Renewal of the labour market development agreements : Renouvellement des ententes sur le développement du marché du travail

RENEWAL OF THE LABOUR MARKET DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS Report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Phil McColeman Chair JANUARY 2015 41st PARLIAMENT, SECOND SESSION Published under the authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons SPEAKER’S PERMISSION Reproduction of the proceedings of the House of Commons and its [...] The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (“the Committee”) has completed a number of studies in the first and second sessions of the 41st Parliament examining skills and labour shortages, as well as skills development and training for vulnerable groups who have difficulty entering the labour market. [...] The Employment Insurance Act also gave provinces and territories the ability to deliver these training programs.2 The original LMDAs date back to the beginning of the process of devolution of labour market training to the provinces in 1996. [...] Getting all the provinces and territories on board has been a long process, culminating with the recognition in Budget 2007 that the provinces and territories have the primary responsibility in the design of labour market training programming and its delivery, and the signing of the last bilateral agreements by 2010.3 EBSMs were also set up in 1996 and funded through the LMDAs. [...] Mary-Lou Donnelly, Commissioner for Workers, Canada Employment Insurance Commission, told the Committee that the renewal process of the LMDAs should make sure that the new generation of agreements are relevant to the reality of current workers and employers.4 As well, Matthew Mendelsohn, Director, Mowat Centre, spoke of the restructuring of the labour market, giving the example of Ontario: During