The underlying theme of the
Conference was "Youth speak, Canada listens" and the
issues that youth of the 1994 Students Commission
conference choose to speak on were Youth Employment,
Violence in Society, Gender Issues, and Education. These
topics were chosen to reflect the recommendations of the
previous year's delegates.
These are the issues that Canadian
youth feel are important to the country:
1. By discussing the issue of
Youth Employment, and recognizing that Canada is
experiencing difficult economic times, Canadian youth are
now preparing themselves for successful entry into the
labour force.
2. In this, the "International Year
of the Family", we realize that the fabric of the family,
just like that of society, is acutely affected by
Violence. As a result, this is an issue of concern
and one which Canadian youth feel needs to be
addressed.
3. In a society where all its
member are still not considered or treated equally,
Gender Issues holds great relevancy. In order to
fulfill our vision, all members must achieve
equity.
4. Mirroring the previous years,
youth feel that Education is indeed the key to
addressing many of our problems. This National Report
recognizes that to achieve our vision, youth need to be
prepared with knowledge, creativity, and ingenuity. These
are the ingredients that will propel us into the
future.
Within fourteen teams, representing
all regions of Canada, its languages and faces, students
generated the contents of this National Report after
conversation with panelists that introduced the framework
of each topic.
Each issue is addressed within
three component parts - vision, the recommendation, and
the Action Plan. The vision enables the 200 students of
the 1994 conference to communicate and share our ideas
and concepts with the rest of the nation. We collectively
used our many voices to create the consensus
recommendations that express our vision, . The panel
discussions and the following team discussion sessions
gave the students the opportunity to communicate, create
and unanimously agree on the recommendations that will
achieve our vision. However, without steps, visions
cannot be realized. The Action Plans then become the
necessary steps that will allow individuals, educators,
government, community groups, and labour to work together
to attain our goals.
To increase the power of the
National Report, we have also included in the Appendix,
the various other resolutions that we generated in
discussions, and which further reflects the diverse
opinions of Canadian youth.
The Appendix further demonstrates
the importance of the connection to community within The
Students Commission by detailing the varied list of
sponsors who believed and supported the ideas of Canadian
youth. Those who invested in The Students Commission
through financial donations, services, the acceptance of
the National Report, or the contribution to the enclosed
ideas, are truly investing in the present and the future
of this nation.
The Students Commission believes
that when young people are given the opportunity to speak
and take action.... changes will occur!
