The Harper government recognizes that our youth are our most valuable asset. They are our future workers, innovators, and the leaders of tomorrow.
Although the Opposition has voted against every initiative we have introduced to better support young Canadians, we are taking action for our youth and delivering real results.
In Economic Action Plan 2012, we invested another $50 million over two years in our Youth Employment Strategy to help young Canadians obtain meaningful work experience. That is in addition to our existing commitments, which include the Canada Summer Jobs program.
This summer alone we have helped over 36,000 students find jobs in a variety of fields, all across Canada, through Canada Summer Jobs. In the Yukon alone, there were 61. These opportunities are helping students pay for their education, while equipping them with the skills and experiences they need in order to succeed.
With the input of young Canadians, we have also enhanced the information available online, at youth.gc.ca. This website gives students access to valuable information on resume building, cover letter writing, and job postings - all at the click of a button, whenever they need it.
These programs and initiatives remain popular across the country, offering valuable experiences to young Canadians.
In comparison to our global counterparts, Canada has much to be proud of when it comes to our efforts for youth employment; in fact, we rank second only to Germany in our successes. But we also recognize that more work must be done to address the challenges that our youth often face when transitioning from school to work - and ensuring that their talent is cultivated most effectively. That includes addressing the mismatch that currently exists in Canada between skill sets and job requirements.
It’s our responsibility as a government, collaborating with our many partners, to set the next generation up for success. We take that responsibility seriously.
After all, today’s young Canadians are the future of our country.
Ryan Leef, MP
Whitehorse