Charest hopes incentives will entice 'reserve workforce'

Is Quebec's new program to coax people off welfare an inspired act from our government or is it simply wasting more tax dollars on unmotivated slackers?

There are some interesting figures to contemplate as you consider the worthiness of the 'Employment Pact' presented by the Charest government last week. The province is to kick in about $548 million over three years as it tries to trim about 50,000 people from the reportedly 183,000 Quebecers currently on the dole. About 11 per cent of welfare recipients are under 25 years old.

The new program, which offers supplements to participants and tax credits for employers, will also be offered to those earning low wages, the physically handicapped and recent immigrants, segments of our society that need help getting the skills and training needed to land a decent job.

While those who are working and pay their share of our high taxes will cringe at the numbers mentioned, at least this program hopes to make some positive changes and improvements, such as skill training. One just has to wonder if tax payers will get a big bang for the big bucks the government is investing. One also wonders how come so many people, especially the 20,000 under 25, managed to fall through the cracks, or, from a cynical point of view, 'work' the system so they don't have to. Tax payers may also question how long some of these 183, 000 welfare cases have been on the dole and if they all actually deserve social assistance.

Most people probably prefer our government help people who, for legitimate reasons, can't support themselves financially. For those who are of able body and mind, it should be viewed as a temporary situation, not a life style. Better education and training should be long-term solutions.

With so many youth unable to find work, the government needs to look at several methods to tap into the 'reserve workforce' as it is expected Quebec will have 700,000 jobs to fill in four years when factors such as the baby boom generation retiring and the low birth rate in the province take hold.