TORONTO - Federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney says he disagrees with the Bank of Canada governor's suggestion that jobless university graduates should work for free until the job market improves.

Kenny told reporters in Toronto today that he thinks it is the "wrong message" to send to young people.

Speaking to a House of Commons committee Tuesday, Stephen Poloz suggested young Canadians struggling to find work should acquire more experience through unpaid internships or volunteering as they wait for the economy to pick up.

Kenny says it is preferable that the youth take paid positions that give them that experience.

The central banker's remarks were criticized by advocates for young workers, who said they show Poloz is out of touch with the challenges young would-be workers face every day.

Statistics Canada's latest job numbers said the unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 was 13.5 per cent in September, almost double the country's overall rate of 6.8 per cent for the same month.

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