Child Labour in Canada

The minimum age when Canadians can work is under constant evaluation, both on the federal and provincial levels.

Many people are concerned with the safety of their children on the job, and not without reason. The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario claims that more than 13,500 young workers were injured in 2003, and eight youths suffered workplace fatalities.

Maureen Brosnahan reports on the more graphic videos being put out by the Workerplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario that aired on World at Six on June 17th. RUNS <3:14>

Maureen Brosnahan reports on British Columbia's new labour laws for World Report on June 17th. RUNS <1:38>

Maureen Brosnahan speaks to Debbie Stead, Helicia Luke and B.C.'s Minister of Skills Development and Labour, Graham Bruce on World Report, June 17.
RUNS <1:58>

RealPlayer is required to listen to audio files.
Download the RealPlayer plug-in for your browser.

But many other Canadians worry that death and injury are only the worst-case scenarios of working at a younger age. A Statistics Canada report released in 2000 pointed to the alarming relationship between working under age 17 and dropping out of school.

The International Labour Organization (a specialized agency of the UN) has taken the concerns of Canadians and the international community and created Conventions regarding child labour. One of the Conventions deals with the minimum age of working, called C.138, and the other, called C.182, deals with dangerous work children are often put into.

C.138 has been ratified by 134 countries, and C.182 has been ratified by 150 countries.

Canada has signed on with C.182, but not with C.138.

C.138 recommends that a country set its minimum age for working at 14. At least five Canadian provinces allow children to work under the age of 14 with permission from their parents and the Director of Employment Standards.

Requires the use of the free Macromedia Flash Player.

| |

| | |