This enactment designates the week beginning on the first Monday in October as “Promotion of Essential Skills Learning Week”.

Preamble

Whereas essential skills are necessary to function in society and in the labour market;

Whereas the results of international surveys conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development show that a significant portion of Canadians do not have the minimum essential skills to find a decent job;

Whereas the workforce’s level of essential skills has serious repercussions on the Canadian economy and on Canada’s international competitiveness;

Whereas there are significant regional and demographic disparities in the level of essential skills, including among vulnerable groups;

Whereas lifelong learning facilitates the acquisition of essential skills and improves job prospects;

Whereas lifelong learning is a necessary tool to ensure the continuous upgrading of the skills of the current and future workforce and to adapt to the rapid evolution of technology;

Whereas Canada has endorsed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, which includes goals regarding lifelong learning and decent work for all;

Whereas the Parliament of Canada wishes to support efforts to inform the public about the importance of essential skills and promote their lifelong learning;

Whereas a number of countries around the world have launched initiatives to promote essential skills and their lifelong learning;

Whereas labour market information is a shared jurisdiction in Canada;

And whereas the designation of a week to promote the learning of essential skills gives the Minister of Employment and Social Development and interested institutions and organizations an opportunity to highlight the importance of learning essential skills, including by organizing events for that purpose;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: