Education, government action key to addressing racial inequality
Under Canadian law, there is legal protection for victims of discrimination and a guarantee in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of equality rights for all. But a recent Angus Reid poll has found that one-third of Canadians think racism is still a major problem in our country. And racism definitely exists in Canada, as several studies have shown that racial disparities in income, health status, civic participation, services, and job opportunities continue to persist here.
Since 2012, conservative politicians across Canada have unsuccessfully pushed for so-called "right to work" laws, claiming they are needed to attract manufacturing jobs, boost wages, and reduce unemployment. But the track record of these laws in the U.S. shows that right to work is harmful to both workers and the economy, and is simply a political tool designed to weaken unions.
Over the last two years, Think Forward has explored a number of economic issues currently affecting young people, from the injustice of unpaid internships to the crisis of youth unemployment to rising student debt in Canada. Often we've emphasized how difficult it is for recent graduates to find stable, full-time work in their field that pays a living wage. But one topic we haven't discussed is the major advantage that unions provide to young workers in the face of austerity from both politicians and employers.
As we recently detailed in our articles on mandatory voting and the Ontario election that occurred this past June, voter apathy is increasing in Canada, and young people continue to be far less likely to vote than our older counterparts. For example, a mere 37 percent of eligible voters aged 18 to 24 participated in the last federal election.
