Human Resources Development Canada

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Human Resources Development Canada
Department overview
Formed1993
Preceding Department
Dissolved2003
Superseding agencies
TypeDepartment responsible for
  • Employment
  • Skills Training
  • Workplace Equality
  • Social Security
JurisdictionCanada

Human Resources Development Canada (French: Développement des ressources humaines Canada, HRDC) was a department of the Government of Canada with the responsibility over a wide portfolio of social services.

HRDC was based at a government office facility at Place du Portage IV in Gatineau (formerly downtown Hull, Quebec).

History[edit]

HRDC was created in 1993 by Prime Minister Kim Campbell's government in an attempt to decrease the size of the federal cabinet by grouping several departments with similar responsibilities. In the case of HRDC, the former Department of Employment and Immigration formed its nucleus.

HRDC's creation was probably the most enduring decision taken by Campbell's short-lived administration. The new department, however was poorly focused and had a wide range of institutional cultures from the merged bureaucracies; it also had one of the larger departmental budgets and a variety of responsibilities ranging from the unemployment insurance program to the issuance of social insurance numbers and job training and counselling.

Although HRDC was operationally functional since 1993, the Department of Human Resources Development Act was not adopted until 29 May 1996 [1] and officially entered into force on 12 July 1996 when it received Royal Assent and was published in the Canada Gazette.[2]

Department of Employment and Immigration[edit]

The Department of Employment and Immigration, in operation from 1977 to 1996, was the department that preceded HRDC and succeeded the Department of Manpower and Immigration.

The department was abolished on 12 July 1996. The role previously held by the Minister of Employment and Immigration in regard to labour was taken on by the Minister of Human Resources Development, while the portfolio for immigration was transferred to the office of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration following the reorganization of the government and formation of the department for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.[3][4][5]

Dissolution (2003)[edit]

HRDC was dissolved in a December 2003 government reorganization which saw two departments, the Department of Social Development and the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development created in its place. The two departments were re-amalgamated on February 6, 2006, though now named Employment and Social Development Canada.

Ministers[edit]

The Minister of Human Resources Development was the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet responsible for overseeing HRDC. Prior to 1996, the post was known as Minister of Employment and Immigration. In 2003, the portfolio was divided to create the posts of Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister of Social Development.

Ministers of Human Resources Development
No. Name Term of office Ministry
1. Doug Young July 12, 1996 October 3, 1996 under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
2. Pierre Pettigrew October 4, 1996 August 2, 1999
3. Jane Stewart August 3, 1999 December 11, 2003

Minister of Employment and Immigration[edit]

Minister of Employment and Immigration
Member ofCabinet of Canada
Constituting instrumentStatute 25-26 Elizabeth II, c. 54
Formation15 August 1977
First holderBud Cullen
Final holderDouglas Young
Abolished12 July 1996

The Minister of Employment and Immigration was an office in the Cabinet of Canada, in operation from 1977 to 1996, and was first held by Bud Cullen, who continued from his preceding role as the Minister of Manpower and Immigration.

On 12 July 1996, the office of the Minister of Employment and Immigration was abolished and replaced with the office of Minister of Human Resources Development. The portfolio for immigration was transferred to the office of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration following the reorganization of the government and formation of the department for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.[3][4][5]

Ministers of Employment and Immigration
No. Name Term of office Political party Ministry
1 Bud Cullen August 15, 1977 June 3, 1979 Liberal 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
2 Ron Atkey June 4, 1979 March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
3 Lloyd Axworthy March 3, 1980 August 11, 1983 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
4 John Roberts August 12, 1983 June 29, 1984
June 30, 1984 September 16, 1984 23 (Turner)
5 Flora MacDonald September 17, 1984 June 29, 1986 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
6 Benoît Bouchard June 30, 1986 March 30, 1988
7 Barbara McDougall March 31, 1988 April 20, 1991
8 Bernard Valcourt April 21, 1991 June 24, 1993
June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 25 (Campbell)
Lloyd Axworthy (second time) November 4, 1993 January 24, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
9 Douglas Young January 25, 1996 July 11, 1996
Key:

Controversies[edit]

In the late 1990s, HRDC gained public headlines across Canada following numerous poorly thought procurements, notably dozens of server computers using the Unix operating system, this despite the fact that the purchase far exceeded the department's computing requirements. Other problems relating to several incompatible email systems made HRDC a scapegoat for attacks on the government by opposition parties.

In 2000, HRDC's poor accounting practices were made infamous by the Canadian Alliance when it was claimed that approximately $1 billion (CAD) in employment grants could not be accounted for. Peter Donolo later claimed that this scandal was "phony" and the true amount unaccounted for was $85,000.

References[edit]

See also[edit]