Poverty rate’ drops to lowest level ever and media turns a blind eye

[Moonlight Graham]

Link: http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=13F0027XIE&CHROPG=1〈=eng

Please read that.

Thanks for the link Cyber, here's some of their key points, which backs up my posts in this thread:

Once governments establish a definition [of poverty], Statistics Canada will endeavour to estimate the number of people who are poor according to that definition. Certainly that is a task in line with its mandate and its objective approach. In the meantime, Statistics Canada does not and cannot measure the level of "poverty" in Canada.

For many years, Statistics Canada has published a set of measures called the low income cut-offs. We regularly and consistently emphasize that these are quite different from measures of poverty. They reflect a well-defined methodology which identifies those who are substantially worse off than the average. Of course, being significantly worse off than the average does not necessarily mean that one is poor.

...

In the absence of politically-sanctioned social consensus on who should be regarded as "poor", some people and groups have been using the Statistics Canada low-income lines as a de facto definition of poverty. As long as that represents their own considered opinion of how poverty should be defined in Canada, we have no quarrel with them: all of us are free to have our own views. But they certainly do not represent Statistics Canada's views about how poverty should be defined.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Moonlight Graham

[Topaz]

Some reports have said that the middle-class is/will shrink, well they can't going up, so that means the low incomers will increase and so will the poverty. Yesterday, I heard on TV that in the US,poverty hurts children more than drugs, that means more children are starving than doing drugs?

[Michael Hardner]

Like throwing thier band councils in jail???

Anytime you want to have a serious discussion, we'll be here for you.

[scribblet]

I wouldn't say Coyne is 'upset', he's just reporting what he believes is missing from the MSM.

http://www.workopolis.com/content/advice/article/canadian-paycheques-on-the-rise-heres-what-were-earning-at-the-start-of-2013/

Canadian paycheques on the rise: Here’s what we’re earning at the start of 2013

Peter Harris|

Feb 26, 2013 01:56 pm

Statistics Canada has just released their report on payroll and earnings for December 2012. It turns out that year over year, the average Canadian salary was up by 2.8% to roughly $47,200 or just over $900 a week. When this report came out last year, we were bringing home $883 a week, or $46,000 a year.

Salaries by industry

Five key industries stood out by showing year-over-year salary gains that are greater than the national average. Professional, scientific and technical services; health care and social assistance; and manufacturing all saw the biggest pay increases in 2012.

Average earnings in professional, scientific and technical services increased 5.9% to $1,263 a week in 2012 or roughly $65,675 a year. The largest growth was seen in advertising, public relations, and related services; computer systems design and related services; and legal services.

Salaries in health care and social assistance were up by 5.1% to $835 a week or an average of $43,420 a year. The most significant growth occurred in hospitals and in nursing and residential care facilities.

In manufacturing, weekly earnings rose 4.8% to $1,040, or just over $54,000 a year.

cont..

[Scotty]

Anytime you want to have a serious discussion, we'll be here for you.

Are you saying corruption and misuse of funds is not a serious issue among local band councils?

[Michael Hardner]

Are you saying corruption and misuse of funds is not a serious issue among local band councils?

I wouldn't just post 'throw the band councils in jail' the way you did without explanation. You seem to be trying to backfill some rationale in now - why don't you just go back to the beginning and start over ?

[Sandy MacNab]

I wouldn't just post 'throw the band councils in jail' the way you did without explanation. You seem to be trying to backfill some rationale in now - why don't you just go back to the beginning and start over ?

Michael, with all due respect, I have been watching Canadian politics and public affairs for more than 50 years and knew exactly what he was getting at. Although the natives had and may still have legitimate gripes, I am sure that honest, reasonable Canadians would like to see high fiduciary standards be established by all bands. Any misappropriation or incompetance should be dealt with in accordance with national legal standards and normal standards required in the workplace.

[cybercoma]

Five key industries stood out by showing year-over-year salary gains that are greater than the national average. Professional, scientific and technical services; health care and social assistance; and manufacturing all saw the biggest pay increases in 2012.

In other words, people in unions and we all know what you and other Conservatives think of unions. You'll take credit for the good they do, while twisting the knife in their backs later.

[cybercoma]

I should have known this would have turned into a Bash the Natives thread, as soon as I mentioned StatCan's methodology.

