The US House of Representatives just recently passed a bill to increase the U.S. federal minimum wage by $2.10 over two years. Within weeks, this bill will pass the Senate and be signed into law.
Last
fall, Ontario’s NDP introduced the Living Wage Bill – legislation that
would immediately raise Ontario’s minimum wage to $10 an hour. It is
supported by a wide variety of groups, including Campaign 2000, the
Ontario Social Development Council, the Interfaith Social Assistance
Reform Coalition, social planning councils, children's aid societies,
unions and immigrant associations. They
support it for a simple reason – Ontario’s working women and men
deserve a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.
Raising
the minimum wage is good for everyone. It is good for the 1.2 million
Ontarians who earn less than $10 an hour. It is good for small business
because working families spend their wages in local community businesses.
It’s good for Ontario. This is Canada’s second wealthiest province.
Other jurisdictions – like Ireland – which boasts one of Europe’s
hottest economies -- have minimum wages over $10 an hour and enjoy
prosperous economies and healthy job creation.
Regrettably,
members of the McGuinty government have spoken against the Living Wage
Act. And now that the bill has passed second reading, instead of acting
immediately to speed hearings through, they are content to let it languish
in committee where they hope it will die a slow death.
Today’s working families are working harder and longer to make ends meet. A living minimum wage would certainly help those who earn the least. Ontario is a wealthy province and we need to ensure prosperity is shared among all Ontarians. When it comes down to it, this is an issue of fairness. We need to ensure that minimum wage earners, who work hard to support their families, are able to make ends meet.
The
McGuinty Liberals could have acted. They
could have moved forward $10 minimum wage legislation.
They didn’t. Instead the Liberals have allowed for minimal increases in
the minimum wage every year. These increases hardly keep up with inflation
let alone make up for the period under the former Conservative government
when the minimum wage didn’t go up at all.
While refusing to move forward on a minimum wage hike however, the government acted with amazing alacrity this past December. In the course of one week, the government introduced and, with the help of the Conservatives, passed legislation that increased the salaries of MPPs by approximately 25%. The McGuinty Liberals were willing to use all the tricks in the book to give themselves a Christmas present yet they didn’t care about Ontario children who don’t get Christmas presents because their parents can’t make ends meet working minimum wage jobs.
Ironically, the most recent incremental increase to the minimum wage came into effect last week. This increase was 25 cents. Not 25% like it was or MPPs – just 25 cents.
This February voters in York South-Weston, Markham and Burlington have a rare opportunity. They have the chance to express their disapproval with the government. They can tell the McGuinty Liberals that they disapprove of the MPP pay raise and the failure of the government to act in the interests of ordinary Ontarians. They can send the McGuinty government a message. A message that they should have done better.
