Policy Monitor Canada » Labour

NFLD Consults on Private Training

Admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:43:09 +0000

Consultations Occurring on Private Training Legislation

The Provincial Government is inviting input from current students and graduates of private training institutions on the Private Training Institutions Act and Regulations, with a series of public sessions scheduled for July. The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, provided details on the consultations today, as part of a review to ensure that the legislation is current, relevant and effective. In addition to consultations with students and graduates, consultations are occurring through meetings with other stakeholders including private training institutions, funding agencies and professionals licensing bodies.

“We want to ensure that the legislation for the private college sector allows for progress in the industry, while supporting quality programs and an appropriate level of protection for students’ investments,” said Minister King. “Our government is taking this proactive step in reviewing the legislation to ensure it meets these needs.”

As the review relies on the input of those who have experience with private training institutions, four consultation sessions will be held in regions of the province where private training institutions currently exist. The schedule is as follows:

St. John’s (Capital Hotel): July 20, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Marystown (Marystown Hotel): July 21, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Grand Falls-Windsor (Mount Peyton Hotel): July 27, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Corner Brook (Greenwood Inn): July 28, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Any current students or graduates of private training institutions are encouraged to attend a consultation session. To register for a session, individuals can contact the Department of Education at , toll-free at 1-877-771-3737, or via e-mail: jenniferlear@gov.nl.ca. Alternatively, input can be provided via e-mail by visiting www.gov.nl.ca/edu.

“Input from those who have been educated through private training institutions is vital to this review process,” said Minister King. “We encourage current and past students to provide input during the consultations to ensure an effective Act.”

The consultations will invite feedback on areas such as registration of new institutions, monitoring, student protection as well as program and instructor approvals.

The current Private Training Institutions Act and Regulations can be accessed via the following link: www.assembly.nl.ca/legislation/sr/statutes/p25.htm

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Media contact:
Tara Power
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 727-5953
tarapower@gov.nl.ca

Task Force to Review Payments System

Admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:24:32 +0000

Minister of Finance Announces Task Force to Review Payments System

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced the launch of the Task Force for the Payments System Review to help guide the evolution of the payments system in Canada.

“Today, Canadians can pay for things in a bewildering number of ways, even by tapping a cell phone against a scanner,” said Minister Flaherty. “It is important to ensure the payments system facilitates the introduction of new and exciting technologies to the benefit of users without compromising Canadian safety and efficiency or consumer protection.”

The task force fulfills a commitment made in Budget 2010 to review the safety, soundness and efficiency of the payments system; whether there is sufficient innovation in the payments system; the competitive landscape; whether businesses and consumers are being well served by payments system providers; and whether current payments system oversight mechanisms remain appropriate. The task force will be chaired by Pat Meredith, an expert on financial sector strategy with a particular focus on payments issues.

“Technology and the Internet have fundamentally changed the way Canadians access and spend their money,” said Ms. Meredith. “The work of the task force will therefore be dynamic and thoughtful, with the broad aim of laying the foundation towards making our payments system a leader and an example for the rest of the world to follow.”

The task force, which will begin work immediately, is mandated to provide the Minister of Finance with recommendations by the end of 2011. In the coming weeks, the task force will invite submissions from stakeholders and all interested Canadians. More information will be available soon at www.PaymentSystemReview.ca.

Leave for Workers Who Donate Organs

Admin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:07:33 +0000

Leave for Workers Who Donate Organs Guaranteed Under New Legislation

June 18, 2010

Unpaid Time Off Protected to Give Critical Gift of Life: Howard, Oswald

Manitobans will have the formal right to take unpaid leave for the purpose of living organ and tissue donation under an amendment to the Employment Standards Code, which takes effect today, Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard has announced.

“Most employers in the province would voluntarily provide unpaid leave to employees who are donating potentially life-saving organs or tissues for transplantation, and this legislation formally recognizes the need for job-protected leave in this type of situation,” Howard said. “The proposed amendment was introduced as a private member’s bill. I’d like to extend thanks to my colleague Inkster MLA Kevin Lamoureux for bringing this legislation forward, and to employers and labour representatives who worked quickly to provide feedback to the legislation.”

