In this new background paper from Canada 2020, we take a look at the employment landscape facing Canadian youth.
The paper’s premise is built upon a simple and well-known fact: Canada’s future economic success will depend on the strength and quality of its human capital – and therefore its investment in young people.
What this paper is not built on, however, is this: that some “special’ status that should be afforded to young people on the premise of intergenerational goodwill.
Rather this report suggests that there are immediate and future economic costs tied to the unemployment and underutilization of young workers.
To gain a better perspective on whether Canada is leveraging its human capital investment efficiently and striving for efficient labour market conditions, especially when it comes to its young people, this report sheds light on recent developments on youth unemployment and underemployment trends.The report also looks at the potential that entrepreneurship holds for young people in today’s workforce, and
the type of support required to attract youth to the sector.
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Category: Research Papers
Public Service Renewal
Genuine renewal of the federal public service requires a new “moral contract” between the public service, ministers, and parliament in support of the values of a professional, non-partisan public service.
A new “moral contract” is required because the boundary between political and public service values has become blurred at the highest levels, a problem identified by the Gomery Commission, by the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons, by the political parties themselves, and by leading scholars. As recommended by numerous task forces, commissions and experts, a new “moral contract” should take the form of a Charter of Public Service, which both houses of parliament unanimously committed to establish, in 2005.
In this paper, Ralph Heintzman argues for the implementation of a Charter of Public Service, which will have at least four key pillars:
- the values and ethics of public service;
- strengthening the deputy minister’s role as accounting officer;
- reforming the process for the appointment of deputy ministers; and
- new rules for government communications.
The paper concludes with 29 specific policy recommendations. Download the paper in both French and English below.
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Skills and Higher Education in Canada
Canada’s performance in higher education and skills development has been fairly strong for many years. On key measures we are at or near the top of international rankings and our highly skilled people contribute to economic competitiveness, social innovation, and political and community well-being.
But there are troubling indications that Canada’s skills and education performance is deteriorating, that not enough is being done to address a range of economic and social problems, and that opportunities and benefits have been poorly distributed across regions and groups. In short, there are signs that we are not doing enough to achieve the high levels of skills excellence and equity we need. Action is needed to sustain and enhance the performance of higher education and skills development in Canada.
In this paper, Dan Munro explores two central needs to Canada’s skills problem: excellence, and equity.
Excellence means asking the question: is Canada producing graduates with the right skills to sustain and enhance the country’s economic competitiveness and social well-being?
And Equity means asking: Are some regions and groups being left behind?
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Report of Client Discussions on Social Assistance Reform
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The 2013 Ontario Budget contained some initial steps for reforming social assistance. The budget also notes that the government is committed to starting “discussions with recipients, municipalities, delivery partners and others to set priorities and work through the choices required for transformation”.
As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Community and Social Services wished to hear directly from both Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program clients. Clients have a unique and highly valuable perspective on what is and is not working in the system.
Over the summer and fall months of 2013, the Public Policy Forum conducted a series of half-day discussion sessions with clients, on behalf of the Ministry—particularly regarding employment. These sessions were held in 10 cities across the province. Clients were encouraged to draw on their personal experiences to identify and propose ways to reform the system. This paper summarizes the findings from those client discussions and, in the process, provides a unique perspective on social assistance and the pathway to employment.
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Employment-Focused Roundtables: Summary Report
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In October 2012, the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario published its final report, Brighter Prospects: Transforming Social Assistance in Ontario. Between January and May 2013, the Ministry of Community and Social Services held six roundtable meetings in Toronto with a group of some 30 stakeholders and clients from across the social assistance and disability communities to hear their perspectives on employment services and to discuss with them the options for reform. This report provides an overview of the process and a summary of key points and ideas discussed.
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Confronting the crisis in public health
Author: Aqsa Malik
Release Date: May 22, 2013
Pages: 26
This paper was prepared as background material for the Canada 2020 event ‘Confronting the crisis in public health’ on May 28, 2013 in Ottawa, Canada. It was written by Aqsa Malik, who is finishing her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia’s Brain Research Centre. The Foreword was written by Diana Carney, Canada 2020’s Vice President, Research, who was also the editor.
It is our conviction at Canada 2020 that there is and should be a role for the federal government in assuring the health of Canadians. While the provinces work on the mechanics of healthcare delivery, is there scope for the federal government to provide true leadership around public health issues, both to ease the financial burden on health systems and increase Canadians’ quality of life?
This paper joins other research and commentary written for our Securing the Health System for the Future policy stream, one of five areas of work that comprise the Canada We Want in 2020 project.
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Announcing the winner of Canada 2020 & uOttawa’s Student Prize Essay contest
In November 2012, Canada 2020’s leadership met with the faculty and staff of the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) with the goal of engaging their students in our marquee project The Canada We Want in 2020. We created a prize essay contest, with gracious financial support from the administration of GSPIA, where students were asked to write a short paper on a policy challenge facing the federal government, and what a progressive policy solution would look like.
This is the winning submission, entitled ‘Re-evaluating the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit and its Return-to-Work Incentives’
In her paper, second-year student Nicole Agbayani picks up on a number of different strands Canada 2020’s work – from reducing income disparities and polarization, to increasing productivity, as well as our more recent foray into skills training and development.
At present, those who are injured or disabled are at the tail end of an extreme income polarization in this country. What caught our attention, though, was her assertion that in order to remedy this, governments should construct policy not around disability – but rather, ability. It’s a simple idea, but one that – if enacted properly – would be transformative.
Download her paper here.
Canada 2020 would like to thank Nicole Agbayani for her hard work and thoughtful submission to the contest. We would also like to thank the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) for their support of this initiative. In particular, we would like to thank David Zussman, the School’s Director, and Miles Corak, Professor of Economics, for their support and promotion of the contest and our work. Lastly, we would like to thank all of the students who submitted work to the contest.
Questions and comments can be directed to [email protected].
Why would Canadians buy carbon pricing?
Author: Diana Carney
Release Date: April 10, 2013
Pages: 19
This paper provides background for our panel, How to sell carbon pricing to Canadians, that will take place in Ottawa on April 17, 2013. We decided to host this panel, and work in this area, because of our concern over the disintegration of constructive debate about carbon management at a national level in Canada. The current deadlock is not good for our country, our democracy or for our planet.
The purpose of the panel is to open a dialogue that is respectful of all positions, so that we can begin to take steps towards improving the long-term future for all. The paper here serves as a summary of background information on where we are, how we got here, and some options and factors that will influence decisions going forward.
A first step is to reignite enthusiasm for this topic through identifying a refreshed mode of discussion. We can then begin to define a constructive and positive course of action that is based on a common Canadian sense of purpose that enables us truly to lead in this area.
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What does a changing climate mean for Canadian agriculture?
Author: Sophie Oliver
Release Date: March 14, 2013
Pages: 17
Incremental warming and increased incidence of extreme weather events are likely here to stay. So, what does this mean for Canada and Canadian agriculture? Does Canada’s geography make it exempt from the more damaging effects of climate change? Will Canada in fact gain by being able to extend its agricultural lands further north as temperatures rise? Might Canadian agricultural producers be able to cash in on higher commodity prices as competitors’ crops suffer? And will agriculture then increase in importance within the Canadian economy?
This paper, authored by Canada 2020 Research Intern Sophie Oliver, looks at the present state of Canadian agriculture, current and future trends in the sector, and its level of preparedness for the challenges, the potential benefits and the uncertainties of climate change.
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