The Harper government likes to remind Canadians that we've done better than most developed nations in bouncing back from the global economic crisis. But digging into the data shows why many people might be having trouble cheering this news: wages have not kept pace with inflation, and new hires are making 40 per cent less than the average worker.

Tiff Macklem, senior deputy governor of the Bank of Canada, recently brought home the official storyline: The level of employment is now higher than it was before the crisis; jobs are mostly being created in the private sector, most are full-time and are emerging in industries that pay above-average wages.

Last Monday, B.C. teachers held a Day of Action in communities across the province to protest the B.C. government's decision to legislate a contract and put an end to their collective bargaining process. I was invited to speak to teachers at the Surrey rally, where I had the opportunity to share some of my analysis of the B.C. Budget (which readers of this blog are familiar with) and debunk some myths around the economic and fiscal context in which the teachers' bargaining process is taking place.

Most of us are familiar with the basic facts of Canada's population and geography. We proudly refer to being the second largest country in the world and one of the least densely populated. This is not news. Nor is the trend toward urbanization a new idea, with well over 80 per cent of Canadians now living in cities.

What receives less attention is the effect of this reality on rural Canada. As every year passes, more and more people are forced to leave home looking for work elsewhere. Rural communities are hollowing out.

Sadly, successive governments have also failed to take notice.