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Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz has sparked controversy by suggesting young people ought to consider unpaid work as a way to gain job experience.

Unpaid internships have generated much public debate in the past year. There are no official statistics on numbers of unpaid interns in Canada, though labour lawyer Andrew Langille says estimates put the numbers around 100,000 a year, a level that has grown since the economic downturn

When asked during the hearing by Liberal MP Scott Brison whether unpaid internships contribute to income inequality – with kids from wealthier families more able to take advantage of those opportunities – Mr. Poloz acknowledged “there are issues like the ones you’re raising … but I still think when there are those opportunities, one should grab them because it will reduce the scarring effect, all other things equal.”