Manitoba is only the second Canadian jurisdiction to provide job-protected leave specifically for living organ and tissue donors in its employment standards legislation. Organ- and tissue-donor leave gives employees the opportunity to take up to 13 weeks of unpaid time off while they prepare for, undergo and recover from transplant surgery. This leave can be extended by up to 13 additional weeks if recommended by a physician. If individuals want to end the leave early, they must provide employers with written notice of their intent to return at least one pay period before they return.

Although this type of leave can be unpredictable, employees must have worked for the same employer for at least 30 days to qualify. As with other leave provisions, employees must be allowed to return to their job or a comparable job with the same or greater benefits and pay.

The Labour Management Review Committee, made up of business and labour representatives, was consulted on the issue and gave unanimous support to the proposal, Howard said.

The Manitoba government also supports organ and tissue transplantation through the Living Organ Donor Reimbursement Program under which eligible donors can receive up to $5,500 to help cover out-of-pocket expenses for costs such as travel and accommodations that might otherwise present a barrier to participation.

“Manitobans are well known for their generosity and we want to make it easier for people to give this critical gift of life,” said Health Minister Theresa Oswald. “These life-saving individuals shouldn’t have to suffer financial hardship for an act of selflessness.”

Sixteen living donors have accessed the reimbursement program since its launch in October 2008.

Other types of leave available to Manitoba employees include maternity, parental, family and bereavement leave.

Nova Scotia Reviews Temporary Foreign Worker Regulations

Admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:07:43 +0000

The Department of Labour and Workforce Development and the Office of Immigration are considering developing legislation regulating the recruitment and employment of temporary foreign workers.

Click here to read a consultation paper. (English)

Click h ere to read a consultation paper. (français)

If you are interested in responding to this paper with your comments, ideas and suggestions, please contact the Labour Standards Division of the Department of Labour and Workforce Development by :

Faxing a letter to Labour Standards at (902) 424-0648
Sending us an e-mail at Labour Standards at labrstd@gov.ns.ca
Telephoning us at 1-888-315-0110
Writing to us at:

Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Workforce Development
Labour Standards Division
5151 Terminal Road, 7th Floor
PO Box 697
Halifax, NS
B3J 2T8

In order for us to fully consider your comments, please contact us by June 30, 2010.

Please note that our report may list the names of individuals and groups who make comments or submissions. Unless comments are marked confidential, we will assume respondents agree to the Department quoting from or referring to comments made.

Respondents should be aware that the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act may require us to release information contained in submissions. Therefore, you should not include the names of other parties (such as the names of employers or of other employees) or any other information from which other parties could be identified, unless their permission has first been obtained. Further, if you, as an individual, want to make a submission or provide comments and you do not want your name and personal information to be made public, you should not include your name or other information, such as an address, by which you could be identified in the main body of the submission.

Your input will help us to address issues related to employment agencies and assignment employment in a balanced, fair and responsible way. Thank you for taking the time to participate.

Ontario Tables Open Business Act

Admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 18:58:57 +0000

ONTARIO IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS: McGuinty Government’s Proposed Act Will Deliver Results For Business

Backgrounder

NEWS

As part of Open Ontario, the province is taking steps to support economic growth and foster simpler, better and faster interaction between government and business.

Today the province introduced the Open for Business Act that would, if passed, create a more competitive business climate, while protecting the environment and public interest. Among the over 100 proposed amendments, the Act would:

Establish a modern, risk-based approach to environmental approvals, which could save businesses as much as 25 per cent of their project application costs.
Enable faster and more efficient resolution of Employment Standards claims by addressing the current backlog, providing more powers to Employment Standards Officers and encouraging early resolution of disputes between employees and employers.
Make it easier for professionals, such as internationally trained engineers, to work in Ontario by removing the citizenship requirements for a Professional Engineer Licence
The proposed changes would also harmonize Ontario’s business practices with other North American jurisdictions, and were developed in consultation with stakeholders, including businesses as well as environmental and agriculture groups, labour organizations, engineers and architects.

The proposed Open for Business Act supports the Open Ontario Plan to create new opportunities for jobs and growth.

