Unemployed Older Workers Initiative

[The Invisible Man]

I just learned of a federal government initiative for unemployed older workers (55 to 64 years old).

The Targeted Initiative for Older Workers is a federal-provincial/territorial cost shared initiative.

Provinces and territories are responsible for the design and delivery of projects aimed at unemployed older workers in cities and towns that:

• have a population of 250,000 or less; and

• are experiencing ongoing high unemployment; and/or

• have a high reliance on a single industry affected by downsizing or closures.

To be eligible, participants must:

• be aged 55 to 64*;

• be unemployed;

• be legally entitled to work in Canada;

• require new or enhanced skills to successfully transition into new employment; and

• live in an eligible community.

*In some circumstances, unemployed workers aged 50 to 54 or 65 and over may also participate.

Does anyone know more about this program? What is the age requirement in this town?

Targeted Initiative for Older Workers

[TomW]

Good to hear! That particular demographic is largely overlooked. Is this about retraining or creating projects to provide employment?

[woodman]

“Here's a wacky thought: make available non-transferable licenses to grow pot only to those on OAS, CPP or both. It would bridge the gap created by scaled-back benefits and, happily, would even create youth employment (granted, not nearly enough to make a dent in the stats, but every bit helps), as some of the licensees would undoubtedly need various levels of assistance.

I won't go into the sociological or humanitarian benefits of this plan for two obvious reasons: I don't really know what those terms mean but they sound super and I'm sure it would apply grandly; and at some point, I must exercise some bit of brevity.

Accessibility by consumers should be limited to specialized outlets dealing in nothing but the recreational form and associated products. Thus, new business opportunities arise (as opposed to allowing the sale of pot through already-established businesses, such as convenience stores, which, in contrast, grows existing businesses; not an unwelcome idea, but it's like sneezing while picking your nose: in each case you rid yourself of mucous, but you can't do both at the same time.)

I am not willing to go so far as to say that such a model would work in extracting cannabis's medicinal potential, for example. Textiles, though? Well, greater minds than mine are discussing it in Cabinet, one can hope.

After all, if change weren't inevitable, the word couldn't exist.”

[The Invisible Man]

Your post made me chuckle woodman. Some of the old geezers on OAS or CPP would keel over at the thought of growing weed. I don't smoke it but I have no problem with it either. It's time to legalize weed. Your idea is not a bad one.

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