FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2006

CONSERVATIVES SAVAGE YOUTH SUMMER JOB PROGRAMME

OTTAWA: Burnaby-Douglas MP Bill Siksay, Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian, and New Westminster-Coquitlam MP Dawn Black today denounced plans by the federal Conservative government to dramatically cut funding to the Summer Career Placement Programme.

“Summer Career Placement has been a key programme in New Westminster for years. It’s provided students with excellent summer jobs and local non-profit community agencies and small businesses with enthusiastic and capable workers. There is no excuse for cutting this programme. New Westminster got real value for those federal dollars”, said Julian.

“Cutting this programme will cause real hardship in Burnaby”, added Siksay. “It will mean cuts to important summer programmes enjoyed by hundreds of Burnaby children. It will mean the loss of hundreds of local jobs for local students. It will mean deep cuts in programming for local community groups and agencies next summer.”

“This programme is not a frill”, declared Black. “It provides real work and real job experience for local students. To say that it is ‘fat’ that can be cut from government operations denies the value of the work done by many students, by community agencies and by local businesses in the Tri-Cities.”

Julian went on to note that “the Conservatives’ $1 billion cuts are mean-spirited, and this is but one example that will badly affect our community. And, despite promises, the Conservatives cut without consultation.”

“These Conservative cuts are aimed at those in our community who most need our help. Women, aboriginal people, youth, minority groups are all targeted. New Democrats will do all we can to reverse these plans”, said Black.

“This all takes place the same day the Conservatives announce a surplus of $13 billion, none of which they will spend on important programmes. This is unacceptable, plain and simple”, concluded Siksay.

In 2006, the Summer Career Placement Programme funded 447 jobs for students in Burnaby, New Westminster and the Tri-Cities. The majority of these funded were in not-for-profit agencies. Summer Career Placement provides wage subsidies to employers who hire high school, college and university students in the summer.

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Contact:

Peter Julian, 604-775-5707 or Bill Siksay, 604-291-8863 or Dawn Black, 604-664-9229