Forum of Labour Market Ministers Welcomes Advisory Panel Report on Labour Market Information

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Jul 06 (MARKET WIRE) --
As Co-Chairs of the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM), the
Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills
Development, and the Honourable Donald Arseneault, Minister of
Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour for New Brunswick, thanked
the Advisory Panel on Labour Market Information for its report, Working
Together to Build a Better Labour Market Information System for Canada.

"I would like to thank the Panel for its comprehensive report," said
Minister Finley. "We all recognize that timely labour market information
is a key tool to support economic recovery and growth. Stronger
collaboration in this area will benefit all Canadians and supports the
goals set out in the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan-helping
Canadians prepare for, find and maintain jobs."

The Panel was appointed by the FLMM in July 2008 to provide
recommendations on how labour market information (LMI) can be used to
contribute to Canada's economic growth and efficiency and better respond
to the needs of employers, workers and learners. The FLMM is supportive
of the general direction of the report, and officials will be reviewing
the recommendations to assess next steps.

"As Co-Chair of the FLMM, I recognize the importance of taking a
co-operative approach to addressing the needs of our labour market. It is
important that we thoroughly consider the report and determine how we can
use this information to better address the needs of Canadians," said
Minister Arsenault.

The Panel was chaired by Mr. Don Drummond, Senior Vice-President and
Chief Economist for TD Financial Group, and included Ms. Elizabeth Beale,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic Provinces Economic
Council; Mr. Ken Kobly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alberta
Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Marjolaine Loiselle, President of the Commission
des partenaires du marche du travail; and Dr. Rick Miner, President,
Seneca College.

LMI refers to any data, information or analyses that can assist Canadians
in making informed decisions or plans related to learning and training,
job searches and career planning, recruitment and retention, public
policy development and programming, and workforce investment strategies.
Examples of LMI include information on employment, job vacancies and the
availability of workers by region, occupation, industry and firm; the
skills and education levels of workers and those required in the labour
market; demographic and occupational characteristics and projections; and
information on wages and compensation.

In developing its recommendations, the Panel consulted with more than 500
stakeholders across Canada.

The FLMM was created in 1983 as an intergovernmental forum established to
strengthen co-operation and strategic thinking on the labour market
priorities of the provinces, the territories and Canada.

BACKGROUNDER

Report by the Advisory Panel on Labour Market Information: Working
Together to Build a Better Labour Market Information System for Canada

In July 2008, the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) announced the
creation of the Advisory Panel on Labour Market Information.

Good labour market information (LMI) helps ensure that the right policy
and program decisions are made to help Canadians prepare for, find and
maintain employment, as well as improve the economy's performance.

While governments play the largest role in the production of LMI, it is
also generated by other entities such as sector councils, industry and
professional associations, and organized labour.

In submitting its final report to the FLMM, the Panel has fulfilled its
mandate.

Recommendations

The Panel's recommendations, summarized below, fall under seven key areas:

- Governance - Canada's LMI system is big and complex, with many
providers and many more users. The FLMM should assume a leadership role
and provide the broad strategic direction needed to manage and coordinate
Canada's overall LMI system.

- Data collection - Statistics Canada should fill in the main gaps in the
national LMI system and work with the provinces and territories to fill
the gaps that are more specific to their circumstances.

- Data analysis and interpretation - Governments should improve
LMI-related data analysis and interpretation to ensure that the
information is relevant, targeted to different users, and easy to
understand.

- Awareness - Once a better LMI system has been built, the FLMM,
Statistics Canada and federal, provincial and territorial governments
should work to ensure that Canadians are aware of the available LMI and
its uses.

- Data dissemination - The FLMM, Statistics Canada and federal,
provincial and territorial governments should improve the dissemination
of LMI by making it more easily accessible, timely and user-friendly.

- Funding - Federal, provincial and territorial governments should
contribute financially to the improvement of the LMI system, and
Statistics Canada should provide national labour market statistics free
of charge on its Web site.

- Implementation - The FLMM should produce a follow-up implementation
report in one year that will address the status of each recommendation.

For more information on the Panel or to view the Panel's final report,
visit www.lmi-imt.ca.

This news release and attached backgrounder
are available in alternative formats on request.

Contacts:
Office of Minister Finley
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
819-994-2482

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
National Media Relations Office
819-994-5559

New Brunswick Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
Marie-Josee Groulx
Director of Communications
506-444-3465

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

-0-