Absolutely every politician promises to create jobs, and a government’s track record on this front is constant fodder for question period, election campaigns and rousing public speeches. But today’s challenge is not just about reducing corporate tax rates and introducing hiring incentives, nor is it about curbing international outsourcing. It is much more complex. Millions of Canadian jobs are threatened by advancements in technology that will displace workers and will make the jobs that do exist less stable. On top of this, companies in the knowledge-based economy often require fewer workers, and they also need their employees to keep their skills up to date. Federal Employment Minister Patti Hajdu’s mandate letter says the government will strive to “address the changing way that people work, and work to increase the workforce participation of women and underrepresented groups.” How should Canada grapple with this major shift in the economy that could fuel deeper income inequality? Our contributors will look at this important policy issue from a number of different perspectives.
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