Canadian unemployment rate drops, UPEISU president argues labour shortages not responsibility of students

The Financial Post reports that the national unemployment rate has dropped to 4.9% in June, the lowest point in Canadian history, due to a decrease in people searching for work. Amid tight labour market conditions, employment has risen among groups who traditionally face under- and unemployment. Certain sectors – such as the retail and wholesale trade sector – are facing declines in employment that are exacerbating labour shortages. In Prince Edward Island, where there is a labour shortage in part-time workers, Saltwire reports that the government has considered decreasing student access to employment insurance (EI) to encourage students to take up part-time jobs. University of Prince Edward Island Student Union president Adam Mackenzie stated that being forced to work during the academic year would negatively affect the academic ability of students, and argued that EI should instead be made more accessible. Financial Post| CIC News| Saltwire Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.