Liberal MPs warn Canada’s fast‑track projects strain skilled labour pool
Parliamentary secretaries Leslie Church and Karim Bardeesy say the government’s accelerated agenda is outpacing the country’s ability to train and match workers with jobs.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Two Liberal parliamentary secretaries said on Oct. 14 that Canada’s plan to fast‑track major infrastructure and industry projects is intensifying pressure on an already tight skilled‑labour market.
What happened
During a panel discussion at a conference on Oct. 14, Leslie Church, parliamentary secretary to the minister of jobs, warned that the federal push to develop “key nation‑building projects” is making long‑standing weaknesses in the labour force more visible. She highlighted a mismatch between workers seeking employment and industries struggling to fill positions, citing skill gaps, training barriers and other challenges. Karim Bardeesy, parliamentary secretary to the industry minister, added that Canadian firms have historically invested less in employee training than peers in other OECD nations and that employers are also dealing with deficits in workers’ soft‑skill abilities, which he linked to lingering pandemic effects.
What the reports add
CityNews reported that Church said the government is investing in apprenticeships and training incentives to speed up workforce development, while also urging schools and employers to coordinate training with labour needs. The Winnipeg Free Press echoed Church’s comments but did not include the apprenticeship detail. Both outlets quoted Bardeesy on the comparative lack of training investment and the soft‑skill gap, but only CityNews mentioned his reference to the pandemic’s lingering impact.
What was said
"The federal government’s push to develop key nation‑building projects is making long‑standing weaknesses in Canada’s labour force harder to ignore," Church told the panel, as reported by CityNews.
"Employers are also grappling with gaps in the soft skills of workers, which I call a lingering effect of the pandemic," Bardeesy said, according to both CityNews and the Winnipeg Free Press.
How it came about
Earlier this month, Felo News covered rising diesel costs and their impact on grocery prices (diesel‑price‑food‑inflation‑canada) and noted a modest expected gain in September jobs data (statistics‑canada‑september‑jobs‑report). Those pieces highlighted broader economic pressures that intersect with the current labour‑skill concerns raised by Church and Bardeesy.
Key facts
- Leslie Church said the fast‑track project agenda is exposing labour‑force weaknesses. (toronto.citynews.ca)
- Karim Bardeesy said Canadian firms invest less in training than other OECD countries. (toronto.citynews.ca)
- Both MPs spoke at a panel discussion on Oct. 14. (toronto.citynews.ca)
