By Andrea MacDonald (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: April 11, 2012
When Liberal MP Justin Trudeau stepped into the ring last week, prepared to battle to the death verses the heavily-favoured Senator Patrick Brazeau in a charity boxing match , he was sporting more than chiselled muscles and short shorts. What many onlookers didn’t notice was the orange and green design painted on his rippling bicep.
The design looks rather simple: a circle with a line underneath. To many the doodle means nothing, but to thousands of Canadians throughout the country, that simple design symbolizes so much more than a first glance can merit.
The Inuktitut word for “meeting place,” Katimavik is a nation-wide youth volunteer program that annually selects 1100 young Canadians between the ages of 17 and 21 and sends them to diverse regions of Canada to volunteer with community-based organizations.
If you‘ve been living under a rock (or, as a student facing exams, a pile of books) this past week, and haven‘t heard the news of the new federal budget, I’m here to regretfully inform you that the Conservative government has decided to cut all funding to Katimavik.
This decision means that the hundreds of Canadian youth who were preparing to partake in this experience come July have been told to unpack their bags, because Harper has cancelled their trip. (Okay, maybe the bags weren’t packed just quite yet, but I can’t imagine the disappointment those future do-gooders must be feeling.)
As a past participant myself, I remember the excitement I felt to be embarking on a huge adventure, away from the safety of mama bird and our well-kept nest, not knowing what, exactly, the next six months would hold.
I learned from the moment my rotation began that it is nearly impossible to explain the life of a “Katimaviker” to anyone who has not participated in the program. Most people don’t understand why someone would want to work 10+ hour days without getting paid, live in a house with 11 strangers, and often eat meals that are focused around sustainability, such as vegetarianism.
What those close-minded individuals don’t get to experience is the satisfaction gained from working a long-ass day, knowing how greatly someone has benefited from the service of 24 extra hands. Those individuals don’t get to form a life-long bond between someone who lives on opposite sides of the country, and nor do they get to learn how to grow, harvest, and prepare alternative meals that are healthy, economically sound and, might I add, delicious.
The main objective of this program is to walk out of it with a better sense of self, and do good within communities along the way. The small non-profit organizations that Katimavik works with would struggle without the support of volunteers, and often relies heavily on the participation of Katimavik volunteers. These new budget cuts will make a significant difference to those organizations that are the heart of our communities.
“It is not just a youth program,” said Justin Trudeau, as quoted by Dan Neutel of Postmedia News. “Having these volunteers, who are committed people, to give projects to is a huge boost for small communities and community-service organizations that help out our vulnerable populations.”
Katimavik is so much more than a nationwide youth volunteer program. It gives Canadian youth the opportunity to step outside of themselves, and often the only life they’ve ever known. Our young people are given the chance to explore our unique communities, to experience the diversity that Canada is built on; in doing so, they inevitably gain a greater respect for the environment and those around them. But most importantly, they are able to acknowledge their ability to make a significant impact in the world around them, which in turn, is priceless.
The illogical decision made by the Conservatives leaves me feeling like this government doesn’t have our youth—the future of Canada—as a priority when governing this country. By cutting the funding for Katimavik, the government is denying future generations of Canadian youth the opportunity to partake in this empowering experience.
To put it in perspective, our government would rather spend $26 million dollars on one engine of an F-35 fighter jet than provide Canadian youth and the hundreds of communities they service the opportunity for personal growth and of a brighter future.
“Why cut Katimavik?” is the important question here. Well, it’s very simple; it’s clearly because of Katimavik’s whopping budget of $14 million dollars. In reality, those are mere pennies when looking at the grand scheme of things. The proof is in the pudding: our government doesn’t seem to think that Canadian youth are worth the investment.
What the Conservative government doesn’t seem to understand is that once you enter the world of Katimavik, you’re a member for life. Kind of like the Hells Angels, except with less facial hair and leather attire. There are hundreds of thousands of volunteers who are ready to fight for the survival of this incredible program and we’re not going anywhere.
So put your dukes up, Harper. We’re ready for you.
