A new report published by Oxfam reveals that the generational income gap is widening in Canada, as young adult workers are earning less money than their parents did at the same age, and are also saddled with the highest student debt in Canadian history.
By now the story is a familiar one: more and more young people are working in precarious, non-unionized jobs with little to no control over their working conditions and hours. They want to see change, but they fear being penalized or terminated for speaking out. So it’s encouraging to see the Ontario government reaching out to citizens to determine how we can reform our labour laws to address the realities that countless workers – and youth in particular – find themselves in today.
When I was a kid, I remember running to the mailbox each day, checking to see if I had received a letter back from my friend. How times have changed. We basically no longer send letters to friends, except for the odd Christmas card or wedding invitation. But does that mean mail is dying?
Picture this: you’re a young girl heading to your first party during your freshman year at college. You’re wearing jeans and a tank top instead of the skirt that your girlfriends said looked great on you. Why? Because your mom told you to never wear a skirt and go out drinking. She reminded you that you don’t want to get raped.
When I was growing up, I was never scared to express who I was, and I don’t want my children growing up in fear that they will be judged for the gender that they identify with. So I’m encouraged that the federal government has introduced legislation to protect transgender Canadians from hate crimes and discrimination.
Are we “Generation Screwed?” That’s how a CBC panel recently described today’s crop of young graduates and job seekers, many of whom are struggling to find jobs, pay down crippling student debt, and fulfill the increasingly lofty goals of buying a home and starting a family.
After campaigning on a pledge to create thousands of jobs, internships, and apprenticeships for young people as part of their youth jobs strategy, the federal Liberals are now considering regulations that would permit federally regulated workplaces to hire unpaid interns for up to a year.
As part of its just-released 2016 budget, the Ontario government is taking bold action to make college and university more affordable for students from lower and middle income families. Under the new Ontario Student Grant (OSG) program, 90 percent of college students from low-income families will receive more than $2,768 for their education, the average amount of college tuition in Ontario. As well, 70 per cent of university students will get grants in excess of the average university tuition, which currently stands at $6,160 per year.
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United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Canada's private sector union