Response from MP William Amos regarding the Canada Summer Jobs Program
Response from MP William Amos regarding the Canada Summer Jobs Program
Following a statement made by the parish priest of St-Pierre Parish in Fort-Coulonge that the parish could not receive a summer grant to hire a student given the Church’s position on abortion, the Pontiac MP issued a statement to clarify the situation. William Amos explained that each year, the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program provides thousands of students with valuable summer work experience by providing wage subsidies to employers who request it. In the federal riding of Pontiac, this represents an increase of $ 320,000 per summer out of a total of $ 647,474 that is invested directly in job creation for youth.
William Amos says that this year misleading information has circulated that religious organizations would be ineligible for funding. He set out to re-establish certain facts: churches and religious organizations were eligible for the program and they encouraged them to apply for funding.
The applicant must certify that his or her principal mandate and the employment offered respects the individual’s human rights in Canada, including the values that underlie the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as other rights. The primary mandate is defined as the activities undertaken by the organization that reflect the ongoing services offered to the community. This does not correspond to the beliefs or values of the body. Individual rights of the person are respected when the main activities of an organization, and the responsibilities of the employment do not seek to remove or actively undermine existing rights. For example, a faith-based organization with “pro-life” beliefs that runs a summer camp for disadvantaged youth applies for funding to hire students as camp counselors. Students would be responsible for developing youth programs, including leadership development and skills development. This organization would be eligible to apply.
He goes on to state that religious groups are invaluable to our communities and that his team were in contact with several religious groups in the Pontiac riding to reassure them of their eligibility and encourage them to apply for funding. Seven religious organizations from our region have applied to the CSEC program this year. This is the same number as the previous year. It is therefore wrong to indicate that the certification prevents religious groups from applying to the CSJ or discriminating against them. Since being elected, our government has doubled the funds available for this program to encourage the local economy and help young Canadians gain the experience they need to succeed in the job market.
