Unit 4
The Public Role in Training

Overview

This unit provides an overview of the public role in training in Canada during the 20th century. It follows the development of government intervention in the labour market and training from the time of the Agricultural Instruction Act of 1912 to the recent implementation of the Labour Market Development Agreements between the federal and provincial/territorial governments. The shift in the emphasis from passive to active labour market policies is examined in the context of a worldwide change based on the work of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Once again, the concepts of conflict and convergence between the goals and expectations of the various participants in the labour market have played a large role in determining the public policy approaches to training throughout the 20th century.

Unit Objectives

After completing this unit, you should be able to

1. identify the major public policy and programming shifts that have taken place in Canada during the 20th century.
2. describe how the division of governmental responsibilities in the Canadian political system affects public training policy in Canada.
3. describe the basic elements of the training system that currently exists in Canada.