Chima Akuchie

Interview Response

Yes

Chima said that he had recently talked with members of Calgary Futures about how the city should be supporting careers. He thinks that most of the jobs that young people are able to access do not provide them with enough income to pay for anything. He believes that the city should invest in careers, not just jobs–”it is not just about spending, it’s about spending right.” He did not have a specific strategy for how he would seek to achieve this at this point.

Survey Response

Yes

I would expand apprenticeships and entry-level city jobs so young people can learn on the job, partner with private businesses and nonprofits for more pathways, and recruit fairly from equity-seeking groups while keeping hiring based on skills and merit. That way, we give youth experience, protect city roles, and prepare them for lasting careers without wasting taxpayer dollars.

Erin Averbukh

Interview Response

Yes

Erin has seen how difficult it is for young people to get jobs. Her kids applied for many jobs but did not receive call backs for them. She sees opportunity for younger people to take the jobs that pay lower wages and for people who have families to support to take the higher paying jobs. She feels that there are too many people in Calgary who do not make enough money and the gap between the well off and less fortunate is large. She believes that the City has many opportunities to help people have a better life.

As it relates positions with the City of Calgary, she knows that the City has recently hired new people. She does not think that it is reasonable to hire people for higher paying jobs while contracting out entry level positions. As such, she has been looking to see what salaries the new hires have been paid but has, thus far, been unable to find this information.

Devin Elkin

Interview Response

Yes

Devin noted that there is a lot to this question but, at its core, the City is lacking the basic understanding of why we are here [in Calgary], have kids here, and choose to live here. The City saves money by contracting out entry level positions. He does not feel that this is the right option. He said that Calgary city councilors need to stop saying that we need to do something about this issue and start doing something.

He did not feel that we are at the point at which we can create a specific strategy to address this issue. However, he believes that he has the connections needed to ensure that this is a priority. If elected, he plans to identify this as a need and to create a group that commonly identifies this as a need.

Landon Johnston

Interview Response

Yes

Landon seemed to be unconvinced that eliminating the contracting out of entry level positions was something that the City should do. He stated that, in Canada, we have rules about hiring and people cannot be discriminated against in the hiring process. If people are being discriminated against or cannot get hired on the basis that they are a member of a protected category, he said that he would be their loudest advocate. However, he believes that the City should hire based on merit and would suggest removing equity from their hiring mandate–people should not be hired for jobs that they do not have the skills for. The City is not a job bank and the government should not hire people just so they have a job, particularly one with a pension. Specifically, as it pertains to contracting out positions versus having individuals employed by the City, he would like the City to do whatever is less costly.

Instead, Landon would like to advocate for more programs for youth so they can get really good jobs. Namely, he thinks that it would be of value to “tap into” high schools and middle schools, providing students with a taste of various industries, including but not limited to, the trades, nursing, the army. The government could also set up programs that lower barriers to receive job training by, for example, making trade school free. He added that we need people back to work and will create a workforce when opportunity is there.

Sunjiv Raval

Survey Response

Yes

It can be internship or even volunteering for the youths or students to know what job looks like and know about it if they like pursue the job

Ryan Stutt

Interview Response

Yes

Ryan feels that, “The City shouldn’t be contracting out entry-level positions. It just shouldn’t.” He stated that this issue was likely more than he would be able to amend as an individual councillor. However, he was open to bringing the issue up to his fellow council members and “to have those uncomfortable conversations” that would be required to address this issue. He believes that, for this, and other problems concerning budget cutting for necessary services (such as the fire department), we can’t have the city we want if we don’t spend money on the things we need.