According to Stats Can, the unemployment rate in December 2016 was 6.9%. According to most economists, full employment (when effectively all job searchers can find a job quickly) occurs at about 3%. At 2% therefore, Canada would have a labour shortage, causing wages to rise. An unemployment rate of about 2% is what we as a country should be aiming for. Until we have reached that target, the government should not be doing anything tending to increase the size of the work force. 

As far as "can't find the skills they need", that's usually a matter of "we're not willing to pay enough to attract the skills we need", often coupled with "we want somebody with enough experience that he can get up to full speed the first day on the job". Those problems can be solved with a willingness to hire qualified rookies and train them, together with a realistic pay scale.