I know that the minimum wage is a contentious issue, particularly with the demands for a $14 per hour minimum wage, based apparently on what is needed in Toronto. But Ontario is a big province. Are there perhaps jurisdictions where a liveable wage can be set lower at that? Could it be that voters in these areas balk at a minimum wage that high, thus accounting for politicians being reluctant to go that high? How do you meet the challenge of setting a liveable wage across a very diverse province where the costs of living may vary quite significantly depending on where you live?
That is a damn good point. Moreover, I am a little bit flumoxed by the fact that the labour movement and the progressive left hailed that last "minimum" wage drive for $10 and hour as a great big victory when the Liberal implemented it even though $10 an hour was, and still is a poverty wage.
It was argued then that progress, was progress, and Wynne was tractable and "progressive".
Now, however, in this case, the NDP offers what is a proportionally greater increase than Wynne implemented during the last minimum wage drive and it is not good enough and evidence that the NDP has abandoned its duty as a "progressive party". A 10% increase implemented by the Liberals in 2010 is a victory, and a progressive step forward, and a 20% increase proposed by the NDP is evidence that the NDP is less progressive than the Liberals.
Something is wrong with this picture, because among other things, Liberals are getting a free ride on their pathetic minimum wage increase.
This shit stinks.
This minimum wage talking point is doing great service to the Liberals as a way of covering for the fact that they are planning to pawn all the family jewels.