QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Interprovincial Labour Mobility
September 26, 2024
Senator Gold, last spring, I raised concerns about internal trade barriers, emphasizing the urgency of addressing challenges faced by businesses when buying, selling and investing across provincial borders. Today, I want to shift the focus to labour mobility barriers.
Could you provide us with an update on the discussions and measures taken to improve interprovincial labour mobility, especially in light of the commitment made in the Fall Economic Statement to work with provinces and territories on the full interprovincial mobility of construction and health care workers?
A year ago, federal, provincial and territorial governments agreed to improve labour mobility and foreign credential recognition for health professionals. Ontario made significant progress in this area earlier this year. Could you provide this chamber with an update? Thank you.
Thank you for the question and for underlining one of the great challenges within this country. We talk about Canada being a trading nation, but barriers between provinces for goods, services and labour very much remain unfinished business in our ongoing efforts as we build our country.
I understand that earlier this year, federal, provincial and territorial labour ministers met in Winnipeg to discuss a wide range of priorities concerning Canada’s labour market in general, and as part of the Forum of Labour Market Ministers meeting, ministers discussed the important role of labour mobility and credential recognition for people working across the country. This is a priority for the federal government even though the issues are largely in provincial hands, as colleagues would know.
Ministers noted that critical work is under way in all jurisdictions and agreed to strengthen collaboration.
Thank you for that answer.
All levels of government are committed to eliminating unnecessary red tape for labour mobility in all sectors of the economy. When can we expect the Red Seal Program to be expanded and improved?
As you know, the government committed to expanding the program in 2023 and eliminating the duplication of credential recognition to allow greater mobility, for example, of tradespeople.
Thank you for your question. My understanding is that work is well under way to address credential recognition for people working across the country; indeed, it is through the Red Seal Program.
