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Notes for an address by
The Honourable Carol Skelton, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue and
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Women Building Futures Training Facility
Funding Announcement
Edmonton, Alberta
March 22, 2006
Corresponding Document: News Release (2006-03-22)
Check Against Delivery
Thank you and good morning
It’s a great honour to be here today as the Minister of Western Economic Diversification. And, it’s a special privilege for me personally to announce funding for the Women Building Futures training facility.
I have been looking forward to this occasion because I understand the barriers that women face in non-traditional fields. I felt quite moved when I was told that I was the first female Cabinet Minister for Saskatchewan.
I grew up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan and now I am the Minister of Western Economic Diversification. It’s an exciting opportunity and like you it is important that I enjoy my job too.
Most of us, at some point, have experienced the satisfaction and pride that comes from seeing our hard work translate into something beneficial to others – perhaps in our community or within our own family. Most often, we experience this type of satisfaction and pride through our careers and through the feeling of a job well done.
That is why it is important for me to be here today to announce that my department – Western Economic Diversification Canada – is investing $850,000. This will turn an existing warehouse into a teaching space to support the Women Building Futures training facility.
We are not just investing in a building, we are investing in you – the women of Alberta. Your vibrant economy has lots to offer and now it’s up to you to make the most of it.
I hope to meet some of you again when you are graduates of this program. I hope to hear about the skills you have developed and your new careers, and the ways in which you are making your communities – and your families – healthy and strong.
Our new Government is committed to creating opportunities by recognizing hard work and a job well done. This new training facility will create many such opportunities for women.
I am particularly proud of the fact that 50 per cent of the women who graduate from this program are Aboriginal. Greater Aboriginal participation in Western Canada’s economy is vital for the growth of Alberta and the West. We need all hands on deck.
More than ever, Alberta and Western Canada need skilled workers and tradespeople who can help drive the growth and prosperity of our economy. As our economy continues to expand and diversify, the demand for workers who can construct new bridges, pave new roads or put up new buildings continues to increase.
These are just a few examples of the type of work graduates of this program could be doing. Our new Government has put a lot of importance on assisting those going into the skilled trades. In fact, there are more than 50 different career opportunities in the trades.
The Women Building Futures program has certainly developed an excellent reputation among Alberta’s employers as a source of well-trained apprentices who can hit the ground running. But the training and skills provided to the students don’t just help the graduates find work and contribute to our economy. They also help women to better the quality of life for themselves and their families.
That’s why this project is so important. Because it will give women a chance to succeed – not only in their careers, but also in their lives.
The program would not be as successful if it weren’t for the commitment of the administrators, instructors, mentors, and of course, the students. It is because of their tireless efforts that the new training facilities will become a reality.
And it is because of the efforts that Women Building Futures will continue to provide Alberta with the next generation of tradeswomen.
Congratulations to everyone who has been involved with this project, and I wish you the best of luck as you move forward.
Thank you.