CANADA AND SASKATCHEWAN SIGN LABOUR MARKET DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

Released on February 6, 1998

The Honourable Ralph E. Goodale, Minister of Natural Resources and

M.P. (Wascana), on behalf of the Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew,

Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, and the Honourable

Joanne Crofford, Minister of Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education and

Skills Training, today signed the Canada-Saskatchewan Agreement on

Labour Market Development. The agreement takes effect April 1, 1998.



This significant agreement gives Saskatchewan responsibility to design

and deliver employment programs and services funded through the

Employment Insurance Account. The new arrangements complement the

Saskatchewan Training Strategy, announced by the Government of

Saskatchewan in April 1997.



"I'm encouraged by what this agreement means for the people of

Saskatchewan," said Minister Goodale. "This agreement is about

helping people help themselves, by providing assistance to the

unemployed so they can make the right choices in order to get back

into the workforce. These are real people who want to work but who

may need some help to find jobs in our changing economy. In signing

this agreement, the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are showing

their commitment to labour market development in Saskatchewan."



"This will enable Saskatchewan people to access single window career

and employment services," said Minister Crofford. "The agreement

builds on the vision of our Saskatchewan Training Strategy: Bridges to

Employment to ensure Saskatchewan residents have access to

flexible, relevant, quality training that suits their needs and

the needs of the labour market. New and innovative partnerships

like this one, enhance the ability of people to take their place

in the work world and contribute to the economic and social

development of the province."



Saskatchewan residents who are now collecting Employment

Insurance benefits or who have received them at any time in the

past three years will be eligible for provincial programs funded

under this agreement. Parents who are re-entering the labour

force and who collected maternity or paternity benefits during

the last five years will also be eligible.



Today's announcement acts on commitments made by the Government

of Canada in the 1996 Speech from the Throne and in the May 1996

Labour Market Development Proposal made to the provinces and

territories to seek new partnerships in labour market

development.



From 1998-99 to 2001-2002 more than $149 million dollars will be

allocated from the Employment Insurance (EI) Account to support

provincial programs to help unemployed people get back to work.

Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training will

provide client needs assessment, employment counselling, and job

placement services to Employment Insurance clients in communities

throughout the province.



The Government of Canada, through Human Resources Development

Canada (HRDC), will continue to be responsible for the Employment

Insurance Account and Legislation. This includes providing

income support, and labour market services that are national in

scope, such as national labour market information.



"The training strategy identified opportunities to eliminate

duplication and overlap of programs and services," said Crofford.

"The Labour Market Agreement complements efforts outlined in the

Saskatchewan Training Strategy. Together they will coordinate

access to provincial employment programs for all clients."



"This agreement establishes a strong foundation for a continuing

partnership to help the unemployed in Saskatchewan," said

Minister Pettigrew. "This cooperative approach enables the

Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan to improve their capacity

to respond to the labour market needs of the province. It gives

Saskatchewan the tools to develop labour market initiatives

specifically suited to local needs."



As part of the agreement, up to 114 Human Resources Development

Canada full-time equivalents fully funded by the Government of

Canada will be transferred to the Government of Saskatchewan.

There will be no interruption of service to the public during the

transition process. HRDC will continue to provide labour market

programming to EI clients until new arrangements are in place.



A joint Management Committee has been created to oversee the

implementation of the agreement.



The Government of Canada has now signed ten labour market

agreements with provinces and territories.





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For more information:



Additional information is available through the Internet at:

http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca and at http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/P/



Government of Canada

Anna Kapiniari

Human Resources Development

Canada

Minister Pettigrew's Office

Phone: (819)953-2353



Mary Lou Deck

LMDA Coordinator

HRDC Saskatchewan Region

Phone: (306)780-7878

Chris Jones-Bonk

Advance Education, Employment and Immigration

Regina

Phone: 306-798-3106