Page 23 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 123

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #123 April 2023 23

Stormont-Dundas-South Stormont-Dundas-South

On June 2 , Elect Glengarry MPP Glengarry MP
nd
Nolan Interview Interview

with
Quinn MPP Nolan Quinn with

MP Eric Duncan

Skilled Trades
NolanQuinn.ca 1-866-477-9477 More Spending, Higher Taxes

wanted to acknowledge the efforts of our government to promote and
I help prepare students for the skilled trades. Ontario is updating it’s and Missed Opportunities
curriculum in Computer Science and technological education to include
a more hands on approach. Students around the province will experience onservatives communicated clear expectations ahead of Budget 2023: the Liberals
new technology which will prepare them for the job market. In the Cmust reverse inflationary deficits, commit to no tax increases on Canadians, and
Photo Submitted workforce. There is a need for further training for students to gain these numbers to $43 billion, there is also no plan to balance the budget. Our national debt
end the war on work by letting workers bring home more powerful paycheques.
province there are thousands of vacancies in the computer information
Our expectations were completely ignored.
Not only has the federal deficit ballooned an extra $10 billion from last fall’s
competencies in computer science in order to fill these vacancies. The
updated Computer Studies curriculum will start with a new Grade 10
stands at $1.2 trillion and growing, equivalent to $88,000 per household in Canada.
course in September that will provide students with the opportunities to
This is not sustainable.
understand coding, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and allow them to
The contrast between the Conservative approach and that of the Liberal-NDP
build hands-on projects. coalition on how to address the issues facing Canadians could not be clearer.
Our government has also taken a good step in making technological The fine print of Budget 2023 highlights what we have known for years: the
education courses mandatory beginning in September 2024. These courses Liberals don’t have a revenue problem; they have a spending problem.
are being offered in hopes that more students will look to enter into the Tax revenues have skyrocketed because of record high inflation, yet the Liberals
skilled trades. These technological courses would cover a wide range of still want to triple their carbon tax and increase the taxes Canadians pay on beer and
sectors including construction, transportation, manufacturing, computers, wine to pay for their out-of-control spending.
technology, hospitality and communication. The curriculum, which was When it comes to the priorities of rural communities, like improving internet
last updated in 2009 will be revised to focus on advances in automation access, the Liberal-NDP coalition keep re-hashing the same broken promises. Just
in the agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors while new this week, the independent Auditor General slammed the government for continuing
make budget promises for better rural internet service, and then not following through.
courses will prepare students for careers as electricians and plumbers. By
taking these courses in Grades 9 or 10, it may inspire students to pursue Only 60% of rural and remote Canadian homes have access to high-speed internet,
including several significant gaps in Eastern Ontario.
a career in the trades. As we know there is a shortage in the skilled trades
Locally, I am disappointed but sadly not surprised, that Budget 2023 did not include
in the province and many jobs remain unfilled because of this. These a response to the request from community leaders on the serious strains that the IRCC
technological courses may incentivize more students to consider entering Processing Centre has caused in Cornwall over the last few months.
the skilled trades earlier. It has been 57 days since I called on the Liberals to present a plan and resources for
Another area where our government hopes to promote the skilled trades local services who were already overwhelmed by high caseloads and staff burnout.
is the launching of the Grade 11 program for skilled trade apprenticeship. The Liberals have yet to provide the resources requested to fix the chaos they
This program will allow students to enroll in the apprenticeship programs created in cities like Cornwall, Niagara Falls, and Windsor.
earlier and to transition to a full-time apprenticeships while still earning a Simply put: the serious concerns of local officials and community partners were not
high school diploma. This apprenticeship is similar to the German model addressed in any real way.
of apprenticeship allowing students to get in the workforce sooner. This is While the Liberals finally agreed to our Conservative demand to close Roxham
Road immediately, Budget 2023 will not fix our broken immigration system or clear
yet another program to promote the skilled trades in the province.
the millions of backlogged applications.
Skilled trades are vital in province to maintain our infrastructure and
thrive provincially. The technological education course, the updates in Canadians deserve better. Everything our government touches feels broken and is
in desperate need of fixing.
curriculum and Grade 11 skilled trade apprenticeships are all initiatives After eight years, Budget 2023 simply continues the same failed approach. This
that will better prepare students to gain these competencies. Our students plan will drive up the cost of living and increase taxes on Canadians who simply can’t
will greatly benefit from these programs by enabling them to enter into the afford it.
skilled trade workforce. These changes will help address the shortage of To nobody’s surprise, I join my Conservative colleagues and say: we cannot and
skilled trades people which will in turn will benefit the province. will not support this Budget.