Last week Statistics Canada released their latest Labour Force Survey, which provides the most up-to-date unemployment numbers. What we found was disheartening, but not surprising.
Unemployment has risen to 7%, the highest level since 2016 outside of the pandemic. Young people are being hit particularly hard with 1 in 5 students looking for work. We’re also seeing that unemployed people are spending 21 weeks on average out of work, up from 18 weeks last year.
Unemployment is a Result of Bad Liberal Policies
In my latest column, I break down how rising unemployment is a direct consequence of bad Liberal policy, and especially their failures in managing immigration and combatting the out of control cost of living crisis.
I also gave a speech on the unemployment numbers, which you can watch here, and brought this issue up in Question Period, but as usual the Liberals deflected and tried to blame others for problems that they’ve created.
Share Your Unemployment Story
Your voice and your experience matters. If you are unemployed, or have recently been through a period of unemployment, I want to be able to use your story to inform the broader public and to shape and direct conversations here in Ottawa about employment challenges across the country.
Please consider sharing your story with me here:
Euthanasia and Eugenics Survivors at the UN
I recently attended a UN conference on disability rights called “the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. During my time there I heard a wide variety of perspectives on disability and disability inclusion.
Krista Carr of Inclusion Canada denounced our radical euthanasia regime as disproportionately harming Canadians with disabilities. Track 2 MAID is a blight on our reputation internationally. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has already called upon us to repeal it.
How will the Canadian government respond?
I also attended a moving side event hosted by Japan. Experts and survivors spoke about Japan’s past eugenics law, and the process of coming to terms with that past and apologizing to survivors.
Continuing to Advocate For Human Rights Around the World
While I’m no longer Shadow Minister for International Development, I will continue to advocate for human rights around the world. Since the return to Parliament, I have presented petitions on the situations in Eritrea, Venezuela, Cyprus, and Tibet.
You can watch them here, and also see other petitions I’ve presented in the House of Commons in the past.
Upcoming Constituency Events
If you’re living in or near my riding, be sure to mark your calendar for the following events:
Next Weekend!
Annual Summer BBQ
On June 21st from 12:30-2:30 p.m., my office will be hosting our annual barbecue! It will be taking place in the parking lot of RONA + Sherwood Park (Emerald Hills). Come by and join us for some good food and good fun. Drop ins welcome — come whenever you can, and stay as long as you like.
Save the Date!
Summer Day Camp for Kids
If you’re a parent living in or near my riding, mark your calendar for this year’s Politics Day Camp, scheduled for July 28-30.
This is a fun, interactive way for kids to begin learning about how politics works by trying it out for themselves (using entirely fictional situations). I don’t think there is a better way for kids to learn about the importance of (and the challenge of) politics!
We’re still finalizing some of the details, but if you want to be notified as soon as registration opens, click here to email my office with the subject line “SUMMER CAMP” and we’ll add you to the mailing list.
I always appreciate hearing from Canadians in my riding and across the country. Feel free to email my office at garnett.genuis@parl.gc.ca or share your feedback in the comments below.
All the best,
Garnett Genuis MP
Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan
You really need to let it go the PCs lost & you have to give the new PM a chance to move on from the Trudeau era. Plus you need to dump…not only did he loose the election for the PCs he couldn’t even win his seat. It’s going to be a major embarrassment if he looses the seat in Alberta
7% is barely above NAIRU (https://www.ceicdata.com/en/canada/nonaccelerating-inflation-rate-of-unemployment-nairu-forecast-oecd-member-annual)
If you account for the uncertainty associated with open-economy effects, this is minimal. I hope the government supports the recently unemployed. There are always people in transition, however.