Question Period Note: Canada’s Youth Policy

Implementing Canada’s Youth Policy

• Youth in Canada are one of our most important resources. They are more diverse, socially engaged, and educated than ever before.
• The Prime Minister’s Youth Council welcomed its fifth cohort of engaged young people from across Canada in June 2021. And in August 2021, we published Canada’s first-ever State of Youth Report which gives an insight into what youth are facing, and their priorities.
• We are working hard to support youth and make sure that their voices are heard.

• The Youth Secretariat supports a whole-of-government approach to addressing youth issues and advises federal departments as they implement Canada’s Youth Policy (the Policy) with opportunities for youth engagement regarding impacts of their programs, policies, and initiatives on young people.
• The definition of “youth” is varied, but generally can be defined as the stages between adolescence to early adulthood and is often culturally seen as a transition toward autonomous adulthood and its associated responsibilities and practices. Youth (the most expansive definition being ages 10 to 34) represent up to one third of the population of Canada.
• The Government launched the Prime Minister’s Youth Council (Council) in 2016 as a platform for youth to share their perspectives with the Prime Minister (PM) and the Government of Canada on issues of importance to them, to their communities, and to all Canadians.
• Presently, the Council is composed of 18 diverse young Canadians (ages 16-24), who are selected from among thousands of applicants, and who hold 2-year terms.
• Cohort 5 of the Council was selected in May 2021 and officially started their mandate in late June 2021. Cohort 4 will end their mandate on December 31, 2021.
• The Youth Secretariat is looking to launch a 5-week application intake period for Cohort 6.
• Since March 2020, the Council has met virtually four times with the PM and nine of his Cabinet colleagues. Council members have shared their perspectives on issues such as COVID-19 and mental health, vaccine uptake among youth, how to build-back-better post-pandemic, the 2021 federal budget, anti-racism and social inequities, access to affordable internet for Canadians, and Canada’s first State of Youth Report.
• The Council also provided advice through written submissions and other virtual consultations with Ministers and government officials.
• The PM launched Canada’s first-ever Youth Policy (Policy) during the Canada Youth Summit in May 2019. The Policy reflects the values and priorities of young Canadians, amplifies the voices of young people on matters of importance to them, and creates more opportunities for young people to build a stronger and more inclusive Canada.
o The Policy includes two objectives: 1) Creating meaningful opportunities for youth voices to be heard and respected; and 2) Providing accessible supports that meet the evolving needs of youth.
o Specific commitments contained in the Policy include: to publish a State of Youth Report (Report) in 2020 and every four years; and to have youth representation on the board of 75 percent of crown corporations by 2024.
• Report was released in August 2021 (delayed due to the pandemic) with the next publication projected in 2024/25.
o Over 800 diverse youth from across Canada participated in 90 different engagement sessions which informed the Report, focusing on issues identified in the Policy. Other youth contributors included a Youth Advisory Group, youth artists, young public servants, and members of various government youth councils including the Prime Minister’s Youth Council.
o In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Youth Secretariat collaborated with partners to engage youth, including youth who face barriers to opportunity, in order to better understand their experience and challenges.
o A diverse group of youth synthesized the data and penned the youth-authored portion of the Report, making it a report that is not only for youth but with youth and by youth.
•Youth took the opportunity of the Report to include 28 recommendations for governments at all levels, and three overarching expected next steps for the Government of Canada: more relevant and timely youth-focused data; sustained, accessible youth engagement; and more than anything, action on issues of utmost importance to youth.

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