This week is Staffing for Canada week, the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services announced. The week is aimed at acknowledging the more than 400,000 Canadians employed through the staffing profession.

ACSESS conveyed a message from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the industry:

“This event is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the staffing industry’s many contributions to Canada’s labor market,” Harper said. “Playing a leadership role, this industry provides its clients with valuable advice in the area of human resources, as well as offering them a skilled and diverse workforce to help them grow their businesses. In this way, staffing agencies provide employment to thousands of Canadians and help to make our economy more competitive and prosperous …”

The week first began in 1980 as “National Temporaries’ Week” in Edmonton.

ACSESS has more than 1,300 member offices across Canada, and its members represent 85% of the volume in the industry, according to the organization.