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Opinion: 10 ways investing in youth can help Canada's future

Invest in the next generation early, and everyone will be better off.
Alex Sangha
dadwithbaby
Investing in parents and children right from the beginning, with supported maternity and paternity leave, can reap benefits far down the road, this writer says.LWA/Dann Tardif/Stone/Getty Images

How can we invest in the next generation to increase their odds of positive outcomes? 

I am a strong supporter of a universal basic income; however, I recognize this will be very costly and is unlikely to be implemented for all Canadians.  Nonetheless, we can start by targeting our spending for those most in need and our youth to set our country up for a better future.

Here are 10 ways investing in the next generation can lead to positive outcomes:

  1. Leave from work: Maternity and paternity leave can be extended at least for the first two years of the child’s life to help the child have a healthier adjustment to separation from the working parent.
  2. Child support payments: Maternity and paternity leave should also cover 100 per cent of the parent's salary because they need more money now to support their growing family, not less.
  3. Single parents: Single parents should be entitled to similar benefits as a married couple when it comes to maternity or paternity leave because it is unfair for their child to be left behind due to an unequal distribution of financial benefits.
  4. Targeted income top-up: All families with children whose income falls below the Canadian average for their family size should be provided with a top-up.
  5. Hot lunch programs: All neighbourhoods that have a per capita income in the bottom 30 per cent should have free nutritious hot lunch programs in all their schools including elementary, junior and secondary.
  6. Education: All students from poorer neighbourhoods who graduate from Grade 12 and get accepted into college and university should be provided with a full education grant for their first educational credential to kickstart their post-secondary career.
  7. District-wide courses: All school districts should be mandated to provide a set standard of the same courses in schools in poorer neighbourhoods as in richer neighbourhoods. This includes drama, athletics, film, music, arts, business and IT courses.  Extra-curricular and elective courses can vary based on local needs.
  8. Life skills learning: All schools should provide opportunities for students to learn basic life skills such as swimming, first aid, financial literacy, healthy relationships, nutrition, driving theory and basic car repairs, and education in order to be an informed future voter.
  9. Representation: All schools, especially in neighbourhoods with significant visible minority populations, should receive some coursework that is reflective of their cultures, traditions, history, languages and role in developing Canada.   
  10. Health and social: All students should be educated on the dangers of alcohol, drugs, smoking and gangs.  

These are 10 ways investing in the next generation can lead to positive outcomes. 

Level of income and education are two very important factors that can improve the lives of our most vulnerable youth.  It is our duty and obligation to ensure all children and youth in Canada have equal opportunities to reach their potential and capacity in our beautiful country. 

Alex Sangha is a registered clinical social worker from Delta.