[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[PRC]

That wouldn't be in place until 2018 if indeed they do move on fulfilling it as it was a campaign promise.

[Admiral Yi]

Oh no, you can't afford a nanny. 

sarcasm implied.

Oh no, the nanny can't afford anything.

[viper37]

Mrs B pointed out one possible very negative consequence of an NDP victory.  NDP promised a $15/hr minimum wage.

We just hired a nanny, due to start June 1.  We're paying $11/hr.  I don't think we could afford $15/hr.  Might cause Mrs B to quit her job in order to look after the boys.

Don't you have daycare centers in Alberta?  And a Federal contribution for such services?  And provincial tax credits?

[crazy canuck]

The other way of looking at it is if you paid more you might attract a better nanny...

[Barrister]

Mrs B pointed out one possible very negative consequence of an NDP victory.  NDP promised a $15/hr minimum wage.

We just hired a nanny, due to start June 1.  We're paying $11/hr.  I don't think we could afford $15/hr.  Might cause Mrs B to quit her job in order to look after the boys.

Don't you have daycare centers in Alberta?  And a Federal contribution for such services?  And provincial tax credits?

Three kids makes daycare 3x as expensive.

Plus with Timmy in kindergarten next year it makes the logistics... difficult.

[Barrister]

The other way of looking at it is if you paid more you might attract a better nanny...

Yeah - my wife.

Because at $15/hr it would no longer be worthwhile for my wife to work, and us to hire a nanny.

[Monoriu]

Mrs B pointed out one possible very negative consequence of an NDP victory.  NDP promised a $15/hr minimum wage.

We just hired a nanny, due to start June 1.  We're paying $11/hr.  I don't think we could afford $15/hr.  Might cause Mrs B to quit her job in order to look after the boys.

There must be another way.  Nobody should quit their jobs to look after their children.  No one.  Don't give up without a fight.  You need to take the long term view.  Your boys will grow up and they can look after themselves.  But your wife will need a job all the way until retirement.  Once she quits her job, it'll be difficult to find one several years down the road. 

[crazy canuck]

The other way of looking at it is if you paid more you might attract a better nanny...

Yeah - my wife.

Because at $15/hr it would no longer be worthwhile for my wife to work, and us to hire a nanny.

Yes, raising children is expensive.  I am not sure minimum wage laws should subsidize that cost though.  Much better to have other initiatives such as tax breaks for the cost of day care or subsidized day care than to have poorly paid daycare workers.

[Barrister]

The other way of looking at it is if you paid more you might attract a better nanny...

Yeah - my wife.

Because at $15/hr it would no longer be worthwhile for my wife to work, and us to hire a nanny.

Yes, raising children is expensive.  I am not sure minimum wage laws should subsidize that cost though.  Much better to have other initiatives such as tax breaks for the cost of day care or subsidized day care than to have poorly paid daycare workers.

The connection between minimum wage laws and subsidies utterly escapes me.

[Admiral Yi]

The connection between minimum wage laws and subsidies utterly escapes me.

They artificially suppress wages. 

[Grey Fox]

Mrs B pointed out one possible very negative consequence of an NDP victory.  NDP promised a $15/hr minimum wage.

We just hired a nanny, due to start June 1.  We're paying $11/hr.  I don't think we could afford $15/hr.  Might cause Mrs B to quit her job in order to look after the boys.

There must be another way.  Nobody should quit their jobs to look after their children.  No one.  Don't give up without a fight.  You need to take the long term view.  Your boys will grow up and they can look after themselves.  But your wife will need a job all the way until retirement.  Once she quits her job, it'll be difficult to find one several years down the road.

Yes, Universal subsidize day care.

[Malthus]

The other way of looking at it is if you paid more you might attract a better nanny...

Yeah - my wife.

Because at $15/hr it would no longer be worthwhile for my wife to work, and us to hire a nanny.

Some provinces have different minimum wage rules for nannies, sometimes depending on whether they are "in home" or not. Dunno about Alberta, specifically.

[crazy canuck]

The other way of looking at it is if you paid more you might attract a better nanny...

Yeah - my wife.

Because at $15/hr it would no longer be worthwhile for my wife to work, and us to hire a nanny.

Yes, raising children is expensive.  I am not sure minimum wage laws should subsidize that cost though.  Much better to have other initiatives such as tax breaks for the cost of day care or subsidized day care than to have poorly paid daycare workers.

The connection between minimum wage laws and subsidies utterly escapes me.

That is, I think, because you subscribe to a theory that wage rates are determined by the market alone.  However, once governments start making policy decisions about where a minimum wage should be set then that necessarily means there is no free market in wages and the base wage is determined by the state.  Once you look at it that way then the government is making the decision that employers can obtain low wage nannies.  You agree with that policy decision.  I am pointing out that a better set of policy decisions can be made.

[Barrister]

Apparently 1.3% of working Albertans earn minimum wage.

The $11/hr we're paying is above minimum wage of $10.20, by the way.

[Josephus]

Seriously Beeb, I'm having a hard time tugging at the heart strings. I do like you, so it' s nothing personal, honest, and you seem like a reasonable guy and good parent,  and I don't mean to rub in your misfortune.

My 25 year old niece is a single mother and copes on her salary which as a part time dental assistant, I imagine is less than that of a provincial prosecutor. I may be wrong. She makes it work.