Alberta Politics Thread v2

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by GGG

The dishwasher isn’t getting rehired unless the prep cook has an opportunity somewhere else that he doesn’t have to wash dishes.

Like a place who can afford to hire a dishwasher with the new lower minimum wage?

This is exactly what happens, meaning there is competition, even for dishwashers. Perhaps the best dishwashers will even make slightly more than the new lower minimum wage and less than the prep cook.

In this example by raising the minimum wage you haven't helped the prep cook, you've just destroyed work for dishwashers.

Employment among youth is the lowest in Alberta's history. It's not a coincidence.

[Locke]

I find the attitude around here about not having a job when you're young very discouraging.

[CaptainCrunch]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKCN1Q12C3


Says a lot, Canada dropped their exports, and the US jumped right in

[you&me]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKCN1Q12C3


Says a lot, Canada dropped their exports, and the US jumped right in

I can picture the cartoon in my head now:

"Canada" (*looking around*)
"Now where did I leave that $50 million dollars a day?"

"US"
"Yoink"

[GGG]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Like a place who can afford to hire a dishwasher with the new lower minimum wage?

This is exactly what happens, meaning there is competition, even for dishwashers. Perhaps the best dishwashers will even make slightly more than the new lower minimum wage and less than the prep cook.

In this example by raising the minimum wage you haven't helped the prep cook, you've just destroyed work for dishwashers.

Employment among youth is the lowest in Alberta's history. It's not a coincidence.

I’m arguing businesses will take profit rather than hire new workers given replacement workers exist and the uncertain market means minimizing costs is a primary driver right now. I agree once the job market tightens and there isn’t a surplus of workers that what you suggest will happen.

I’ve been disappointed in the analysis around youth unemployment. It hasn’t seem to have gone beyond comparing the percentages. To really compare you need to pull out the general increase in youth unemployment North America wide and normalize it.

Then you need to try to parse the recession from the wage increase by comparing say Seattle data to Calgary Data. Then we could have a good discussion around cause.

Right now we have high youth unemployment which is caused by some combination of high minimum wage, recession, general reduction in youth interest in employment or even other factors like the TFW program. It’s tough to provide a solution when the cause isn’t well defined.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by GGG

I’m arguing businesses will take profit rather than hire new workers given replacement workers exist and the uncertain market means minimizing costs is a primary driver right now. I agree once the job market tightens and there isn’t a surplus of workers that what you suggest will happen.

I’ve been disappointed in the analysis around youth unemployment. It hasn’t seem to have gone beyond comparing the percentages. To really compare you need to pull out the general increase in youth unemployment North America wide and normalize it.

Then you need to try to parse the recession from the wage increase by comparing say Seattle data to Calgary Data. Then we could have a good discussion around cause.

Right now we have high youth unemployment which is caused by some combination of high minimum wage, recession, general reduction in youth interest in employment or even other factors like the TFW program. It’s tough to provide a solution when the cause isn’t well defined.

All of this is fair and good. We already know that an increased minimum wage can have a negative effect on youth employment. We already know youth employment in Alberta is at an unprecedented level.

This is an easy step to take, with a likely positive impact, that doesn't require further study.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GGG

I’m arguing businesses will take profit rather than hire new workers given replacement workers exist and the uncertain market means minimizing costs is a primary driver right now. I agree once the job market tightens and there isn’t a surplus of workers that what you suggest will happen.

I’ve been disappointed in the analysis around youth unemployment. It hasn’t seem to have gone beyond comparing the percentages. To really compare you need to pull out the general increase in youth unemployment North America wide and normalize it.

Then you need to try to parse the recession from the wage increase by comparing say Seattle data to Calgary Data. Then we could have a good discussion around cause.

Right now we have high youth unemployment which is caused by some combination of high minimum wage, recession, general reduction in youth interest in employment or even other factors like the TFW program. It’s tough to provide a solution when the cause isn’t well defined.

Oh my God.

Are you serious with this?

I've thought about this post a lot before actually posting it.

Theres more but its gone now.

Heres the short gist of it:

There are people in charge and, I know this is insane, but who actually get paid to figure this stuff out.

They're called: The Government.

Unfortunately they're stupid. Thats our fault.

Its like asking a 4 year old to take care of the International Space Station. He'll try his best but its going to be a disaster.

All that hysterical hyperbole aside, whats worse than our Government being stupid?

You cant cure stupid. Whats worse is that our Government knows they're stupid and they just dont care.

They just be stupid all day and screw up other people's lives and then go home and admire their paycheques and their pensions that they didnt earn.

Not caring about other people is whats worse than being stupid. In case anyone was wondering.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Locke

I find the attitude around here about not having a job when you're young very discouraging.

