Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to support my colleague Mr. Menicoche in this little micro theme day statement here.
Often I hear from people who are trying to apply for jobs and they’re screened out for various reasons, some that make sense and some that just want you to bang your head against the wall. In some cases, we hear they’re screened out and they only get the news long after the job has been awarded and the appeal period is long past. At this point, of course, they have no rights to appeal because they weren’t screened in, and often these people are screened
out. Why? Because they didn’t have the official university degree or college diploma it boldly says right on the top, but sometimes it also says on the bottom that if you have experience, demonstrate that.
The calls I get always say it seems to matter little. They show that they have 10, 15, 20 and even 25 years of hardworking experience, but to them it appears that if you don’t have the academics, don’t even bother.
This is frustrating, because I know, and everybody in this building knows, skills, training, education, experience are absolutely critical. No doubt about that. No one is trying to sell it for any less. But no one is suggesting that we take a first aid attendant and give him a shot at being a doctor. What we’re trying to do is giving meaningful people a meaningful opportunity, but oftentimes we hear, oh no, you don’t have a certificate; you need not apply.
A lot of good people fall through the system because it’s almost like the door is shut before they even get a chance to open it. So rather than use that as a distraction, let us finally realize that there are many paths to the same destination. We could work with people who have great, dedicated, northern experience. I believe strongly, and Member Menicoche believes strongly, we have to get our people working. That’s our focus. I know that’s my focus and that’s his focus; it would be nice to see it be the government’s focus.
In the end, I often hear stories like this. I got a call a little while ago about an Aboriginal woman who had some difficult choices early in her life, but she got a break and her break led her to a job. She has got 20 years of experience. She applies for a job, but no advancing. Why? Because in some ways, in her eyes, she’s being punished by 20 years ago a choice she had to make, a choice I wouldn’t want to be forced to make, one she had to make on her own. But how do we help her move forward? Not this system. What system then?
Myself and Mr. Menicoche believe really strongly that we’ve got to provide all Northerners, Aboriginal, women and everyone, a fair shot. Just because they don’t have the technical credibility of a university certificate doesn’t mean 20 years of experience is a waste of time. We can do better; let’s start doing it. Thank you.