Larry Miller, Member of Parliament for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, has signed the final list of approved recipients of Canada Summer Jobs funding and has sent it to Service Canada along with a letter explaining that he has signed this list under duress as a result of the new "attestation" policy that was introduced this year.

Each year, hundreds of local employers apply to the Canada Summer Jobs Program to receive funding for youth employment over the summer. This year, the Government
introduced a new requirement as part of the application process. This new requirement forced employers to sign an attestation stating that they agree with a certain "values" – values outside the scope of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

After receiving numerous telephone calls and e-mails, Mr. Miller determined that a total of 15 organizations, representing 17 student positions and approximately $60,000, were unable to apply as a result of the attestation. Organizations that were unable to sign the
attestation were told that their applications were incomplete – in some cases, this was despite the inclusion of clear addendums explaining why they could not sign the attestation. They were therefore not eligible to be included on the final list for funding.

"This year, the Government sunk to a new level and decided to politicize youth employment through the Canada Summer Jobs Program attestation," said Miller. "A
number of organizations were unable to even apply for funding because of the attestation and this has significantly impacted my ability to do my job as the local Member of Parliament. I know there are organizations that should have been eligible and deserve the funding. I have signed the final list so that projects that have been approved receive the funding they are entitled to. Had I not signed the final list, this
important funding would have been jeopardized. However, I want to make it very clear that I am signing this under duress."

source: media release, MP Larry Miller