Key Conservative Priorities Included in All-Party HUMA Committee Report on Youth Unemployment
Ottawa, ON – Conservative Shadow Minister of Employment Garnett Genuis released the following statement on the release of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ (HUMA) All-Party Unanimous Report on Youth Unemployment:
“Conservatives were very pleased to see the inclusion of key priorities from the Conservative Youth Jobs Plan in today’s all-party report on youth unemployment.
“After years of Liberal stagnation and mismanagement, Canadian young people face a crisis, with youth unemployment now hitting 14.3 per cent and overall youth employment at one of the lowest points in decades.
“In response, last fall Conservatives announced our Conservative Youth Jobs Plan to unleash the economy, reform immigration, fix training and build homes where the jobs are. This plan highlighted specific measures to help Canadian young people succeed.
“While the Carney government has refused to implement these constructive suggestions, members of the HUMA committee joined Conservatives in a unanimous report which aligns with key Conservative priorities. Recommendations in the report include:
Recommendation 1: That the Government of Canada seek to reduce taxes and red tape in order to address concerns about how the taxation and regulatory environment has limited productivity growth and held back youth employment.
Recommendation 2: That the Government of Canada recognize the positive role that natural resource development, manufacturing, and all other sectors play contributing to employment, and seek to valorize work in all sectors.
Recommendation 3: That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with provinces, territories, employers and youth-serving organizations, ensure that immigration levels plans incorporate labour-market analyses, particularly impacts on young workers, including consideration of availability of entry-level jobs, wage dynamics and housing pressures.
Recommendation 5: That the Government of Canada apply strict penalties to companies hiring illegal workers.
Recommendation 7: That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, celebrate the value and dignity of trades work, ensure that institutions providing trade skills are treated equally and fairly, promote the acquisition of trades skills by interested high school students, and pursue additional measures to address skill mismatches in our economy.
Recommendation 13: That the Government of Canada study providing accelerated capital cost write off for employers investing in workforce housing, recognizing the opportunity for young people to relocate for work if appropriate housing isavailable.
“Thanks to months of Conservative efforts, these and other recommendations align with our proposals to address the youth unemployment crisis.
“After more than a year in office, the Carney government has still failed to present a plan to get Canadian youth working again. But the Conservative Youth Jobs Plan and the unanimous recommendations of the HUMA committee provide a positive path forward.”