Yesterday the Canadian Federation of Labour organized a protest in downtown Toronto. The purpose was to demand that the government raise the minimum wage to $14 an hour. It is presently $10.25 and is scheduled to rise to $11 an hour this April.
Sid Ryan, the head of the CFL, in an interview, pointed out that $11 an hour equates to a wage that is 3% below the poverty level. Boo hoo.
Sid, try this on for size: My Canada Pension, when converted to an hourly rate based on an 8 hour work day, is $6.25 an hour. So, how far below the poverty level does that put me? Yet I have the same expenses as those people out protesting. I would love to have a pension equivalent to $10.25 an hour. Have you given any thought to people who aren’t members of your Federation? Perhaps you could speak up for them. Oh wait – they’re retired, so you don’t care about them, do you?
To those out protesting, my pension is 60% of what you’re currently earning. So don’t complain to me. If I had your income, I’d consider myself very well off.
Cat.
Well said!
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