Unemployment top issue

facing Canada’s

The Central Council of the Young
Communist League, pinpointed
‘Mass unemployment as the
number one social problem facing
young people in Canada” at a two

y meeting in Toronto at the end
Of last month. The council, com-
Posed of representatives of the
YCL from all parts of the country,
adopted a four point program
designed to bring about govern-
Ment action to create jobs and
Provide an adequate trades and
Vocational training program. |

The central council described
today’s critical unemployment
Situation as a permanent, “‘built in.
feature of capitalism’’ and charged

_ that the economic programs of the

federal and provincial govern-
Ments have not reduced unem-
Ployment as promised, but have
Only maintained a high jobless rate
Of more than seven percent.

Of particular importance to the
young people of Canada is the fact
that fully one half of all unem-
ployed are under 25 and that the
Unemployment rate for people in
this age group is as high as 16
percent. The YCL said that this
high unemployment rate has a
“devastating effect upon young
people.** In addition to denying
young people a decent standard of
living, the League pointed out that
young people are robbed of an
Opportunity for work experience
and education, and are more and

-More turning to cynicism and
individualistic solutions to their
Problems.

Even amongst young people in
8eneral, the YCL singled out the
‘special problems which confront
Students. Last year, 400,000
Students were unable to find

1

)

Over half of Canada’s unemplo
17 and 24.

summer employment, the meeting
was told.

The League was highly critical of
federal employment programs,
including the Canada Works
program and the Young Canada
Works program, the latter of which
will produce only 21,000 jobs for
periods of 14 weeks for the coun-
try’s 500,000 unemployed.

The program adopted by the
YCL called for:

e The adoption of policies of full
employment by the federal
government, including
nationalization of multinational
corporations, a shortening of the
work week to 30 hours with no

reduction in pay, and the con-~

struction of 400,000 housing units
annually.

e A. massive coordinated
program of federal and provincial
public works projects with jobs at
industrial rates of pay.

| Season’s Greetings

yed are young people between the age of

youth

e Massive expansion of Canada
Manpower training programs.

e “Jobs or Income Now” as the
rallying point for immediate ac-
tion, and until jobs are made
available, unemployment in-
surance benefits must be provided
for all unemployed and for the full
duration of unemployment.

YCL general secretary Fred
Wilson told the Central Council
meeting that things would not get
better in the next year and that the
League had ‘‘better be prepared to
take the question of jobs as a right
to our generation in a forceful
manner.

“With the program of action that
we have adopted here this
weekend, and with a concerted
campaign by all sectors of the
youth movement, we can force
government action on this critical

question.”
.

Federation of Russian Canadians
600 Campbell Ave., Vancouver

Mee, SHep av

wv?

408 — 193 E. Hastings

A peaceful world
for a life

with a future

Season’ Greetings

British Columbia
Provincial Council

Young Communist League

Ph. 684-1451

Greetings

to all our friends
on the
A4Oth anniversary
of the formation of the

International Brigades

Veterans of the Mac-Paps

é My
5

Bet Wishes
' for a successfull 1977
Association Of United i
Ukrainian Canadians
‘ Branch 69 i
é — New Westminster — :
sec eacen va oa ey ek oe Ya Oa BE a cE BE

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NN
Season's Greetings

and
Warm Wishes for a New
Year of Progress towards

our goal of Security,
Peace and Socialism

COMMUNIST PARTY
of CANADA

408 — 193 E. Hastings St., Vancouver
Ph. 684-1451

PON A AA AAA hash bt hohecdd
Season’s Greetings

WEA AAV ZA A TEA TEER TEA RBI

Sein Zia

| for peace on earth

JOHN and RITA TA

GEORGE GIDORA —

BILL CHOMA

SYLVIA and STAN LOWE
SURREY CLUB YCL

B.C. PEACE COUNCIL

GERRY DELANEY

THE GIDORAS

BARGAIN AT HALF THE PRICE
STAN and OLIVE PADGHAM

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—DECEMBER 17, 1976— Page 13