QUOTES
“Our government is committed to helping businesses focus on what they do best – creating jobs for Ontario families. We can protect the public interest without creating unnecessary barriers to business. The Open for Business Act will save businesses both time and money.”
- Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Economic Development and Trade

“We are proposing a 21st century approval system that would enhance public transparency and environmental protection. This risk-based approach would focus resources on activities that pose the greatest risk to the environment and improve service to business.”
- John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment

“Concrete measures to reduce red tape in Ontario are long overdue, particularly in the areas of labour and environment. Improvements will allow our members to spend more of their money advancing productivity and creating jobs, both of which are vitally important for Ontario’s prosperity, rather than dealing with onerous and sometimes contradictory regulations.”
- Len Crispino, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

QUICK FACTS
The proposed risk-based approach for environmental approvals is consistent with practices in other jurisdictions, including British Columbia, California and New York.
As a result of business tax cuts and the move to a harmonized sales tax, the tax on business investment in Ontario is being cut in half, making Ontario businesses even more competitive.

LEARN MORE
Read more about the proposed Open for Business Act.

Check out what others are saying about the proposed Open for Business Act.

Find out how the government’s Open for Business initiative is helping to make Ontario an attractive place to do business.

Learn more about Open Ontario, the government’s five-year plan for the economy.

Government of Canada consults Canadians on economic immigration priorities

Admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:26:52 +0000

Ottawa, March 16, 2010 — As the economic recovery gains momentum, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today launched consultations to identify Canada’s new and emerging labour market needs and how immigration can best respond to them.

The Government of Canada is seeking the views of Canadians on how to help lead Canada to full economic recovery from the global recession. These consultations will look at worker shortages in trades and professions across Canada as well as the factors that affect an immigrant’s ability to succeed in Canada’s work force.

The consultations will help develop instructions to immigration officers on which economic immigration applications are eligible for processing. As part of the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, the first set of instructions was issued in November 2008 as a tool to keep the backlog of applications from growing, to reduce wait times for new applications and to better match new economic applicants to Canada’s labour market needs.

“The Action Plan for Faster Immigration is designed to make immigration more responsive to Canada’s economic conditions. When these conditions change, the instructions are meant to change too,” said Minister Kenney. “The first set of instructions has had a significant impact, but our research shows it is time to revise them to make sure they continue to meet their goals.”

Before the Action Plan for Faster Immigration was introduced, the backlog in the federal skilled worker category stood at more than 600,000 applicants, and that number has gone down by almost 40 per cent. People applying now to the federal skilled worker program can expect to receive a decision within one year compared to six years under the old system.

The consultations will be held with national and regional stakeholders, provinces and territories and the general public between now and April 16, 2010. If you wish to provide input, visit the online consultation.

Ontario Workplace Safety Review

Admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:58:56 +0000

Review Of Workplace Safety System In Ontario

Ontario will appoint Tony Dean as chair of an Expert Advisory Panel to conduct a comprehensive review of the province’s occupational health and safety prevention and enforcement system.

Mr. Dean will lead a panel, comprised of safety experts from labour groups, employers and academic institutions to recommend options for structural, operational and policy improvements.

The panel will research best-in-class approaches to improving workplace safety in national and international jurisdictions and will look at a range of issues including:

Continuum of safety practices in a workplace and entry-level safety training
Impact of the underground economy on health and safety practices
How existing legislation serves worker safety

Part of the review will be supported by the Institute for Work & Health, a globally renowned and independent research centre for occupational health and safety.

The Expert Advisory Panel will report back to the Minister of Labour in Fall 2010.

REPORT ON B.C. AMBULANCE SERVICE

Admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:27:48 +0000

COMMISSION DELIVERS REPORT ON B.C. AMBULANCE SERVICE

VICTORIA – The industrial inquiry commission reviewing different service delivery and operational models for the B.C. Ambulance Service, including options on an appropriate collective bargaining structure, has delivered its report to Minister of Labour Murray Coell.

Commissioner Chris Trumpy’s report was received by the Minister on Jan. 15, 2010. It also examines issues relating to staff recruitment, training and retention; staff workload and occupational health and safety; deployment strategies; and total compensation for paramedics and dispatchers.

The report has been provided to CUPE Local 873, the union representing B.C.’s paramedics and dispatchers, and their employer, the Emergency and Health Services Commission.

“Mr. Trumpy has submitted a thoughtful and comprehensive report that will help inform the broader discussion about redesigning the B.C. Ambulance Service and the bargaining relationship between paramedics and their employer,” said Coell. “I have forwarded the report to my colleague, Minister of Health Services Kevin Falcon, who will be reviewing it.”

