August1991 Posted January 21 Report Posted January 21 In 1911, about 33 of 100 Canadians worked in food production.About 1/3 of Canadians worked to feed us. Nowadays, in 2025, only 2 Canadians among 100 work in food production. Since 1911, some 31 Canadians of 100 have lost their jobs - and now do other things In 2025, about 2 in 100 Canadians produce the food we eat. The milk, cheese. Sadly, the cheese. Abroad, the choice of cheese is great. Quote
Aristides Posted January 21 Report Posted January 21 Canadians don’t want to do farm work, it’s physically hard. 1 Quote
Michael Hardner Posted January 21 Report Posted January 21 1 hour ago, Aristides said: Canadians don’t want to do farm work, it’s physically hard. Well, besides that our whole structure isn't set up to do this. We house migrant farm workers in temporary facilities. We would have to house Canadians nearby in permanent housing. They'd have to get EI in the off-season, I suppose, since they can't earn at those times. We'd have to pay them more to attract the workers. Just a lot of questions here that need to be answered. But to the assumed point of the OP: yes, things change. We don't have manufacturers, miners, and manual labourers like we did. These people do other jobs now that aren't as physically demanding. They pay .... sometimes more, sometimes less. But nobody seems to be saying we're going to have unionized work groups making things like home appliances in Canada because said appliances would be at least double the cost (and I'm basing this on 1997 prices, which already had a lot of lower labour costs factored in) Fantasizing about unskilled labourers making what they made in the 1950s and 1960s is not productive. 1 Quote Click to learn why Climate Change is caused by HUMANS Michael Hardner
Aristides Posted January 21 Report Posted January 21 (edited) My son in law was in the dairy business and had a hell of a time getting reliable locals for full time work. He eventually gave up and went the TFW route to get people he could rely on, one from Mexico and the other from the Philippines. To do it he had to evict a long time tenant from one of his rentals so he could house them. Edited January 21 by Aristides Quote
herbie Posted January 21 Report Posted January 21 3 hours ago, Aristides said: Canadians don’t want to do farm work, it’s physically hard. and pays shit. Because it has to. Hence the TFWs. as Americans will soon find out when they deport them all. Quote
Aristides Posted January 21 Report Posted January 21 (edited) 1 hour ago, herbie said: and pays shit. Because it has to. Hence the TFWs. as Americans will soon find out when they deport them all. Actually it can pay reasonably well for competent reliable workers but of course you wouldn’t mind paying even more for your food so they could earn more. Farmers are responsible for their accommodation as well as their airfare to and from their home country. The process of getting a TFW can also be long and expensive. Edited January 21 by Aristides Quote
herbie Posted January 22 Report Posted January 22 (edited) 2 hours ago, Aristides said: you wouldn’t mind paying even more for your food That's why it's not doable. People demand watermelons in February and cheap lettuce but don't want world trade or TFWs. Your own kid will tell you to eat shit if you even suggest they pick strawberries or peaches these days. We get hundreds of tree planters thru here and only 1/10 has the dedication and stamina to make enough to even think of coming back next season. Farm workers don't even have to sleep under plastic sheets, eat out of cans and shit in the bush. But just the same make sure they know coming here for a semester or to pick for a season doesn't entitle you to stay. I know quite a few who went back and forth, worked their butts off and got many, many letters of recommendations first. Edited January 22 by herbie Quote
herbie Posted January 22 Report Posted January 22 We can tack on our own stupidity. Just as the Orange Oaf takes office, after months of warning about migrants about to swarm north - hte Imbeciles in Charge are planning to lay off thousands of immigration workers. The usual thumb up the ass response to warnings beforehand. Quote
August1991 Posted January 25 Author Report Posted January 25 On 1/21/2025 at 1:29 PM, Aristides said: Canadians don’t want to do farm work, it’s physically hard. You miss the point of my OP. In 1911, some 100 years ago, what was the alternative. Quote
Aristides Posted January 25 Report Posted January 25 (edited) On 1/21/2025 at 7:39 PM, herbie said: That's why it's not doable. People demand watermelons in February and cheap lettuce but don't want world trade or TFWs. Your own kid will tell you to eat shit if you even suggest they pick strawberries or peaches these days. We get hundreds of tree planters thru here and only 1/10 has the dedication and stamina to make enough to even think of coming back next season. Farm workers don't even have to sleep under plastic sheets, eat out of cans and shit in the bush. But just the same make sure they know coming here for a semester or to pick for a season doesn't entitle you to stay. I know quite a few who went back and forth, worked their butts off and got many, many letters of recommendations first. One of my kids is a farmer and all her kids grew up working on it. They know what hard work is. Their father paid them like farm hands and they were expected to work like farm hands and they did. That work ethic transferred to their later lives. The oldest paid his own way through university with what he saved and is now a civil engineer, The second is now taking her masters, the third is in nursing school and the last just graduated from high school. But you are right, too many of today's generations want to keep their hands clean. Edited January 25 by Aristides Quote
