits her father, Brantford city police officer Rick Ryerse, for instilling in her a strong sense of civic duty and a commitment to helping others. She also thanks her teammates, coaches and staff at the Algonquin Thunder for their strong ongoing support.“It is not every day that you find someone capable of this level of courage in the face of a very dangerous situation,” said MP McColeman. “Holly’s story is remarkable one that will no doubt serve to inspire others to stand up and do the right thing. She is a true role model.”
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