Aside from ignoring disadvantaged youth and the situation of world youth, Martin thinks Champagne mis- sed out on what could have been the cheapest and most important Youth Year project; giving youth more of a say in government. ‘‘Are there youth on the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Commission)? Martin ask- +ed. ‘‘Are there youth on the commit- tee that decides student loan applicat- ions2’’ “It’s youth who have to take the | situation inte--their own hands,”’ Martin said. ‘‘But the government has to make sure that they’re heard. (Champagne) could act to get youth on committees - get them to partici- pate in committees.’’ But Martin did not note and applaud Champagne’s testimony at the CRTC on behalf of Young Canada Television. “While we have this one-year honeymoon we should have put together a permanent program for youth.” Champagne’s spunky predecessor, “Celine Hervieux-Payette, did stomp ‘around the country shouting at Cham- ‘ber of Commerce lunches for business | to promote youth hiring - and without. _the weight of a UN International Year behind her. Champagne preferred to shower gifts and ‘‘consult’’ youth. -And apart from posters and the appearance of the Youth Year logo on government envelopes, phone books etc, there was no advertising budget for the year. The ministry spent not one cent talking to Canadians about youth. Champagne’s own personal behav- ior is perhaps even more bizarre. The VIP Flight Manifests, available through Access to Information from the Department of National Defence, show she was flown 21 times on private Defense Department and transport Canada jets at public ex- pense since her appointment as minis- ter. This compares to 27 trips for the Prime Minister, and shows Champagne, though perhaps the most junior cabinet minister, flew around as much on chartered jets as then finance minister or the minister of employment and immigration. Champagne, accompanied mainly by her assistant Patricia Thomson and ‘her press secretary Lisa Van Duesen, hopped planes that touched down four times in the Atlantic, 12 times in Quebec, six times in Ontario, six times in the prairies, and once in British Columbia. This article does not mention Champagne’s far more _ frequent commercial flights - she | says she spends about half her time on the road - because those records are only available by written applicat- ion through Access to Information. Every flight returned to Ottawa the same day or the next morning. The Other Press Champagne spent $500,000 on five regional forums for youth, but then didn’t stick around to hear what youth had to say. At four of the five weekend meetings, she showed up Friday afternoon met with her consul- ting committee, made a tour, spoke at the opening banquet, and then left. “It’s a criticism that came out of almost all of the forums - that she wasn’t there,’’ Martin said. What did the forum accomplish? A one-page Nov. 5 press release from the youth ministry summarizes the Ontario forum in Orillia on Oct. 25-27 “‘Topics discussed included the arm- aments race and Canada’s role in the Star Wars initiative, problems of environmental protection and_inter- national terrorism, and issues dealing with health, human rights, culture and official bilingualism in Ontario.’’ Delegates also called for a permanent ministry of youth. and a standing advisory committee to help the gov- ernment write laws that affect youth. Was it necessary to spend $100,000 to find out that these are the things Ontario’s youth are thinking about? Once piece of evidence on the youth minister’s visibility is the clipping file on Champagne in the Library of Parliament. Of the stories written in Canadian daily | newspapers on Champagne, 29 were in French, 10 in English. And the coverage is not - sunny: article after article complains of the minister’s insensitivity to dis- advantaged youth. a We learn a bit about the minister: she was ‘‘always a girl of the private sector,’’ she disapproved of the peace camp and opposes abortion. And a writer takes up a whole page in Quebec’s Le Soleil complaining that he couldn’t. obtain an interview with the minister. Champagne did grant an interview to Canadian University Press, after a letter of request, constant phone calls and about a two-month wait. Waiting a half-hour in her outer office at Parliament's confederation building, a reporter perused the available maga- zines: Pegasus, a magazine by Mobil, The Canadian Composer, Maclean’s, stry is a Joke! ! The Ontario Corn Producer, North- west Exporter, Chartered General Accountant magazine, Executive - “the magazine for presidents’’ and Financial Post magazine with a cover story on ‘‘What to look for in a Lawyer.’’ No youth were in__ sight. Champagne, fluently bilingual, sits in a huge office painted a light pink. She explained her role. ‘‘The PM’s man- date to me is co-ordinate youth activities, listen to youth and report to government, and also outside to’ business, and labour, about. the situa- tion of youth. Also, | must prepare what’s after IYY. It would be terrible if all their (youth’s) work came out nowhere,’’ Champagne said. ‘“I’m very busy and | must meet the greatest number of youth possible,’’ Champagne said. Here’s what she’s found out so far: ‘‘Youth told me they wanted to take part in the decision- making process, Youth don’t feel represented - they don’t know how government works. ‘‘I’m gone (consulting youth) in the December 6, 1985 page 9 evenings but I’m here during the day,’’ Champagne said. ‘’This morn- ing | was in a cabinet meeting.’’ Asked if she spoke of youth, Champagne said ‘‘] raised certain points. | was a good spokesperson for youth at this meeting.’’ “IT am very busy and I must meet the greatest number of youth possible” She said the ministry was small - a staff of 35 - because ‘’Youth don’t need another bureaucratic machinery. Everything we’ve done this year has been by youth,’” Champagne said. She said her own work was to ‘‘take away this notion that youth are drugged, suicidal. Youth are working. They are just waiting for someone to open the door a little bit. If anyone in the government does open the door it will be the ministry of employment and immigration with more co-op education programs, or the ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development with more say — by youth over their region, or perhaps the secretary of state with more funding for post-secondary deucation. — Maybe the CRTC will do it by _licensing Young Canada TV. Maybe the Prime Minister will do it by appointing youth to positions of power. In fact, the ministry of youth is right now frantically looking for ways to justify itself in 1986. ‘I don’t think anything has been decided (about the future of the youth ministry) Van Deusen said in mid-November. ‘Obviously the question of what the minister’s role after lYY will be is a concern. The minister is working on it now, and will be presenting her recommendations to cabinet before Christmas on what she thinks the role of the ministry should be.’’ Champagne’s_ philosophy during this year has always been present- tense. The conferences, the concerts, the exchange trips to France, the video projects: all these are things that happened, and are now over. “Youth are not just part of the future,’’ Champagne told CUP, ‘‘but part of the present.’’ And Champagne may soon be part of the past. Write to Andree Champangne Minister of Youth with your concerns Parliament Buildings Ottawa .