A mining industry watchdog says it’s disappointed a federal program is getting the axe.
The Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program had a lot of value, according to MiningWatch Canada.
Spokesman Ramsey Hart says the program helped Aboriginal workers access industries, such as the mining sector, more easily.
Under the program, the federal government covered 50% of the cost of training Aboriginal workers.
Hart also says it allowed communities to tailor the program to their residents:
“The important thing about this program was that it allowed communities and partnering organizations and industries to develop programs that were specifically-suited to the needs of their communities.”
He notes there are a few other similar programs still out there, but they don’t offer the same value to Aboriginal communities:
“It really allowed them to build a program from the ground up — and allowed them to develop programs that were culturally-appropriate and created a supportive environment to make sure that people got the training that they needed to get access to the jobs.”
Hart worries that once ASEP is gone, Aboriginal workers won’t even be in the running for certain positions when jobs come to their area.