Mr. Speaker, this year, about 100 organizations from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie have applied to the Canada summer jobs program run by Service Canada.
Students hired through this program work as counsellors at summer camps, recreation workers in seniors' residences, and so on.
They gain valuable experience that will help them later as they enter the labour market. Let us remember that youth unemployment is at 14% in Quebec.
The Canada summer jobs program is also helping organizations improve the services they provide to communities, often at little cost. Unfortunately, the budget earmarked for the program is not sufficient and it has not been increased since 2009. Once again, in Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie this year, only one-fifth of people's needs will be met.
We condemn the fact that the Canada summer jobs program is underfunded. That is unacceptable. Grants available for community organizations are disappearing left, right and centre. Those organizations are invaluable to our society and they are struggling.
Once again, the most vulnerable segments of the population are the ones being affected by the Conservatives' cuts.