Quote:
Originally Posted by Disco_Whore
For Diva & thechixor,
I understand and mostly agree with your arguments, but there's one minor flaw: Where is this 'funding' you're talking about coming from? Because raising minimum wage doesn't mean the government is paying everyone more money, employers are. So it's not a matter of money being better spent on these programs than on raising minimum wage, since they are separate (though related) issues.
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It's a vicious cycle. Although the initial cost comes out of businesses it will affect everyone through taxing, income tax etc. I'm not sure about Diva, but what I mean by that is I would rather the government spend their time passing laws that will give people the ability to further themselves through education or give them tools to succeed so we don't have to worry about the minimum wage being raised. Our tax dollars are paying for this to be even considered when our parliament sit in and decide on these things... I think there are more important things that need to be discussed than the minimum wage. Although Senior has given us stats that are previews of how it's going to affect everyone else, I beg to differ.
Keeping with the basic gas station or Mc D's model, if they have to pay their employees more for minimum wage, then that affects their budget for their business. So as Senior said, our gas could go up 0.35 or more (and yes Senior I DO care about paying more for something I am already taxed for quite heavily). As for MC D's, you take in to consideration the fact that if you go to the states, the prices of a cheeseburger are 0.70 cents give or take, and here they are upwards of a 1.39. That's not our dollar, that's our taxes. Not to mention sales tax on top of that. It's more expensive for Mc D's to run their business here, than it is to run it in the states, where minimum wages are much lower. I could care less about the fast food in this country, but groceries and other things that I do buy and use I don't want to spend more on just because people think that 10.00/hr is a fair wage. Living in Vancouver is a luxury and if anyone thinks otherwise they are kidding themselves.
There are jobs here that pay minimum wage, but many companies as wishbone already said compete to provide a fair starting wage to get people to work. We are in need of people to work... which is why perhaps we should be turning to put money into helping people who do work for minimum wage look for a better paying job or get them qualified for one. More money being made = more money being spent, but there is no sense in FORCING a business to pay their employees at least that.
As I said before, I have never made minimum and it's not difficult to walk into Superstore and get hired... or for that matter Telus, where I work. I am pretty sure others would agree with that for where they work (except Diva, who has earned making a nice salary, as she worked hard and went through school for it).
Nov 06, 07
