TRIESTE, Italy, July 2, 2024
/CNW/ - Education is fundamental to building a strong economy,
reducing poverty and creating an inclusive environment where
everyone has equal opportunities to succeed.
From June 27 to 29, 2024, G7 education ministers met in
Trieste, Italy, to discuss the
importance of quality, inclusive and equitable education systems
and lifelong learning opportunities. Acting on behalf of Minister
of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna Sudds,
Parliamentary Secretary Élisabeth Brière participated as co-chair
for Canada, together with
Manitoba's Minister of Education
and Early Childhood Learning, Nello
Altomare.
Parliamentary Secretary Brière reaffirmed Canada's commitment to research, innovation
and post-secondary education as critical to ensuring the success of
current and future generations in a changing society and labour
market. The 2024 federal budget allocated more than $4.6 billion to strengthen Canadian research and
innovation, including an additional $1.3
billion to keep post-secondary education affordable, and
$825 million over five years to
increase graduate-level research scholarships. This builds on the
combined total of $38.4 billion in
up-front grants and interest-free loans the federal government has
issued since 2016, which has supported an average of 638,000
post-secondary students each year.
The Parliamentary Secretary also noted the federal government's
continued support for the significant work and ongoing investments
of the provinces and territories to further improve the quality,
inclusiveness and equitability of their education systems, for
which they have responsibility. This has included building a
Canada-wide early learning and
child care system and a National School Food Program to help ensure
all children can get the best possible start in life.
Additionally, the Parliamentary Secretary noted that ensuring
people living in Canada are
equipped with the right skills necessary to succeed in the
workplace of the future is critical, especially as we move toward a
net-zero economy. This is why the Government of Canada continues to invest in job training
initiatives such as Skills for Success, helping individuals acquire
the skills needed for an evolving labour market.
Minister Altomare and Parliamentary Secretary Brière noted that
education has a direct impact on the realization of all human
rights and is a primary driver of progress across all 17
Sustainable Development Goals in the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
They also noted that ensuring inclusive and equitable quality
education is essential for economic and social prosperity across
the country and contributes to the well-being of Canadians in every
province and territory.
Quotes
"Education is the greatest gift we can give to our children. It
is the foundation that empowers kids at home and around the world
to reach their full potential. The investments we are making now,
will help build a better tomorrow, and for generations to come.
Together, we can keep taking action to ensure everyone has access
to high-quality, inclusive, and equitable education."
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna
Sudds
"It was an honour to represent Canada at the G7 ministers' meeting on
education. Having worked in a post-secondary institute, I have seen
first-hand the value education brings to young people's lives. It
empowers them to unlock their potential, broaden their horizons and
navigate the complexities of the world with confidence and clarity.
I look forward to ongoing collaboration with G7 partners to
continue improving the quality, inclusivity and equitability of our
education systems."
– Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and
Social Development, Élisabeth Brière
"I was honoured to represent Canada on behalf of the Council of Ministers
of Education, Canada, at the G7
ministers' meeting on education in Trieste, from June 27 to 29. In Canada, education is the responsibility of
provinces and territories, and I was pleased to participate in
discussions about the digitalization of education and mental health
and well-being, which are current key priorities in Canadian
education. As an educator and Minister of Education and Early
Childhood Learning for Manitoba, I
strongly believe that education is foundational in preparing
teachers and students for a complex, interconnected world."
– Council of Ministers of Education, Canada co-chair and Manitoba Minister of Education and Early
Childhood Learning, Nello
Altomare
Quick facts
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) has noted that in a rapidly changing workplace, the demand
for lifelong learning—in both formal education and job-related
training—continues to grow. Canada
has the second-highest post-secondary attainment rate in the OECD;
a testament to the priority its governments place on the value of
high-quality education.
- Budget 2024 announced the Government's intention to extend the
increase in full-time Canada Student Grants from $3,000 to $4,200
per year, and interest-free Canada Student Loans from $210 to $300 per
week.
- In 2023, the Government announced the permanent elimination of
interest on Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans under
the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program.
- Budget 2024 proposes to provide $90
million over two years for the Apprenticeship Service to
help first-year apprentices in construction and manufacturing Red
Seal trades connect with opportunities at small and medium-sized
employers.
- At the G7 Summit, leaders emphasized the importance of
innovative education, international talent mobility, digital
competencies and personalized lifelong learning to meet the demand
for a qualified workforce.
Associated links
- G7 Leaders' Statement | Prime Minister of Canada
- Budget 2024
- Toward $10-a-day: Early Learning
and Child Care
- Canada Student Financial Assistance Program
- Grants and funding for skilled trades and apprenticeship
- Job training initiatives
- Skills for Success
- Future Skills
- Canada and the Sustainable
Development Goals
- Canada's 2024 Annual Report on
the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada