Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives, with their Canada summer jobs program, have left many Canadians, businesses and not for profits without funding.
In my riding of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, where only some $393,000 out of a small Canada-wide budget of only $97.5 million was distributed, many organizations that had received support before were left without hope for their events, mandate and purpose.
Organizations such as the Salvation Army Camp Sunrise, the Whistler Public Library, the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, the Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority, the Kay Meek Centre, the Squamish Chamber of Commerce and the Powell River Academy of Music have all been declined their funding by the government.
Youth employment opportunities are vital for economy and without greater funding we risk the loss of community festivals, summer camps for our children and other valuable work experiences.
With an overwhelming amount of applicants this year, and with the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games only 627 days away, the minister must reconsider the needs of such a large and important riding such as West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country.