On Nov. 19, 2009, Trumpy was appointed as a one-person commission under the B.C. Labour Relations Code to examine the B.C. Ambulance Service. The report is non-binding, providing options for further consideration by government to help improve service delivery and the structure of collective bargaining for the Emergency and Health Services Commission and CUPE Local 873.

The complete report is available at: : www.labour.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pdf/IIC_Report_Jan_10_2010.pdf.

AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN SASKATCHEWAN AND VIETNAM

Admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:24:49 +0000

AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN SASKATCHEWAN AND VIETNAM

Today, Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, and Minister responsible for Immigration Rob Norris, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Vietnam that will formalize collaborative relations between Saskatchewan and Vietnam. The memorandum is focused on immigration, education and entrepreneurship.

“This agreement will help to create more jobs in our province while building more diverse, dynamic and cosmopolitan communities right across Saskatchewan,” Norris said. “In addition to looking abroad, we are supporting education here in Saskatchewan, especially within First Nations and Métis communities.”

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nomination Program, the provincial immigration initiative, has experienced significant growth under the Wall government, contributing to recent population records. In 2008-09, 2,914 applicants were nominated for residence in Saskatchewan, 52 of these being from Vietnam. The goal for 2009-10 is 3,400 nominees, with anticipated growth from Vietnam.

As well, Vietnam is one of three sites for the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology’s (SIAST) overseas “skills passport” project, which focuses on skills assessment to facilitate foreign credential recognition for specific skilled workers.

This agreement builds on the educational and research agreements that the University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina and SIAST have established with Vietnamese post-secondary institutions.

The agreement signed today comes out of the Memorandum of Intent Saskatchewan and Vietnam signed in April 2009 that was aimed at increasing mutual understanding and closer economic and technological co-operation.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE CANADA INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS BOARD

Admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:16:54 +0000

MINISTER AMBROSE ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS TO THE CANADA INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS BOARD

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, January 15, 2010—The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Labour, today announced three appointments to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). Mr. Henry Allan Hope has been appointed as a part-time Vice-Chairperson, as well as Mr. William Terence Lineker and Ms. Cynthia Catherine Oliver as part-time Members representing Employers and Employees, respectively.

“In an effort to strengthen and improve the management of the CIRB and make it more responsive to local issues and more accessible to organizations, I have decided to establish a regional CIRB panel with part-time appointees in British Columbia,” said Minister Ambrose. “This regional panel will allow stakeholders to present issues locally, improve the timeliness of decisions, as well as avoid time-zone discrepancies. I am very pleased to announce the appointment of these three individuals who will bring a broad spectrum of knowledge and significant expertise to the Board.”

Mr. Hope’s qualifications include 45 years as an arbitrator and mediator in several hundred labour, environmental and commercial disputes. In these situations, he served individually as a neutral third party or as a neutral chair of various boards or commissions. As a conciliation commissioner, he was given the mandate to investigate a dispute between the three railways that make up the bulk of the rail industry in Canada and its unions. He was also appointed as sole arbitrator in numerous collective agreements with B.C. Rail and Alcan, and he was appointed chair of a three-person commission charged with the task of making recommendations with respect to the compensation of provincial court judges.

Mr. Lineker and Ms. Oliver also have extensive knowledge and expertise dealing with labour relation issues.

Mr. Lineker has over 42 years experience as a human resources manager at the divisional and corporate levels in areas including industrial and employee relations, and wage, salary and benefits administration. Since 1997, he has occupied the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Forest Industrial Relations Ltd.

Ms. Oliver has over 25 years experience as a union leader on diverse labour relations issues with public policy and community organizations. Since 2002, she has occupied the position of President of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of British Columbia. Her experience with the organization includes leading provincial bargaining in the post-secondary education sector, as well as leading public advocacy on post-secondary education issues and collaborative efforts with the broader labour movement. She also represents members and locals in the grievance and arbitration process.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board is an independent, representational, quasi?judicial tribunal responsible for the interpretation and administration of Part I (Industrial Relations) and certain provisions of Part II (Occupational Health and Safety) of the Canada Labour Code. The Board’s mandate is to contribute to and promote effective industrial relations in any work, undertaking or business that falls within the authority of the Parliament of Canada.

For more information on the Board, please visit http://www.cirb-ccri.gc.ca/.