Vote for Ken Walker, voice of skilled labour

NEWS RELEASE

KEN WALKER CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE

********************** "Only the Conservative Party stands for apprentices and skilled labour," says Ken Walker

"We will stand up for skilled tradespeople and apprentices," says local Conservative candidate Ken Walker when asked to list the most important issue of the election campaign.

"This issue is critical to a thriving economy in Sault Ste. Marie and Northern Ontario. It is critical to retaining our young people in the north. Canada has nearly a quarter-million registered apprentices, yet the completion rate remains stagnant with only 17,000 workers completing their apprenticeship each year. The current shortage of skilled labour is expected to rise from 20,000 unfilled positions to 50,000 by the year 2010. In Ontario alone, over 26% of skilled labour will reach retirement age in the next ten years."

"Who will replace these skilled workers when they retire? In 2003, almost half of the members of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business members reported that a shortage of qualified labour was the most important issue they faced. This problem is only getting worse for families, young people and small businesses in the North."

"A Conservative government will introduce an Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit as an incentive to local businesses to hire new apprentices," Walker continued. "We will offer local businesses a tax credit which will reduce their tax payable by 10% of the wages paid to apprentices in their first two years of the their contract. We will also offer local tradespeople and apprentices a tool tax deduction, and new apprentices an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant of $1,000 for each of the first two years of their apprenticeship."

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