MEETING BETWEEN DAVE HANCOCK, ALBERTA MINISTER OF ADVANCED EDUCATION AND JEAN-MARC FOURNIER, QUÉBEC MINISTER OF EDUCATION, RECREATION AND SPORTS

Québec City, September 15, 2005 — In preparation for the meeting of the provincial and territorial ministers of education, labour and finance to be held in October at the request of the Council of the Federation, Dave Hancock, Alberta Minister of Advanced Education, met in Edmonton with Jean-Marc Fournier, Chair of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), and Québec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports. Their discussions provided the two ministers with an opportunity to review the issues and challenges facing their respective provinces in the areas of postsecondary education and training and to consider the agenda for the October meeting, which will deal with the funding of postsecondary education and training.

According to Mr. Hancock, “a society with a high level of participation in higher education is in a better position to compete on both a national and international scale. However, the benefits of higher education extend beyond positive economic outcomes. The benefits also have an effect on quality of life, public health, crime, the environment, parenting, and political and community participation.” These issues are of great concern to all the provincial and territorial ministers of education.

Following a previous meeting with the education ministers of the Atlantic provinces and Manitoba and today’s session with Mr. Hancock, Mr. Fournier observed that common problems, such as labour shortages in sensitive economic areas, were already emerging. Since the demand for high-tech competencies continues to grow in all sectors, the number of new graduates will have to follow suit.

One of the challenges facing Québec universities relates to training in high-tech sectors such as the synthesis of new materials. “The use of these new materials to design and manufacture cutting-edge products will strengthen the competitiveness of Québec’s manufacturing sector,” Mr. Fournier stated.

Mr. Hancock emphasized the importance of developing a strategic vision for postsecondary education: “The Alberta government is reviewing the province’s advanced education system. The review will ensure Alberta’s advanced education system has a strategic vision and supporting policy outcomes that set the direction for an accessible, affordable and quality learning community system. The province also wants to be innovative and flexible to balance the diverse needs of learners, the economy and society.”

The two ministers agreed that dialogue among the provinces, territories and federal government was the key to success in meeting the challenges facing postsecondary education. They also insisted on the importance of close collaboration with the federal government to enable it to reinvest in postsecondary education through the Canada Social Transfer, while at the same time respecting provincial jurisdictions.

Finally, it should be noted that at its meeting in Banff on August 12, the Council of the Federation also agreed to hold a Summit on Postsecondary Education and Training with a view to ensuring that Canada continues to be a competitive player in the global economy.

Sources:

Stéphane Gosselin
Press Attaché to the Minister
of Education, Recreation and Sports
Gouvernement du Québec
(418) 644-0664

Angela Balec
Alberta Advanced Education
Communications
(780) 422-5400