Canuckistani

But you're only looking at the CEOs. What about all the other people making somewhere between what the CEO and the min wage worker makes? Why is it always the min wage or low wage workers that will destroy the economy with higher wages, not the better paid workers. I've heard that argument so often, that inflation will just eat up win wage workers increases, by people I guarantee you will take any wage increase they can get for themselves. And here's a thought. Min wage workers will immediately spend that extra money because they live hand to mouth - ie it gets put back into the economy. They will be healthier because they can afford better food and housing and medical care (it's not all free). They will make less demands on our social support systems and pay more in taxes to the govt. Sounds like a good deal all around to me.

Ah, so if we were to lower the min wage, they would actually be better off? Funny how it only seems to work on minimum wage workers. CEO's going for bigger and bigger incomes, not a problem. Doctors wanting more, no sweat. McD's worker wanting a bit more - it will ruin the economy. Who knew they had so much economic clout.

And, it's about a lot more than having some minimal material goods so you're not poor by some absolute standard. If the spread widens between those that have little, and those that have the most, it tears society apart. Causes health problems and crime, and disrupts social cohesion. Of course we have to have income disparity, society would fall apart just as much if we enforced true income equality. But it's a matter of getting the disparity right - it's a Goldilocks thing.

they deserve the majority of the profits and they get the majority of the profits. But Obama's comments are a good reminder that nobody does it alone. I would suggest before the rich start giving praise to the govt, they could just try bitching a little less about how hard done by they are.

look at the comment just above yours

So in cases where contraception fails, or rape, you're in favor of abortion? We should be setting limits abortion - ie on demand earlier in the pregnancy, only for medical emergencies later. While this pleases neither of the extremist sides, I think it's the best answer to this knotty question.

Does it increase the economy enough to account for all those people? Does it increase the economy enough to make up for the stresses on our infrastructure? Environmental degradation? The number of immigrants brought in does not change with the economy. Hasn't since Mulroney. Temp workers, that may be partially true, but if we're bringing in 250,000 a year with the unemployment rate where it is, how many more would be be bringing in if we were in boom times? Do you think we're putting in enough effort to train Canadians for the jobs we need filled?

Good luck doing business in Bermuda. The IRS is already getting tough with tax evaders.

Basic laws of economics - what are those? According to some we should have no regulations what so ever, because they go against the basic laws of economics. Certainly no minimum wage, no unemployment insurance, etc. And of course allow labor to flow as easily as capital. Let's just live on one Randian planet. The laws of economics are not like physical laws. Lots of differences about economics among economists, gravity and physicists, not so much. Many of our laws go against laissez faire capitalism. We institute them because we want a stable society. We already place limits on immigration and temp workers, we could easily change those limits.

Are they hurting for money? What's the beef? The US has a huge deficit - need to raise taxes to pay it off. That includes raising them on the middle class. There's no way you can cut enough to make up that defict. Not if you want a country left, and especially that expensive military your 1 percenters seem to feel they need.

You want to return to the 1800's? Will forelock tugging be making a comeback too?

Strange, we have all sorts of labor law that's based on the idea of fairness. How is it unfair to protect Canadian jobs and wages by not importing so many foreigners, be they temporary or not? Yes there has to be a balance to it, sometimes it makes sens to bring in people. But we don't do that, we bring in 500,000 people a year, no matter what's happening in our economy. If low wages is what makes the economy go around, why not get rid of the minimum wage, provisions for paying overtime and holidays, etc etc. Let's get rid of environmental laws, because they are a drag on business. Let's find the lowest level, and we can have growth like China does. Good times. Good times.

Sort of a circle, huh? The business couldn't exist without the police to protect them, the various regulations govt puts in place to make business an orderly affair, etc. And if you think only the owner of the business built up that business, well good luck to him without people working for him. The reason capital makes more capital is because it takes a portion of the output of labor. There would be no business without labor anymore than there would be one without the owner. It's called interdependence. What the low tax people need to realize is that the good life they enjoy is fostered by this interdependence, and they need to pay for in in proportion to how much they benefit. WTF is it with the greedhogs that they make unbelievable amounts of money and yet don't want to contribute to the system that's allowed them to make that money and to keep it?

I see no problem with the Scouts having gay leaders or gay scouts. Be believe we have both in Canada. I do support the Scouts being able to exclude whomever they want tho, since they are a private organization.

There's no reason those jobs should be as low paid as they are. If employers had to compete to attract workers for them, the wages would go up. And you'd have to pay a bit more for your Timmies - so sad. Construction labor used to be a unionized, well paying job - exactly my point. Cleaners used to be paid much more than min wage, and some still are. No reason these jobs have to be so poorly paid. It's not about denying 3rd world citizens the chance to come here. It's about taking 3rd world citizens that the 3rd world govt went thru the expense to train and bleeding them off, a form of colonialism. And we don't need to be importing people, no matter what part of the world they come from, just to show we're nice guys. We should be doing what's best for Canada and Canadians, which sometimes means closing the door. Funny how many immigrants have said the exact same thing to me, once they got here. They feel they got conned.

I think you're right. And we shouldn't gloat too much, this isn't likely to remain the way it is.

No, you're not reading it right. They're not catching up and surpassing native born Canadians the way they used to. It's a concern. But even if they did catch up - for what? Why are we importing masses of people to work in low paying jobs, depressing the wages of those jobs? We can train and educate our own people for the jobs we have - why take them from 3rd world countries who need them more than we do?

ad infinitum: http://www.yorku.ca/tiedi/doc/SummaryReport8.pdf

Don't know when you were a kid, but since the 1980's, when immigration shifted to Asia, immigrants have been much less successful, as a group, than previous. I mean read the papers, it's not the same as it ever was.

By your example: $90/hr = $15,000 per month. These guys were paid $600. That's a lot of airline tickets, food and shelter. At $30 it's still $5000/month. Somebody is zooming somebody here.

We should totally do that. Why not just import cheap labor for all jobs - think of the savings to Canadians.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/scarborough-residents-reluctant-talk-shooting-010451328.html

Most people who grow up in dire circumstances don't become killers. But if we want to reduce the killers and gangsters, we have to set them on a different path. Unfortunately just jailing them doesn't accomplish that.

No, I'm not. We still have plenty of jobs in Canada that aren't or can't be outsourced. If we import more people than there are those jobs created in Canada, we increase unemployment. But I'll agree that it makes little sense to export jobs to Asia but then import a bunch of Asians to take jobs here that we shipped there. Michael's solution is for us to create high skill, high paying jobs in Canada. We'll we're not doing too well on that front. And immigrants as a group are doing poorly in the job market because even if they have the skills they aren't recognized here or their language problems prevent them from using those skills. It's just a mess all around.

They don't, not in a significant way. Yes, social projects are important. But way more important is giving these guys as sense that following the legit way will lead to a better life for them. Ie role models, internships, etc. Another is doing something about drugs, presumably legalize them, to remove them as an option for getting rich quick. I think a big piece is having the people who are in power set an example of how to live in an honest way. As long as the finance boys steal trillions and get away with it, are admired for it, who can blame these guys for trying to emulate them.