Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population Mandate Letter

Honourable Jenn Redmond

Minister of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population
5th Floor Shaw North
PO Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8

Dear Minister Redmond,

I am pleased to have you serve as the Minister of Workforce, Advance Learning and Population. 

On April 3, 2023, we were given a mandate by Islanders to continue to work towards building a brighter, bolder, and better future for our province.  We made a commitment to work with Islanders, and for Islanders – and that motto should be the basis of how you conduct yourself in your actions as Minister.  We must engage Islanders, have real conversations, and put the interest of Islanders at the heart of every decision we make as a government.

Over the last four years we have proven to Islanders that we can navigate many challenges.  We must continue to show courage, strength and above all else, leadership when it comes to the challenges we are faced with.   Change is sometimes difficult, but with your proven ability to stand up and meet challenges head-on, I’m confident that you will make the best decisions to move our province forward.  

Our government has always led with positivity and has served with humility and kindness.  I expect this to continue in our second mandate.   We have shifted the political landscape in PEI to be more collaborative in nature.  I have always said, it doesn’t matter where good ideas come from – if it’s a good idea, and it improves the lives of Islanders – we should consider it.   I want you to have regular communication with your legislative colleagues on all sides of the Legislature to provide opportunities for input and feedback.

As Minister, you and your leadership team will play a critical role in contributing to the commitments we have made to Islanders.  You are responsible for the conduct of the department you oversee and must be aware and adhere to the values of the public service in your interactions with the Islanders and the public service.  Most importantly, you have Cabinet Colleagues that serve alongside of you; whenever and wherever possible, you should work collaboratively with them to break down silos and reduce barriers to accessing services by working together across Departments.  

As Minister of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population, you will:

• Grow the workforce to 90,000 jobs by 2026;
• Working with the Minister of Health and Wellness and post-secondary institutions, create local training opportunities for healthcare related programs in communities across the province, including launching the ‘Earn and Learn Program’ to upskill RCWs to LPNs, and LPNs to RNs without having to leave the workforce and providing free tuition for Islanders studying on PEI in the fields of RCW, LPN, ACP and PCP if they commit to 2 years return in service;
• Working with the Minister of Health and Wellness, plan and execute international skilled-labour recruitment missions, to help grow our health human resource team;  
• Working with the Minister of Justice and Public Safety, invest in an expansion of the Atlantic Police Academy in Summerside to assist with expanding provincial policing resources. This should include an expansion of specialized training in mental health, addictions, and working with marginalized communities;
• Increase the George Coles Bursary to $3,500 per year for post-secondary students and expand the program to students studying off Island in programs not offered in PEI and to students in health care training programs;
• Working with the UPEI Student Union, continue to fund open source educational resources to reduce the cost of education for post-secondary students;
• Create a Portable Health Benefits Program to provide health, dental, and medication insurance for workers who may not be employed full-time, year-round, or those facing barriers to insurance coverage like seasonal workers, contract employees, and gig economy workers;
• Work with the federal government to find expedited routes for international skilled workers to join our province’s workforce either on a temporary basis or permanently;
• Establish a $10 Million Dollar Upskilling and Re-Skilling Fund to work with employers to create unique opportunities to get more people into the workforce through mentorship and training opportunities by working with sector champions;
• Establish the necessary regulations to proclaim the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act and add a Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Officer position to ensure temporary foreign workers are treated with respect and fairness;
• Working with the Construction Association of PEI, expand programming to provide more pathways for Islanders to enter the construction workforce and make investments to support international recruitment efforts to support the industry in accessing foreign talent to help with creating more housing units across the province;
• Provide internship opportunities for post-secondary students to work with sector and industry groups to get practical work experience with multiple companies or organizations in the same field;
• Fund sector and industry groups to develop online training platforms for professional development, upskilling, and to allow for quicker onboarding of new graduates and employees into critical roles;
• Support immigration and assist newcomers in becoming active members of our community;
• Provide a four-year core funding agreement for the Black Cultural Society of PEI and BIPOC USHR to renew their strategic plans and to ensure they can continue to address structural and systemic racism in PEI; and
• Ensure that recommendations from the Rubin Thomlinson Report are addressed at the University of Prince Edward Island and implement any measures within the authority of the provincial government to ensure compliance and prevent such events from happening at post-secondary institutions.  

While you accomplish your work, I ask that you assess the impacts of each policy decision by using evidence-based tools and frameworks to ensure we always consider the impacts on climate, gender, diversity, and vulnerable individuals before implementing a decision.  

As we progress through our mandate, we will work together to identify further refinement and priorities of focus.  We must be nimble as a government and be able to adapt to the realities of what Islanders are facing each and every day.   To do this, I ask that you have regular outreach with key stakeholders connected to your department and the work that your department does.  Along with the leadership in your department, I ask that you regularly communicate with stakeholders and community organizations.  

I look forward to working with you to improve the lives of all Islanders.

Sincerely,

Hon. Dennis King
Premier of Prince Edward Island
CC.     Natalie Mitton, Deputy Minister – Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population