Mulcair to create opportunities for 40,000 youth

NDP plan to help youth through NGO and private sector partnerships

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair announced his plan to create over 40,000 youth jobs, paid internships and coop placements over four years, through a new initiative laid out today.

“There are over 60,000 fewer jobs for youth today than when Stephen Harper first took office and the number of young Canadians unemployed for more than a year has tripled. We must do better,” said Mulcair. "The NDP’s concrete plan will connect 40,000 youth with NGOs and private sector opportunities, once fully implemented, to create good jobs and give young people the experience and advanced skills needed to get working and stay working.”

New Democrats will:

• In partnership with small business, industry, NGOs and government, help 40,000 young Canadians get jobs, paid internship or coop placements;
• Create apprenticeship spaces through federal infrastructure projects, in federally regulated airports or Port Authorities, and with crown corporations, while establishing firm apprenticeship ratios;
• Partner with municipalities and Indigenous governments to hire apprentices for infrastructure projects,; and
• Protect the safety of young workers and crack down on the use of unpaid internships.

The initiatives are fully-costed and will appear in the NDP’s balanced platform.

“After Stephen Harper’s lost decade, I want to build a Canada where every young person gets the opportunities they need for a good start to their career,” said Mulcair “We haven’t even reached election day and Justin Trudeau has already abandoned his principles on C-51, balanced budgets and a $15/hour minimum wage. What principles will he abandon after Election Day? Canadians can’t trust Justin Trudeau to tackle the challenges facing Canadian youth.”

Young Canadians and their families can’t afford another four years of Stephen Harper’s failed ‘action plan,’ and Justin Trudeau just isn’t up to the job. That’s why more and more Canadians are standing with Tom Mulcair to bring a wave of change to Ottawa.