OTTAWA — A candidate for the federal Conservative leadership wants to give new graduates a tax break out of school.

The promise from Erin O'Toole is the first tax policy he has proposed in the campaign, and targets young voters who were critical to the Liberals' electoral success in 2015.

Higher-than-average unemployment rates for students and young workers — along with comments the country's finance minister Bill Morneau made about "job churn'' becoming commonplace for Canadians entering the workforce — has stirred unrest among student groups.

O'Toole is vowing that if he becomes prime minister, he would give new graduates an extra $100,000 in tax breaks over their first three years out of school.