Youth Issues
For Canadian youth, the future isn’t what it used to be
“Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it, and by the same token save it from that ruin which except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable. And education, too, is where we decide whether […]
Gainful youth employment, a job we can’t afford to fail at
Until now, every generation has had better opportunities than the previous one, and a belief that they would be better off than their parents. For the first time, there is a growing sense and evidence that this is about to change. High unemployment coupled with growing underemployment means today’s youth are taking longer to […]
Youth unemployment: more than just a number
As the youth critic for the official opposition NDP, I have risen repeatedly in the House of Commons over the last several months to point out the high youth unemployment rate. Hovering near 14 per cent, it is double the national average. Instead of taking action, the Conservative government’s response is to deflect responsibility […]
Political parties stake out pot positions
The federal government is considering legislation that would allow Canadians to possess small amounts of cannabis without being criminally charged, but advocates for the legalization of marijuana say that such a system would do nothing to protect Canadian youth because it would leave Canada’s underground pot economy intact. The Conservative government says that […]
Harper government’s No. 1 priority remains job creation
The Harper government’s No. 1 priority remains job creation, economic growth, and long-term prosperity. We are committed to helping Canadians, including young Canadians, obtain the skills required to obtain and keep the in-demand jobs available today and into the future. It is important to put the youth unemployment rate in Canada into context. Canada […]
Student debt levels on the rise since 2009 recession
By Chris Plecash Post-secondary students have been graduating with increasingly large debt burdens and limited job prospects since the recession, and financial literacy advocates say the federal and provincial governments need to do a better job of informing today’s students about job market realities and loan repayment options when financing their education. The […]
Aboriginal education funding ‘10 years late’: Martin
The federal government has been praised for recently-announced investments in aboriginal education in this year’s federal budget, but the initiative is “10 years late,” says former prime minister Paul Martin, who struck his own agreement with Canada’s aboriginal peoples in 2005 only to have it abandoned after the Conservatives formed government the […]
National youth unemployment figures mask major regional disparities
Canada may boast a below average youth unemployment rate compared to its OECD counterparts, but the national average is hiding significant disparities between regions and social groups. The national unemployment rate for workers aged 15 to 24 was 13.6 per cent last year, but Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and […]
National Research Council will be ‘transformed’ to respond to private sector demand, says Science Minister Goodyear
It’s been less than a year since the Jenkins panel released its recommendations on federal R&D spending and the government is already well on its way to implementing many of the policies, but Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear (Cambridge-North Dumfries, Ont.) says it’s too early to say for certain that […]
