Translate Politics Parliament in plain language.

Adjournment Proceedings

An adjournment debate on youth unemployment. Garnett Genuis of the Conservatives said young people are struggling to find work and afford homes, argued that government policies are contributing to the problem, and asked the government to adopt Conservative proposals, including more flexible parental leave and restoring grants for trade school students. Tom Osborne, the parliamentary secretary, replied that the government is funding worker training, including grants for apprentices and employers in the skilled trades, along with summer jobs and training programs for students, and said it is open to good ideas. He also pointed to measures such as cheaper child care, tax cuts, and help for first-time homebuyers, noting that Conservatives voted against some of these. Genuis replied that the government was not addressing his question and repeated the point about grants for trades students.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Garnett Genuis

Conservative

Linked statement

“Young people cannot find jobs or afford homes, so they are having fewer children than they want. The government's plan is not working. Conservatives have proposed ways to fix youth jobs and make parental leave more flexible. I want the government to use our ideas.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, tonight I am following up on a question that I asked about the crisis in youth unemployment. Life is very challenging right now in this country, especially for youth and for young families. People who are struggling to get their start in life struggle to access employment. They struggle with housing affordability. This makes it difficult and leads to delays in family formation. We know, statistically, that if we ask women how many children they want to have and compare that to our current fertility rate, there is a gap of almost one child per woman. Many Canadian families are not having as many children as they would like to have. I think that has a lot to do with challenges in employment and challenges in housing affordability, these basic challenges in getting started in life here in Canada because of how difficult those start-up costs are. The youth unemployment crisis is a big part of it. It is very clear that what the government is doing or says it is doing in this regard is just not working. Listening to question period today, I heard that the government wants to celebrate, allegedly, this initiative or that initiative, but the overall numbers paint a clear picture, which is a metastasizing, unprecedented youth unemployment crisis that is connected to and contributes to challenges that families are facing as well. Conservatives have taken a very constructive approach to the employment file. We have developed and offered the government concrete solutions to these problems. Obviously, the government is the government. It has the power to implement these things and we do not, but we have put constructive solutions on the table and asked the government to implement all or part of what we put forward. This fall, we put forward the Conservative youth jobs plan, a clear plan addressing the youth unemployment crisis, with proposals to unleash the economy, fix immigration, fix training and build homes where the jobs are. Just today, we announced another suite of policy initiatives, this time targeting the challenges that young families are facing. We are proposing substantial parental leave reform that would make life easier for those who are trying to start a family. These policy proposals involve flexible parental leave, allowing a person on parental leave to pause and resume that leave. We proposed learning on leave, allowing anyone to take courses of study while they are on parental leave so that they can upgrade their skills and strengthen their ability to meet the labour market again once their leave is over. We also proposed a caregiving exception to EI parental leave benefit clawbacks. This would allow somebody who is caring for their own children to also do paid caregiving work on the side. Perhaps while they are watching their own child, their neighbour pays them to watch their child as well. Removing the clawbacks associated with earning in this situation would increase the availability of child care, which, in many cases, notwithstanding the exaggerated promises of the government, simply is not available to many parents. We are working hard to propose constructive solutions to the very real and practical challenges facing youth and young families today. I would like to know why the government has not taken the opportunity to embrace these solutions. I think it would be a political win for them and it would be a win for youth and families. Will the government take on these good ideas that we have proposed?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

Tom Osborne

Liberal
“We are spending billions of dollars to train workers, especially in skilled trades. Canada will need hundreds of thousands of new tradespeople soon, so we are giving grants to apprentices, employers, and training centres. We are also funding summer jobs and training programs for students and youth.”

  • A repeated line

    “Train and hire up to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers in the next five years.”

