Fleetwood-Port Kells MP Nina Grewal has announced a $415,000 investment by the Government of Canada to help Surrey youth gain the skills they need to be competitive in the Canadian job market. The money will assist the Pathfinder Youth Centre Society conduct workshops and training to assist local young people acquire the skills needed to succeed in their job searches.
“This significant investment by the Government of Canada will enable Surrey youth facing employment barriers acquire the skills necessary to ease their transition to work or to return to school,” said MP Grewal. “Today’s youth are tomorrow’s workforce and by investing in them we are solidifying Canada’s long-term growth and prosperity, which has always been our government’s top priority. That is why we created the youth employment strategy, because it enables youth to develop the skills they need today to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.”
“Canada’s youth face many challenges as they look to enter the labour market. We need to therefore do everything we can to ensure that they have got the opportunity to learn the necessary skills and work ethic that comes with being an effective member of the workforce. It is important for their future and for the future of Canada and it is part of an all-hands-on-deck approach of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.”
Funding is provided under Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES), a $300 million annual program that helps youth facing barriers to employment obtain career information and develop employment skills so they can be competitive in Canada’s workforce. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs Initiative which create thousands of opportunities for students every summer.
The Economic Action Plan 2012 proposes an additional $50 million over two years to enhance YES so that more young people obtain tangible skills and experience. This funding will focus on connecting young Canadians with jobs that are in high demand.
Nina Grewal (photo) entered Politics in 2004 as a Conservative Party candidate for the riding of Fleetwood-Port Kells. Her intial foray into politics was a successful one, as she won her seat and then won re-election in 2006, 2008, and 2011.
Born in Japan, Mrs. Grewal received her formal education in India at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Simla, and earned a Bachelors degree in History and English Literature from
Punjab University, Patiala.
After marriage, Mrs. Grewal moved to Liberia where she was a partner in her family’s business. The outbreak of violent civil war abruptly ended her stay in Liberia. Witnessing the atrocities of war, however, left Grewal with a deep appreciation for freedom, democracy, and good government.
In Canada, Mrs. Grewal raised her young family and worked as a sales manager for a company selling Registered Education Savings Plans.
From the day Grewal first arrived in Canada, she has sought to improve Canadian society through community service, volunteer work, and political activism. She was an active member of the Reform Party and Canadian Alliance, serving in a variety of local party positions and participating in numerous local and national conferences and conventions.
Mrs. Grewal and her husband, Gurmant, made history in 2004 when they became the first married couple to concurrently sit as members of Parliament in the House of Commons. Mrs. Grewal also became the first South Asian woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons.
As the member of Parliament for Fleetwood-Port Kells, Grewal serves on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Sub-Committee on International Human Rights. She is a past member of the Immigration, Canadian Heritage, and Status of Women committees.
Mrs. Grewal has acquired a reputation for hard work. During her first-term in office Mrs. Grewal introduced and had debated in the House of Commons a Private Member’s Motion seeking to raise the age of protection. Although defeated by the then Liberal government, the Conservative government has embraced her idea and implemented it into law.
Mrs. Grewal has also proposed legislation seeking to tackle identity theft (Bill C-271), to amend the State Immunity Act (Bill C-346) - both bills now incorporated into government bills - to further limit access to child pornography (Bill C-347), and to limit the loudness of television commercials (Bill C-621).
Mrs. Grewal is an active participant in parliamentary debates, inter-parliamentary associations, and community activities, and she strives to raise the issues and concerns of her constituents on the floor of the House of Commons.
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