Justin Trudeau speaks about youth unemployment

 By Erin Stewart

KINGSTON – The federal government needs to be more involved in helping young people get training and education for the jobs they need, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau says.

“There’s a lack of leadership around education and investment in youth from this federal government that I think is dismaying and certainly I’m committed to turning around,” Trudeau told QNet News.

The Liberal leader spoke Tuesday to a sold-out luncheon crowd of about 150 members of the Kingston chamber of commerce. In his speech, Trudeau spoke about the need to support the middle class, transparency in government and its spending, and better communication and collaboration between Parliament and citizens.

Asked about the issue of high unemployment among young people – according to Statistics Canada, in 2012 the jobless rate for those aged 15 to 24 was 14.3 per cent – Trudeau said it is something that he is concerned about.

“Right now I understand youth unemployment is on average double what non-youth unemployment is. It’s of real concern to us and how we make sure that young people get quality education – that they are not saddled by debts afterwards, and that there is a pathway towards the kind of meaningful employment that is going to make our economy stronger in general.”

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