Certain Alberta Conservatives are proposing election changes, i.e., teenage entry level wage. The Alberta Minimum Wage Profile (April 2017 - March, 2018) - At 28.8 per cent, 15 to 19 year olds remained largest group of minimum wage earners and 20 to 24 year olds the second largest at 20.5 per cent. Fact check: Some teens work to pay for their education or help support their families. Some leave home early to establish themselves as hard working independent adults. Others are emancipated minors who leave home because of untenable living conditions. Many minimum wage earners (39.5 per cent) are living with parents because they can't afford independent living. Conservatives have referred to Australia Minimum Wage Reduction for Teens, 2018 (based on $18.93 minimum wage): Under that system wages are scaled based on age. Under 16 years old 36.8 per cent or $6.97, 16 years old 47.3 per cent or $8.95, 17 years old 57.8 per cent or $10.94, 18 years old 68.3 per cent or $12.93, 19 years old 82.5 per cent or $15.61, 20 years old 97.7 per cent or $18.49. Calgary living wage is $18.15. Alberta $15 minimum wage is below the living wage, and now Conservatives want to decrease wages, for example, by approximately 70 per cent or $10.50/hr for an 18 year old? Approximately 13 per cent to 15 per cent of Alberta employees are aged 15 to 24. Do Conservatives really want to target this minority group of only 13 to 15 per cent? Why would parents support this? In 2011, the Alberta services-producing sector employed 77.9 per cent of youth and accommodation and food services industry 37.7 per cent. Youth in service industries will suffer most.. Premise that full wage takes effect only at age 21 because it takes five years to become fully productive is disingenuous, a human rights violation based on age and a social justice failure when at 18 years old these persons are legally categorized as voting adults. Maybe businesses have failed to provide proper training and mentoring. If problems lie with small business then solve small business problems instead of targeting youth to bear brunt of business problems. Apparently politicians and businesses can’t visualize consequences - more welfare and food banks at one end or the ability to live decent financial lives at the other. Jason Kenney needs to reveal his full plan for teen entry level wage so voters can make informed choices. One of the world's great capitalists, Henry Ford, realized that if he paid his workers a fair wage they stayed longer and bought his products. Of course, the above discussion will be considered moot by some who consider this to be socialistic drivel since they view lowly wage earners to be less worthy than wealth creators. Lin Gackle
