Close X
Sunday, December 15, 2024
ADVT 
National

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley Defends Plan To Hike Minimum Wage By 2018

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Dec, 2015 12:52 PM
  • Alberta Premier Rachel Notley Defends Plan To Hike Minimum Wage By 2018
EDMONTON — The Alberta government is not wavering from its plan to raise the minimum wage despite an internal document that warns of the possibility of job losses.
 
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is calling on the NDP to slow the plan after obtaining the Jobs ministry document through an access to information request
 
CFIB spokesman Richard Truscott says the memo tells a different story than the government has been saying.
 
He says the province has been maintaining that hiking the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018 would create jobs, not kill them.
 
But Premier Rachel Notley says the group is cherry-picking parts of the memo.
 
She says the federation is ignoring other important elements.
 
 
“The document you’re referring to, if you read it fully, essentially says we don’t know exactly what the outcome would be if this goes ahead as previously planned in 2018, and there’s a possibility we could have job losses.” she says. “But it doesn’t say definitively nor is it relying on a planned state of action that we’ve actually committed to yet.”
 
In fact, she says, the rest of the memo echoes previous statements from the NDP on the issue of minimum wage, and even says the recent hike to $11.20 an hour has rendered positive results already.
 
“The memo to which you’re referring to actually says that the steps that we’ve taken thus far at the very least has no negative impact,” she says, “and suggests that there is in fact research out there – as I have been saying all along – that suggests it might actually have a positive impact.”
 
Notley adds that if there are job losses, there is a plan to adjust the minimum wage roll-out.
 
“We’re going to to track what the implications have been as we moved forward,” she says. “We’re going to keep an eye on what’s happening in the economy overall, and to the level of job creation and job sustainability in Alberta and we’ll adjust accordingly.”

MORE National ARTICLES

Montreal Teen Convicted On Terrorism-Related Offences

Montreal Teen Convicted On Terrorism-Related Offences
Youth court Judge Dominique Wilhelmy handed down the verdict this morning.

Montreal Teen Convicted On Terrorism-Related Offences

No Pressing Need To Reopen Constituion, I Have Better Things To Do: Justin Trudeau

No Pressing Need To Reopen Constituion, I Have Better Things To Do: Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau says there is no pressing problem facing the country that can only be resolved by opening the Constitution — a laborious, time-consuming road the new prime minister has no intention of going down.

No Pressing Need To Reopen Constituion, I Have Better Things To Do: Justin Trudeau

Quebec Police Say They Have Received 200 Tips In Cedrika Provencher Case

Quebec Police Say They Have Received 200 Tips In Cedrika Provencher Case
Quebec provincial police say they have received about 200 tips as they continue their search for clues in the death of nine-year-old Cedrika Provencher.

Quebec Police Say They Have Received 200 Tips In Cedrika Provencher Case

B.C. Woman Among Four Canadians Among 24 People To Win Carnegie Hero Medals And Cash

B.C. Woman Among Four Canadians Among 24 People To Win Carnegie Hero Medals And Cash
PHILADELPHIA — Four Canadians are among 24 people being honoured with medals and cash from the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Heroes Fund Commission.

B.C. Woman Among Four Canadians Among 24 People To Win Carnegie Hero Medals And Cash

U.S. Federal Reserve Hikes Interest Rates, But Canada Said Unlikely To Follow Suit

U.S. Federal Reserve Hikes Interest Rates, But Canada Said Unlikely To Follow Suit
The struggling Canadian dollar is expected to face more tough slogging ahead following Wednesday's decision by the Federal Reserve to begin raising interest rates south of the border, analysts say.

U.S. Federal Reserve Hikes Interest Rates, But Canada Said Unlikely To Follow Suit

Justin Trudeau Slams Politics Of Fear As Ignorant, Irresponsible

Justin Trudeau Slams Politics Of Fear As Ignorant, Irresponsible
In a televised town hall meeting sponsored by Maclean's magazine, the prime minister was asked about his reaction to outspoken American presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Justin Trudeau Slams Politics Of Fear As Ignorant, Irresponsible