Canada's NDP

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January 10th, 2014

Conservatives failing to create jobs or foster growth

New employment data released by Statistics Canada today further undermines the Harper Conservatives' credibility when it comes to sound economic management.

“Conservatives love to boast about their employment record but the facts simply don’t back them up,” said NDP Finance critic Peggy Nash (Parkdale – High Park). “Job creation remains very weak and too many of the jobs being created are low-paying and part-time.”

The unemployment rate jumped to 7.2% in December, with nearly 46,000 more jobs lost. Canada now has the weakest growth in employment since the last recession. Unemployment rates were particularly hard hit in Ontario and Quebec, reaching 7.9% and 7.7% respectively.

“While the Conservatives love to declare mission accomplished when it comes to job creation, the reality is job growth in 2013 was less than a third of that in 2012 and Mr. Flaherty’s last budget, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, killed many more jobs than it created,” added Nash.

“We urge Mr. Flaherty to finally agree with the NDP and implement a job creation strategy in his upcoming budget.”