Manpower policy is aimed at preparing and providing the skilled labour necessary to maintain a stable economy. The major programs are in three areas: job creation programs such as Canada Works, Local Initiative Projects, Young Canada Works, etc.; job counseling and referral through local Manpower offices (CMC's and CEC's); and occupational skill training through the Adult Occupational Training Act (AOT). This act states that a client is to be prepared with "training ... that will, in the opinion of the manpower officer, ... increase his earning capacity or his opportunity for employment. The Act has since been modified to include female pronouns (his/her), but entry to a training program is still at the discretion of the manpower officer. In the case of admission to Apprenticeship programs the union also holds consider power to accept or reject a potential candidate, by providing or not providing employment.

Manpower policy is currently under revision so that all policies will conform to, and support, two major objectives: (a) to get the client into a job or improve his/her earning potential and (b) to maximize and stabilize the Canadian employment situation. There are two sides to objectives. One is related to improving and stabilizing the demand side, the need for skilled labour by the economy; the other is related to the supply side, the provision of skilled labourers. Immigration serves to control the supply side of this equation. One policy requires that persons currently resident in Canada must have the first opportunity to fill any job vacancy for which they are trained, ahead of non-residents.

Other policies establish quotas for training in certain occupational skill areas, including male-female quotas. These quotas are established on the basis of the number of trainees who can reasonably be expected to be hired. Other policies support the (eventual) elimination of any discriminatory practices in the labour market that are based on sex. These are practices in the areas of job descriptions, advertisement, and referral; but not necessarily in the area of hiring since this not considered to be the direct concern of the Commission.

Statistical background

The following pages include a summary of some recent data related to manpower programs, labour force activities and immigration. A comment follows each table and the source of the data is listed whenever possible. Some of this material is unpublished in that it is not available through regular government publications. Also some of the 1976 census data is still in preliminary form and available only in microfiche. In most cases, publication of this data is expected within the next year.

Data which distinguishes between male and female participants in manpower programs and between male and female immigrants are not available through regular publications. Both are available to those who persevere in their search. This appears to be part of the "non-sexist" policy of the CEIC. If they never mention women or men as separate categories then they can never be perceived as making distinctions between them.