[Michael Hardner]

Michael, with all due respect, I have been watching Canadian politics and public affairs for more than 50 years and knew exactly what he was getting at.

Well, good for you. I think I also had a feeling of where he was going with it but I don't have to indulge weak openers like that.

[scribblet]

In other words, people in unions and we all know what you and other Conservatives think of unions. You'll take credit for the good they do, while twisting the knife in their backs later.

wow what an over the top generalization or stereotyping having zilch to do with anything . chip on shoulder much or is that a boulder.

[cybercoma]

There are enough threads on this forum about unions to illustrate my point and the job sectors that you listed are some of the most unionized. So while the government wants to take credit for rising wages, which are the result of unions in those sectors, they'll continue to try and crush unions whenever they can because that's what Conservatives do.

[scribblet]

Sure they do really, we all know that, nudge nudge wink wink.

[jourclark]

A report published by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that increasingly Americans are giving up their fight to remain profitable in an economic climate that refuses to recover. The amount of Americans living below the poverty line has increased to its highest amount since the bureau started keeping such records in 1959.

[PIK]

Anytime you want to have a serious discussion, we'll be here for you.

Well then get serious about the natives instead of bashing harper all the time. The FACTS are there to prove that the band coucils and chiefs are ripping everyone off Michael, and I am getting sick of people that keep coming to ther defence.It is time to go after them and start jailing some of them so thier people can live decent lives. Chief spence proved to everyone.

[Bonam]

Five key industries stood out by showing year-over-year salary gains that are greater than the national average. Professional, scientific and technical services; health care and social assistance; and manufacturing all saw the biggest pay increases in 2012.

In other words, people in unions and we all know what you and other Conservatives think of unions. You'll take credit for the good they do, while twisting the knife in their backs later.

Manufacturing is unionized yes, but "professional" and "scientific and technical services" includes a great deal of non-unionized people (the substantial majority I would guess). The majority of scientists and engineers are not union workers. Also, in regards to "health care", doctors are not generally unionized.

[Michael Hardner]

Well then get serious about the natives instead of bashing harper all the time. The FACTS are there to prove that the band coucils and chiefs are ripping everyone off Michael, and I am getting sick of people that keep coming to ther defence.It is time to go after them and start jailing some of them so thier people can live decent lives. Chief spence proved to everyone.

I don't think you can find a lot of posts where I'm "bashing" Harper. We looked into the situation with Attawapiskat, and there was certainly a lot more to it than the easy arguments people were throwing around on both sides.

Specifics are key here, PIK, "start jailing some of them" makes no sense at all without specifics. In the case we discussed, the federal government put the local government on notice to improve their accounting practices, which they did. A couple of easy headlines about large amounts of money being spent make people jump to conclusions, but we here at MLW have the luxury of time and dialogue to get to the actual facts of the matter.

[waldo]

Well then get serious about the natives instead of bashing harper all the time.

really? Is there a reason Harper Conservatives denied/delayed an investigative focused visit by the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples? A request originally made way back in Feb 2012? Is there a reason the request was finally granted but in a timeline that doesn't allow proper consideration/review of the investigation... in a timeline being scrutinized so as not to upset a key facet (i.e., talking point) of today's Throne Speech... intended First Nations education funding - "funding sans actual reform"!

[PIK]

really? Is there a reason Harper Conservatives denied/delayed an investigative focused visit by the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples? A request originally made way back in Feb 2012? Is there a reason the request was finally granted but in a timeline that doesn't allow proper consideration/review of the investigation... in a timeline being scrutinized so as not to upset a key facet (i.e., talking point) of today's Throne Speech... intended First Nations education funding - "funding sans actual reform"!

Come on waldo, that UN guy is a joke, the UN is a joke. Lets look at some of it's chair people, and then look at what goes on in thier countries. How many counmtries in the world give thier natives billions upon billions . Lets look at all the native bands in canada that do not live on the governnmet dole. I wonder if that guy visited those reserves that do quite fine making thier own money.

[waldo]

hey now PIK! Is there a particular reason you feel a need to demean the Canadian failings identified by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples... to belittle the person/position?

[dre]

Also, in regards to "health care", doctors are not generally unionized.

Sure they are... they just call them "medical associations" instead of unions. They negotiate with provincial governments on how much doctors should be paid, and take all kinds of action to drive up wages. Name it what you like, but if it quacks its probably a duck.