Second Career Changes

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says a change in the eligibility criteria to access the provincial retraining program Second Career will prohibit many from participating.

Hampton says the change announced in November would drastically reduce the 130 people now take part in the program through Northern Community Development Services.

"Under the more restrictive criteria introduced on November 20, only 12 of those 130 individuals would qualify for job retraining and skills development," says Hampton, "nearly 120 out of 130 laid-off workers abandoned by the McGuinty Liberals."

Universities and Colleges Minister John Milloy says the new criteria is focused on those who would benefit from it the most and estimates an additional 8,000 laid-off workers across the province will have gain access to the program.