By The Canadian Press

More older workers expected to lose jobs to technology

Feb 6, 2017 | 8:51 AM

OTTAWA – A blunt warning this morning from the head of the government’s economic growth advisory council.

Dominic Barton told a universities conference that about 40 per cent of existing Canadian jobs will disappear over the next decade or so due to automation.

He says governments need to craft “new social contracts” with Canadians to avoid deepening income inequality over time.

Barton says the gulf between rich and poor could become wider as Canadians who aren’t on the leading edge of technological change are left behind.

Barton — the managing director of global consulting giant McKinsey * Co. — says that’s going to require governments to figure out what to do with older workers who are expected to lose their jobs to technology.

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“Canada should focus its energy and finances on a few key areas he says instead of trying to be great at everything.”

Barton says the market should decide what areas to invest in, citing agri-food as a good choice, given expectations that demand will increase by 50 per cent over the next two decades.

He also cautions that while Canada needs to diversify its trade partners, pointing to Japan, India and China, it must double-down on work with the Trump administration in Washington because of the impact that a rejigging of the North American Free Trade Agreement could have.

Looking to the United States and the rise of populist movements worldwide, Barton says Canadian governments need to be ambitious in their plans and goals to create “inclusive growth” a popular phrase that the Trudeau Liberals use.