Co-sponsored by the Ottawa Talent Initiative and the Kanata Kareer Group, the meeting brought out five of the local candidates and more than 30 concerned residents.
"The issue of high tech is a big one with many components and we really want to get it into the open and onto the agenda," said Gary Davis, OTI executive director. "These politicians do seem to grasp that there is an issue here, at least related to the people side, because I tend to split it into two - the people side and the industry side."
The hour-and-a-half long session covered many critical high-tech concerns, including increased outsourcing to foreign countries, bureaucratic red tape during job searches and changes to employment insurance.
Although the industry has begun to experience some new growth and signs of revitalization, most audience members were primarily concerned with the creation of tech jobs and how the candidates planned to help those struggling to find work.
Marianne Wilkinson, OTI board chair, asked each politician what they will do to build tech jobs in the riding.
Liberal candidate Isabel Metcalfe said she stands by her party's record of strong economic growth and pointed to the success of OTI, which is partially funded by federal initiatives. The non-profit organization is also funded by the provincial and municipal governments and is dedicated to providing resources to help high tech workers in Ottawa return to sustainable employment.
"This is an excellent way to deal with the downturn and find ways to lift it up," she said.
Incumbent Conservative MP Gordon O'Connor described the high tech sector as the labour force of the future and said he wants to do something about the large numbers of tech workers who are underemployed.
When asked by local engineer Tom Wright about labour market studies, Mr. O'Connor said he supports such studies, but he also recommends increased organization within the entire tech industry.
"You have to look at what the steel workers and farmers have done," he said. "In the long term, if you want governments to address your needs, you need to organize and form an association for better visibility."
The New Democratic Party candidate, Tasha Bridgen, introduced herself as the spouse of a high tech worker and said she understood the "roller coaster" many people in the room had experienced. She also supports the idea of forming a trade union or guild.
"You need a common voice for the cause so you can fight for what you need," she said. "This is seen as a Kanata problem, but it needs to be addressed Canada-wide."
The candidates were also asked by another audience member to identify specific programs they would implement to help tech workers.
Ms. Bridgen said she supports making changes to employment insurance programs to allow for more skills training and time extension, as well as finding better solutions for those who are underemployed.
Jake Cole, the Green Party candidate, spoke about his party's fiscal reforms designed to produce "green dividends," which could then be used to fund job initiatives.
Mr. O'Connor said he believes representatives of the high tech industry need to get together with government officials to define what they need, while Ms. Metcalfe praised the work done by current organizations, such as ITAC and CATA Alliance. She also voiced her support of any efforts to increase the number of women in high tech fields.
When asked about what she would do to help local startups get off the ground, Tracy Parsons, the Progressive Canadian candidate and party leader, said government funding is a necessity.
"What we don't know frightens us and this industry grew so quickly, so it's hard for the government to understand what's still needed," she said.
"I'm not a fan of government intervention, but here government investment is necessary. We just need the experts in government to better understand the field."
After the meeting, Mr. Davis said he was glad the candidates were able to hear the constituents' concerns, which mirror many of those in the community. He also supports the idea of better organization and taking a more long term approach to tech issues. He describes the tech industry as unique in many ways, especially considering the fact that the specialization required by companies can quickly make intelligent and well- educated employees obsolete.
"We've got to get together as an industry, both the people running it and those working in it and address that," says Mr. Davis.
"I'm looking at that in addition to the fact there are still many people unemployed. But, we do have an excellent laboratory here, with about 1,700 companies, so maybe we can just create an Ottawa-based organization and it could be a pilot project for the rest of the country."
By Kristin Harold
kristin.harold@transcontinental.ca