Not sure what you mean. Which attitude?

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Locke

I find the attitude around here about not having a job when you're young very discouraging.

Personally I find the attitude that the value of a worker’s life isn’t high enough to warrant paying them a wage that they would be able to live on if they committed to working for you full time at that rate to be discouraging.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Personally I find the attitude that the value of a worker’s life isn’t high enough to warrant paying them a wage that they would be able to live on if they committed to working for you full time at that rate to be discouraging.

$15/hr full time isn't a living wage.

But you're right. Their work isn't valued enough. That's why those jobs aren't available anymore.

The upside for you is that you have less competition for your job.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Shazam

$15/hr full time isn't a living wage.

But you're right. Their work isn't valued enough. That's why those jobs aren't available anymore.

Did I say the value of their work or the value of their life?

The upside for you is that you have less competition for your job.

Don’t see how you came to that conclusion. I don’t see any upside in having people paid wages they can’t survive on.

[CaptainCrunch]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1096144675646259200

[Dion]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Personally I find the attitude that the value of a worker’s life isn’t high enough to warrant paying them a wage that they would be able to live on if they committed to working for you full time at that rate to be discouraging.

Welcome back. You've been missing from these discussions

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Locke

Oh my God.

Are you serious with this?

I've thought about this post a lot before actually posting it.

Theres more but its gone now.

Heres the short gist of it:

There are people in charge and, I know this is insane, but who actually get paid to figure this stuff out.

They're called: The Government.

Unfortunately they're stupid. Thats our fault.

Its like asking a 4 year old to take care of the International Space Station. He'll try his best but its going to be a disaster.

All that hysterical hyperbole aside, whats worse than our Government being stupid?

You cant cure stupid. Whats worse is that our Government knows they're stupid and they just dont care.

They just be stupid all day and screw up other people's lives and then go home and admire their paycheques and their pensions that they didnt earn.

Not caring about other people is whats worse than being stupid. In case anyone was wondering.

Your responses are becoming a lot less rational.

Do you honestly believe

"our Government knows they're stupid and they just dont care."

If you actually believe this I'm not sure there is much point to discussing issues with you.

We can have a debate if the government is making bad decisions or is unqualified. We can discuss policy and consequences of policy. We can disagree. But to say they are aware of their own incompetence and yet do nothing to fix it is nonsensical.

They are incentivised to get re-elected. They get re-elected by convincing close to a majority of Albertans that they are competent. You don't do that by "knowing you are stupid and not caring"

And yes I am serious. The government and opposition for every policy position should have the economic analysis from people who favour their position and those that disagree with their position and an evaluation as to why they follow one position over the other. They should also have the measurables they will be tracking to evaluate whether or not policy is effective over the next few years.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

https://twitter.com/user/status/1096144675646259200

In principal I agree with voter recall but it needs to be a high bar, really high so it can't be abused. In theory it would need to be 50% of the voters in a riding but that might be too high.

[Ozy_Flame]

Allowing Albertans to fire an MLA who has lost their trust.

This seems like a slippery slope. Define "trust". Criminal violation? Personal preference? Yikes.

Also, isn't Jason Kenney being investigated for voting irregularities from the Prab Gill thing? ��

[DiracSpike]

I love the idea to make floor crossers survive a by-election under the new party banner but the part about firing politicians that lose trust seems really nebulous and weird.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

I love the idea to make floor crossers survive a by-election under the new party banner but the part about firing politicians that lose trust seems really nebulous and weird.

Yeah. That one should really be a high bar and only involve constituents who had voted originally in that riding - not some gerrymandering garbage that would likely happen.

[GGG]

I really don’t like recall and really don’t like elections for floor crossers.

A back bench MLA or MP has so little power and each successive government concentrates more power in the executive. Floor crossing is the last option for an MP /MLA to register their opposition to a decision by the government. Forcing the MLA to answer to the electorate in this situation increases the barrier to this. The current Trudeau scandal may not end until MPs threaten to leave the party.

Now you could say they have to sit as an independent but that wouldn’t really change anything as they could still vote and caucus with the other party. What is the real benefit to the a floor crosser having to seek relection? A replacement back bench MP / MLA that has no real say anyways?

Recall is just a populist talking point that sounds good in theory. The dollars required to arrange a successful recall mean that it will never be a grassroots revolt against an MLA. It will always be a politically targeted attack funded by a monied interest.

Think Tides targeting pro-pipeline MPs in BC for recalls in attempt to change their position.

[Jacks]

NDP launches a new website to give their positive vision of Alberta's future and to defend their record and accomplishments of the last 4 years.



Okay, just kiding, it's a mud bath
https://thetruthaboutjasonkenney.ca
Just call the election jackasses