Katimavik gets the chop - and it's all political

In this week's federal budget, Katimavik got the chop. In their reaction statement to this slashing of a programme that has made the difference in thousands of young Canadian's lives, Katimavik said, in part:

Mar 29, 2012

It is with extreme disappointment that we learned today that the Government has decided to end its funding commitment to Katimavik.

Today’s announcement comes as a surprise, since we are entering the third year of a funding agreement whose terms end March 31st, 2013. The decision is even more surprising considering that the recently made public Canadian Heritage summative evaluation of our programs makes very clear how Katimavik’s programs are not only relevant, important and valuable, but also how the organization attains its targets and the programs tie in with government-wide priorities and the department’s strategic objectives.

For the past 35 years, Katimavik has helped shape a civically responsible Canada by harnessing the power of our young volunteers to help those in need in communities across Canada. In that time, over 30 000 Canadian youth have made a difference in communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. They participated in our program gaining valuable work, life and leadership skills all the while fostering community development and civic engagement. Their parents had peace of mind knowing that their sons and daughters were participating in a structured, time-tested program, while they navigated the transition from emerging adulthood to adulthood...

(Read the rest here, and while there, read more about this great programme.)

Today from the Ottawa Citizen, comes an editorial which says exactly what I believe is behind this ridiculous political hackery by the Harper government. Read on:

Katimavik should be a Tory favourite

By Elizabeth Payne, The Ottawa Citizen April 4, 2012

Picture this: A national volunteer program — kind of a Canadian Peace Corps — that benefits young Canadians, communities and, arguably, the country as a whole. You could call it the Governor General’s Youth Corps, say, or even the Royal Canadian Volunteer Corps. It’s hard to imagine a federal politician who wouldn’t eat up the idea.

Just don’t call it Katimavik.

The $15-million-a-year youth volunteer program, which was axed in last week’s federal budget, was the right program, at the right time, with the wrong political lineage, at least for the Conservative government. Created under Pierre Trudeau in 1977. Reinstated after being cut under the Mulroney government when its founder Liberal Senator Jacques Hébert went on a 21-day hunger strike to save it. Even Justin Trudeau has had a hand in Katimavik, as a board member.

It must have been one Trudeau too many for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. That is the only plausible explanation for why, at a time when youth unemployment in Canada is at 14 per cent, a program that does so much good at so relatively little cost and is, coincidentally, so apparently aligned with Conservative values of volunteerism and youth engagement, had to go....

There is more here. Go read it.

We all *get* that in these fiscally tough times, a lot of belt-tightening needs to happen, but to this uneducated eye, gutting programmes like this - not even easing the funding, but slashing completely - makes so little sense to me, it is mind-boggling. Primew Minister Pierre Trudeau is no doubt rolling in his grave.

Shame on you, Stephen Harper.