Kudos to Rick Sullivan, the Living Wage for Families Coalition and Parksville city councillors who voted in favour of Parksville becoming a “living wage employer.”
As a taxpayer, I look forward to more public institutions in this region and country becoming “living wage employers” and hope private sector employers follow suit.
Research has long indicated increases to lower income earners is the most cost-effective means of stimulating an economy as it has the greatest multiplier effect.
Research has also long shown small and medium-sized businesses, along with an effective public sector actually serving the common good, provide the most jobs.
Such investment ensures all within our community have the means and services to have life with dignity in a cost-effective manner while helping local businesses.
I agree with Coun. Al Grier — we do not live in a perfect world. In a perfect world, such research would translate into public policy and practice.
Instead, since the 1970s, we have fed a fable telling us policies enabling the rich to further enrich themselves will magically benefit all while serving the “common good.”
Ongoing examination of the data dump referred to as the “Panama Papers” by the CBC/The Star again illustrates this ideological fantasy has no basis in reality.
Coun. Sue Powell referenced one policy flowing from this fable. Tax havens enable the very wealthy to avoid paying their fair share of costs which enable them to have profitable Canadian businesses — such as an educated workforce, infrastructure and political/social stability.
Canada loses approximately $81 billion to tax avoidance/evasion annually. This is roughly equivalent to half of our annual health care expenditure.
Think on that the next time you or a loved one waits for joint replacement surgery or doesn’t have access to a palliative care bed.
Yvonne ZarownyQualicum Beach