The quiet crisis facing boys and young men in today’s society

I want to talk about something many parents, teachers, coaches and employers are already noticing: the growing challenges facing boys and young men.

This isn’t about blame or ideology. It’s about outcomes, and the trends are hard to ignore.

From an early age, boys are more likely to struggle in school, particularly with literacy. They are more likely to disengage, to be disciplined, and to fall behind academically. By post-secondary education, young women enroll and graduate at much higher rates than young men, a gap that continues into the labour market where many young men face instability and underemployment.

The consequences ripple outward. Young men are more likely to experience substance abuse, homelessness and involvement with the justice system. Mental health indicators are especially troubling: men make up the majority of suicide deaths, yet are the least likely to seek help. Too often, we talk about these issues only after something has gone wrong.

When boys and young men feel disconnected from school, work, and purpose, many retreat further online. There, algorithms reward grievance and outrage. Some are pulled into spaces that reinforce resentment, fuel misogyny and normalize hostility toward women. We increasingly see the real-world consequences of this dynamic, including gender-based harm and, in extreme cases, violence.

Many of the most worried voices I hear belong to mothers; moms concerned about sons who are struggling to find confidence, direction and belonging.

There is another quieter consequence we rarely discuss: family formation. As educational and economic gaps widen, it becomes harder for young adults to form stable relationships. Highly educated women report difficulty finding partners with similar stability and goals, while many young men feel disconnected from pathways to work and purpose. The result is delayed family formation and greater isolation.

In Orléans, these trends are not abstract. They appear in conversations with parents, coaches and employers trying to keep young men engaged.

Addressing these challenges does not mean taking anything away from girls and young women. Helping boys succeed strengthens families and communities as a whole.

As we await the Legislature’s return at the end of March, this is an issue I will be working on, listening, learning, and pushing for practical, evidence-based solutions.
This conversation is long overdue.

This work starts with listening. That means hearing from educators, coaches, parents, and young men themselves, and grounding future action in evidence, not ideology, so solutions strengthen opportunity, responsibility, and belonging.