Windsor West MP Brian Masse September 20, 2019. (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)Windsor West MP Brian Masse September 20, 2019. (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
Windsor

NDP calls on Trudeau to protect student jobs

The Member of Parliament from Windsor West has joined his NDP colleagues in a fight to get students employed this summer.

The federal NDP has called upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to follow through on his pledge to provide further assistance to students who are looking for summer employment amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau has also been asked to offer those jobs at minimum wage, rather than below it.

Windsor West MP Brian Masse told BlackburnNewsWindsor.com that the now-cancelled contract given to the WE Charity to administer the $912-million Canada Student Service Grant indicates that students are being left high and dry.

"We could have had hundreds of students with jobs that had been vetted and paid for," said Masse. "Right now, for Windsor West alone, there's $2.8-million in funding requested from organizations, including those not-for-profit and charities, but there's only $1.2-million available for them."

The Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) provides each riding with money for vetted non-profit organizations to hire summer students. This money also goes to registered private sector companies. However, the NDP has charged that the government is ensuring that students will be paid lower than minimum wage.

A letter was written to Minister of Diversity and Inclusion for Youth Bardish Chagger. The letter suggested that the proposed wages would make it impossible for students to earn a maximum of $5,000 for a summer of work, and would violate federal and provincial workplace standards. The letter was produced by Masse at a media event Wednesday morning and was signed by NDP MPs Charlie Angus of Timmins-James Bay and Lindsay Mathyssen of London-Fanshawe.

Masse has asked the government to explain its plan for the CSSG.

"What we've asked for is a solution, and for the prime minister to put his ego aside and to fund this program so that students can actually get a job," said Masse. "His program only wanted to pay students less than $10 an hour. This actually makes sure that it goes through the vetted public service."

According to the official website of the Prime Minister's Office, the CSSG requires post-secondary students and recent graduates, up to the age of 30, to register no later than August 21. Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or refugee status. Placements must be through vetted non-profit agencies, be for at least two hours a week for four weeks, and support Canada's efforts to curb COVID-19.

---with files from Adelle Loiselle

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