On Minimum Wages
Eugene Plawiuk is in favour of an increase to $10/hr.
Jason Cherniak is opposed, citing the threat of job loss, damage to businesses, et cetera.
I am not an economist, but I do recall that when McGuinty took the minimum wage from $6.85 in 2003 to $8.00 as of this February, the same doomsday scenarios were predicted by some economists. A certain point, when small-business special-interest groups insist that every wage increase or regulation change will kill them off and result in massive job loss, you just have to start tuning them out.
Jason's post mentions kids at Wonderland reaping a windfall from this sort of law. I suppose that's a very Richmond Hill perspective. I suggest though that he consider what a difference something like this could mean to the immigrant mothers living on the fringes of Toronto. What about kids growing up in Flemingdon Park? Or Rexdale? Many of them may have to help out with the rent or the groceries even at a young age. Some kids - of any income - may be trying to save for post-secondary, a higher minimum wage makes that a bit more possible.
It's simplistic to suggest that a 25% increase in the minimum wage would lead to a loss of 25% of minimum wage jobs.
Jason Cherniak is opposed, citing the threat of job loss, damage to businesses, et cetera.
I am not an economist, but I do recall that when McGuinty took the minimum wage from $6.85 in 2003 to $8.00 as of this February, the same doomsday scenarios were predicted by some economists. A certain point, when small-business special-interest groups insist that every wage increase or regulation change will kill them off and result in massive job loss, you just have to start tuning them out.
Jason's post mentions kids at Wonderland reaping a windfall from this sort of law. I suppose that's a very Richmond Hill perspective. I suggest though that he consider what a difference something like this could mean to the immigrant mothers living on the fringes of Toronto. What about kids growing up in Flemingdon Park? Or Rexdale? Many of them may have to help out with the rent or the groceries even at a young age. Some kids - of any income - may be trying to save for post-secondary, a higher minimum wage makes that a bit more possible.
It's simplistic to suggest that a 25% increase in the minimum wage would lead to a loss of 25% of minimum wage jobs.
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posted by Dan at 7:52 PM
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