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Question:
Over the next 10 years, the government of Canada plans to invest
186 billion in infrastructure construction. If Canada's going to get
this infrastructure built, it will require paying attention to work force
development and tapping into underrepresented groups like
women. The Federal Government has consistently demonstrated
that workforce development is a priority through UTIP, providing
funding to open three provincial Offices to Advance Women
Apprentices in partnership with the CBTU, apprenticeship incentive
grants and in many other ways. Will the skilled trades continue to
be a central focus of activity around workforce development for
your government?

Minister Hajdu:
Yeah, absolutely. And you know, your question is really... it really
underpins sort of a challenge in our infrastructure commitments.
You're right, $186 billion over the next 10 years and we have a
platform coming out. I would anticipate that we will be talking about
new infrastructure challenges. For example, when you look at the
effects of climate change, obviously many of our cities and
In terms of my career path, I remember as a young person always provinces have aging infrastructure that are being heavily hit by
wanting to be part of the solution, to help other people. And the effects of climate change. And we'll need renewal or innovation
there's certainly, it certainly is reflected in almost every job I've to actually keep up with changing temperatures, with increased
had. And then I think for me, when I really put together the fact demand in terms of water flow, etc. So skilled trades is going to
that not only is this good from a moral perspective, but this is really continue to be a central focus of activity for our government, and
good from a financial perspective, from an economic perspective, certainly it should be for any government that is elected because
that's when politics really came into sort of clear focus for me. in fact we have a sort of a double whammy happening here.

And so for me, when I finally connected that there's a really good We have an aging population and we have a decline in people
fiscal, really good economic argument to invest in people and to pursuing the skilled trade and there is way more to be done. We
try and make sure that people have a fair chance and to try and have to actually accelerate the work we're doing, not slow down
keep people in as healthy and positive space as possible, that's the work we're doing, to attract new people to the trades to ensure
when I realized, Oh, politics is the path for me, because that's that the trades are promoted as great quality, good-paying jobs
with decent pensions, that protect your safety in the workplace.
where for me I thought I can make the most difference the most
quickly. Because, if you believe in those kinds of things, then you
get to work on things if you're elected like housing and like
education and like social services that support people and like
supporting unions so that there is fairness and safety in the
workplace and all of those kinds of things unfold through politics.
And politics really, really matters if we're going to talk about
fairness. So for me, I think this has always just been kind of part
of my DNA combined with the fact that I saw in my own personal
life just what a difference it made when people were kind to me,
and it's kind of guided the decisions I've made.
If someone is successful at work, well, it must be because they
worked incredibly hard to get to where they are. And if someone
has not the same kind of success, it must be because they didn't
try hard enough. And we know actual science teaches us that
that's not true. You know, that where you're born and your birth
location accounts for a far greater percentage of your outcome
then the choices you make in life.

We want people to be reaching their full potential because it's
safer, healthier, and ultimately, they end up becoming a revenue
generator for the country. They're contributing to their
communities, they're contributing to their country. That's how
we're going to get ahead as a country, when people have an
opportunity to be their very best version of themselves.

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