Labour Ministers from across Canada attended a major annual meeting in Prince George on Friday.
BC Labour Minister and local MLA Shirley Bond says they covered lots of ground.
“The discussion today was very meaningful, and was about the changing face of the workplace we have in Canada, it’s how we grapple in terms of safety but also well being. We had a significant about the issue of mental health in the workplace.”
She says they PTSD support for first responders was covered in that mental health discussion.
Bond says it’s important the country look at workplace mental health broadly across the country. She also noted that it’s important for government to work to reduce the stigma around mental health treatment.
Stats Canada released new unemployment numbers today, and with with many resource sectors bleeding jobs in the west, Federal Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk fell back on her previous career as a geologist in the mining industry.
“I understand how these cycles impact communities drastically. The good part is that the west has gone through it before and is tough and resourceful” she said going onto say that the Federal Government has supported the hardest hit areas like Northeast and west BC by loosening EI rules.
Bond says diversification is key.
“It’s because we’ve invested our time and effort when looking at things like the creative sector, like technology – looking at tourism and making sure that when we have those cyclical downturns in the resource commodities that there is somethings else to help that economy.”
Bond added that it’s important that the every province has a strong economy, and that provincial governments look to meetings like this one to swap ideas and best practice to make that possible.
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