Create work and train us
Work was abundant when Fort Mcmurray, Bull Arm and Long Harbour were sites of short-term employment for local tradespersons. My area, Conception Bay North, was showing signs of life and substantiality as many young people commuted to worksites. Our dying rural communities began to show a little sign of rejuvenation as if it were struck with a defibrillator. New homes were constructed and money was been spent. Our communities began to discover a new life, a new excitement, which was previously destroyed in rural communities by the cod moratorium, July 2, 1992.
Unfortunately, for rural communities, this new life died before many young people could get financially established and afford independence from their parents’ homes. Some did purchase their own homes and began to play the adult role with mortgage payments. I now feel antsy for these
young unemployed tradespeople who have to endure financial difficulty through no fault of their own. Those tradespeople were extremely optimistic and felt that our government, with all our resources, would govern smartly and would have many megaprojects and even long-term employment in our area for qualified “local” workers, but now they are hit with reality: our government is not that smart. Our government awards contracts to mainland companies that then allow them to hire mainlander workers while we have the highest unemployment rate in Canada.
Earlier this year, I excitedly read our provincial government’s 15-page booklet Building for Our Future: highlights of its 2018 budget. Where my wife and I have four young adults in our family, I was overjoyed to read such encouraging words, especially the section entitled Skills Development that states “$13.1
million for employment and training programs.”
I found myself in the street singing kudos for our Liberal government. However, after recently seeing many of our provincial members accompanying the premier for photo-ops as he makes political promises and copious announcements regarding senior complexes, Voisey’s Bay and the latest deepwater Bay du Nord oil project , I find myself in a conundrum as the government continues with its shenanigans.
To top previous political announcements, our government, with federal financial support, made another “dreamer” campaign for the 2019 election. To quote Seamus O’regan, MP, St. John’s South–mount Pearl and minister of Veterans Affairs: “It’s not a big Canadian solution, it is Newfoundland and Labrador specific, and more important, it’s community and regionally specific. So, what jobs are in your
particular community, how can we be responsive to that, how can we get you to adapt to those jobs and to the marketplace?”
Wow! This is my Liberal government! Train us for the future so we do not have “out-of-province” workers here while we remain unemployed.
There will be $949 million over six years “to increase jobs and to provide skills training.”
Government members have accepted our votes to lead our people for a better tomorrow; now these temporary employees should accept the onerous task and provide work for its citizens and provide training for those who need to upgrade their skill set for employment. I have seen government members attend many socials this summer and have photo-ops with senior citizens and/or babies. As “Mrs. Brown’s Boys,” an Irish comedy, might say, “That’s nice,” but helping our young people gain
employment in our province will do better and it may keep our around-the-bay charm alive and help elders live in their own communities rather than in a seniors complex far from family and friends.
I am most fortunate that I trained to become employed in a full-time position, and after 38 years of work I retired with a pension.
To be young and wanting to prosper in our province is causing unneeded stress for our working generation and is leaving our rural communities with fewer young citizens. Let’s be optimistic and ask our government to create employment and allow young workers to gain skills to become employed.
Train us for the jobs and employ local, and watch our economy grow.