August1991 Posted January 25 Author Report Posted January 25 3 hours ago, Aristides said: One of my kids is a farmer and all her kids grew up working on it. They know what hard work is. Their father paid them like farm hands and they were expected to work like farm hands and they did. That work ethic transferred to their later lives. .... Work ethic is one thing. We now use time differently. Some people retire at 55 and bored, fly to Cuba several times a year. Quote
herbie Posted January 25 Report Posted January 25 12 hours ago, August1991 said: We now use time differently. Some people retire at 55 and bored, fly to Cuba several times a year. You're stuck on those 2000 era ads for Freedom 55. Almost nobody retires at 55 anymore unless they're very well off. If they're able some do at 60 and most build savings up until they're 65. Vote in PP and you won't be able to do that either. Almost everyone I know that took early retirement was because of job losses and buyouts. They had pensions better than wages as a WalMart door greeter... Quote
Legato Posted January 25 Report Posted January 25 5 minutes ago, herbie said: You're stuck on those 2000 era ads for Freedom 55. Almost nobody retires at 55 anymore unless they're very well off. If they're able some do at 60 and most build savings up until they're 65. Vote in PP and you won't be able to do that either. Almost everyone I know that took early retirement was because of job losses and buyouts. They had pensions better than wages as a WalMart door greeter... Not everyone can be a Walmart greeter, a minimum requirement is an arts degree. Quote
herbie Posted January 25 Report Posted January 25 Most likely they can't because they already dumped those for younger exit narcs. And like Crappy Tire installed talking mechanical gates to inconvenience and welcome you. Quote
SpankyMcFarland Posted January 26 Report Posted January 26 Trump wants us to take more US milk. Is he aware how many illegal workers help produce it? Essentially, he’s insisting we accept the proceeds of crime. On 1/21/2025 at 7:56 PM, Aristides said: Actually it can pay reasonably well for competent reliable workers but of course you wouldn’t mind paying even more for your food so they could earn more. What is reasonably well? I had assumed it was low. Quote
August1991 Posted January 29 Author Report Posted January 29 (edited) On 1/25/2025 at 2:46 PM, herbie said: You're stuck on those 2000 era ads for Freedom 55. Almost nobody retires at 55 anymore unless they're very well off. If they're able some do at 60 and most build savings up until they're 65. Vote in PP and you won't be able to do that either. Almost everyone I know that took early retirement was because of job losses and buyouts. They had pensions better than wages as a WalMart door greeter... I disagree. In 1911 or 1951, no ordinary Canadian took a boat to Cuba. Nowadays,, 2020s, many ordinary people born in the 1950s fly south. Edited January 29 by August1991 Quote
herbie Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 14 hours ago, August1991 said: Nowadays,, 2020s, many ordinary people born in the 1950s fly south. Nowadays to anywhere but the USA Quote
August1991 Posted January 31 Author Report Posted January 31 On 1/29/2025 at 3:55 PM, herbie said: Nowadays to anywhere but the USA In January 2025, nowadays, many ordinary Canadians go to Florida or Arizona. Or Cuba. In 1925, only very rich people went to Cuba. In the 1930s, Pierre Trudeau wanted to paddle from Key West. Quote
herbie Posted January 31 Report Posted January 31 In 1930 Pierre Trudeau was 11. Most kids when I was 11 wanted to go to space. With our dollar at it's current value and the BS going on with the USA, not many Canadians are going to either the US or Cuba in January 2025. And with the Airlines gouging Canadians to the max and winter the average Canadian is not going very far at all. Maybe carpooling and room sharing all the way to Whistler for a weekend. Quote
August1991 Posted February 3 Author Report Posted February 3 On 1/31/2025 at 4:50 PM, herbie said: In 1930 Pierre Trudeau was 11. Most kids when I was 11 wanted to go to space. With our dollar at it's current value and the BS going on with the USA, not many Canadians are going to either the US or Cuba in January 2025. And with the Airlines gouging Canadians to the max and winter the average Canadian is not going very far at all. Maybe carpooling and room sharing all the way to Whistler for a weekend. Pierre Trudeau was born in 1919. His mother was English-speaking, Scottish Catholic. His father was French-speaking Ambitious. She crossed lines to marry him and Pierre Trudeau became Pierre-Elliot Trudeau. Fair enough. Trudeau (the dad) did not want to paddle to Cuba in the 1930s. He wanted to do it in the 1950s. BTW, I do know that he went to China in the 1950s. I met his accomplice. Quote
August1991 Posted February 3 Author Report Posted February 3 On 1/31/2025 at 4:50 PM, herbie said: .... With our dollar at it's current value and the BS going on with the USA, not many Canadians are going to either the US or Cuba in January 2025. .... According to the smart people now, if things go wrong. it's all Trump's fault. Quote
herbie Posted February 3 Report Posted February 3 It was someone else that started the trade war? Quote
herbie Posted February 3 Report Posted February 3 BTW the dollar was at 69c during the Mulroney years. And due to our "branch plant" economy it was still much cheaper for us to cross the border for groceries. Those too young or too old and senile to remember are unaware of the benefits of Free Trade or what Republicans and Conservatives actually stood for. Quote
GroundskeeperWillie Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 On 1/21/2025 at 1:37 PM, herbie said: and pays shit. Because it has to. Hence the TFWs. as Americans will soon find out when they deport them all. No. It's not that we have to. We don't want to pay people well because some employers don't want to provide livable wages. And people like you find excuses for this appalling behavior. Quote
herbie Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 Duh! I'm doing anything BUT that by pointing out the reasons they use. You're comprehension skills need work. Quote
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