Every action taken including Alberta Conservative teen entry level wage can have consequences such as collateral damage reaching far into the future. Collateral damage may include lower EI benefits short term and CPP benefits into the future because both are dependent on wages earned. Even if teen entry level wage was implemented for a number of years and then repealed because of its discriminatory nature, CPP benefits for this minority group (and only for this group) will be affected forever because CPP benefits will never be fully restored for those years. Approximately 520,000 Albertans and 4.5 million Canadians are age 15 to 24. If the teen entry level wage based on Australian model is implemented only in in Alberta these youth (11 to 12 per cent) will be forced to earn less wages, EI and CPP benefits than youth in rest of Canada. The NDP and Liberals have justifiably raised minimum wage to a decent level and living wage research has become a mainstay for decreasing poverty. All political parties have been complicit in perpetuating financial policies that increase middle class wealth to upper middle class status while forcing poor families and single unmarried individuals further into poverty. Financial Post “Couple needs to cash in rental condo gains to make retirement work” details a couple age 42 and 43 already having a net worth of $1.8 million, take home pay of $10,936 per month and receiving $286 in Canada Child Benefits for three children. Why are they receiving CCB? Meanwhile, of the 50,000 Alberta Income Support recipients most are single unmarried individuals who receive $617 per month when EI runs out. A sample Red Deer Living wage shows a single person household needs $470 for studio apartment, $328 for food and $125 for transportation (bus and taxi-no vehicle). Upside-down financial madness is displayed when media, sports, entertainment and corporate moguls can have $100 million contracts per individual and when corporate tax benefits and buyouts are used to benefit executives and shareholders at the expense of lowly wage earners. It is time for Conservatives to use forward thinking instead of narrow mindedness in problem solving related to labour and to stop attacking those in lower income levels. Jason Kenney needs to provide full details on the proposed teen wage and how revenue will be affected both in financial savings and welfare output so voters can make informed choices. If socialism equals bringing critical thinking to reducing poverty, elimination of collateral damage policies and stopping the financial privileging of the wealthy, then bring it on. Lin Gackle
