OTTAWA – Citing April’s dismal jobs numbers, Kenora MP Eric Melillo is calling on the federal government to do more to connect students and youth with employment, particularly in the agriculture sector.
Melillo points to Statistics Canada figures for April showing full-time employment for those aged 15 to 24 dropped by over 20 per cent, with far greater impacts for those working part-time.
The Conservative MP has been critical of the federal government for not initially including students among those receiving financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), but now qualify for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), introduced weeks later. The benefit will provide students with $1,250 per month from May through August. Students with disabilities and those with dependents receive $2,000 a month, matching the CERB.
Melillo originally raised the prospect of connecting students with agriculture jobs as legislators debated the CESB in the House of Commons on April 29.
“We know that even as many businesses are laying off staff, there are also many that are having difficulty finding staff, such as agriculture businesses, restaurants, and the hospitality industry,” Melillo said.
“Many agricultural producers are facing labour shortages right now because of their inability to hire temporary foreign workers, and we believe students who are struggling to find work could potentially fill those gaps. This would be a great opportunity for students to gain work experience and earn some income while stabilizing our food supply and contributing to Canada's COVID-19 response.”
Conservatives successfully pushed for an amendment to the government’s CESB legislation to include a provision for “new financial incentives and support measures” to connect students and youth with jobs, particularly those in the agriculture and agri-food sector. That included a clause requiring that all CESB applicants be automatically connected to the government-run Canada Job Bank.
“Right now, students need support, but they also need creative solutions to incentivize as many students as possible to gain that valuable experience,” Melillo told his parliament colleagues. “Conservatives have been vigilant in making sure that new government benefits do not inadvertently disincentivize employment.”
Melillo's comments earned a critical response from fellow northern Ontario MP Charlie Angus.
“I find it shocking to suggest that students who have $30,000 or $50,000 worth of debt are going to take the summer off, hang out and goof around, and that we have to make sure they go to work,” he said.
“I was surprised that my honourable colleague said he knows of many restaurants that are looking for workers. It must be bustling there. The restaurants I know are struggling to survive. They've shut down - they cannot bring people in to work. That is employment that students normally take, so I’m very concerned about this coded language about making sure that they are incentivized to go to work.”
Melillo, on the other hand, said measures to connect students with jobs would be “a win-win for students looking for work and for employers looking for staff.”