    Said 8 times by 7 members since May 1.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are always prepared to look at good ideas, but we are also acting and putting in place measures that really make a difference for Canadians. We could not agree more that Canadians are looking for hope and real solutions. Preparing Canadians for good jobs is a top priority of ours, especially during these challenging times. We are renewing Canada’s workforce strong, team Canada strong. It is a $6-billion promise to protect our workforce and our capacity to grow the workforce, because without skilled workers, we cannot meet the moment. That is why, under team Canada strong, we will recruit, train and hire up to 100,000 new Red Seal workers in the next five years. This is critical, because within seven years there will be more than 410,000 vacant skilled trades positions across Canada. There is no time to waste. Team Canada strong will expand our union training and innovation program, so that union-run training centres can upgrade their facilities and invest in modern equipment. Small and medium-sized businesses will be supported when they hire new first-year apprentices. The build Canada apprenticeship program will help employers hire and train apprentices, providing them with up to $10,000. Once certified as a Red Seal tradesperson, they will receive a $5,000 completion bonus. The new apprenticeship training grant means that apprentices can receive an income top-up of $400 per week while they are getting technical training. This comes out of a total payment of $16,000 per apprentice. We know that there is more that needs to be done to weather the current storm. That is where the labour market development agreements and the workforce development agreements come in. These represent a $2.9-billion annual investment in training and employment assistance services to help hundreds of thousands of Canadians upgrade their skills and find employment. Our programs help workers complete their studies, build their skills and access opportunities that lead to successful careers. Since 2019, Canada summer jobs has helped more than 600,000 young people find summer employment. This summer, the program will support up to 100,000 jobs for youth between the ages of 15 and 30. All told, we are supporting over 175,000 opportunities for youth and students this year under the student work placement program, the youth employment and skills strategy, and the Canada summer jobs. In 2026-27, the student work placement program will support up to 55,000 work-integrated learning opportunities with employers for post-secondary students. Over 34,000 employers and 420 post-secondary institutions have participated in this program. We are focused on delivering the results that Canadians need and creating the opportunities that will strengthen the economy.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade C+ View analysis

Garnett Genuis

Conservative
“Too many young people cannot find jobs, and government policies are making it worse. We have shared good ideas to help, but the government is not listening. The government cut student grants for people learning skilled trades, while university students still get them. The government needs to give those grants back to trade school students.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that was not really an answer to what I asked. Here are the facts. We have a metastasizing youth unemployment crisis in this country. There are various factors and many factors of government policy that are contributing to it. We have put forward constructive solutions in the area of supporting families that I talked about today, reforming parental leave, and also in the area of addressing youth unemployment. We have been very constructive and clear with the government. The Liberals say they are willing to listen, but they do not really listen or respond to these constructive proposals we put forward. The member spoke about changes that the government has made in training. Here is what the government did in the last budget. It rendered ineligible vocational institutions to receive student grants. If someone studies at a university, they can get a student grant, but if they study at a vocational institution, preparing them for a specific vocational career where there are shortages, the government has cut that out. What we suggest is that the government not discriminate against students at vocational institutions. Would the Liberals at least listen to that constructive idea?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

Tom Osborne

Liberal
“The Conservatives do not listen to Canadians. They voted against cheaper child care, tax cuts, help for first-time homebuyers, and money for families.”

  • Reply to a debate question

    Relevance 44 of 100

    None of this reply addressed the specific point raised or the topic under debate.

    See full analysis

  • Reply to a debate question

    Signal 43 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to hear the member talk about people who do not listen and who are not tuned into the Canadian public and the needs of Canadians. It was the Conservative Party that voted against reducing the tax for first-time homebuyers, making it easier for young Canadians. It was the Conservative Party that voted against $10-a-day child care, making it easier for Canadians. It was the Conservative Party that voted against a reduction in income tax, helping 22 million Canadians. It was the Conservative Party that voted against the Canada child benefit. It is interesting to hear the member talk about people who do not listen. The Conservatives have not listened to the Canadian public on what Canadians need, and vote against every opportunity in this House to make life easier for young Canadians.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade B– View analysis

Discussion

No comments yet

See the full discussion

Comment rules

More from sitting 119

All 43 items ·
  1. Government Orders Business of Supply 116 statements
  2. Oral Questions The Economy 4 statements
  3. Oral Questions Natural Resources 4 statements
  4. Oral Questions Climate Change 6 statements
  5. Oral Questions Youth 14 statements
  6. Oral Questions The Economy 4 statements
  7. Oral Questions Youth 4 statements
  8. Oral Questions Veterans Affairs 2 statements
  9. Oral Questions International Trade 2 statements
  10. Oral Questions Health 4 statements
  11. Oral Questions Climate Change 4 statements
  12. Oral Questions International Trade 2 statements
  13. Oral Questions Indigenous Affairs 6 statements
  14. Oral Questions Youth 2 statements
  15. Oral Questions Foreign Affairs 2 statements
  16. Oral Questions Air Transportation 2 statements
  17. Oral Questions Climate Change 2 statements
  18. Oral Questions Aerospace Industry 4 statements
  19. Oral Questions Business of the House 2 statements
  20. Government Orders Business of Supply 69 statements
  21. Private Members' Business Financial Administration Act 11 statements
  22. Oral Questions Finance 4 statements
  23. Oral Questions National Defence 11 statements
  24. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  25. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  26. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements