This summer, we saw near-record student unemployment: 19.2%. One in five students could not find a job this summer. One of the programs we supported was Canada Summer Jobs, but it was cut by half in 2006. In 2007, most of the funding was restored. So 40% of the funding was reinjected into the program, but the rules had changed. Despite those changes, 10% of the funding was cut, which represents approximately 2,000 jobs.
In the last 2009 budget, the government announced a 10% increase, but only for two years, which takes us back to 2006 levels, before the cuts, which is not enough given this summer's unemployment rate.