The Liberal Social Injustice Premier and The Fight for A Livable Minimum Wage

A joint statement from the Communist Party of Canada (Ontario) and the YoungCommunist League (Ontario)

Last year, Premier Wynne said she wanted to be Ontario’s “social justice Premier”.  She said she would take action to increase social assistance rates and to raise the minimum wage. 

But her inaction on starvation level social assistance rates, and her decision to permanently embed a poverty level minimum wage, is earning her the title of Ontario’s social injustice Premier.

Wynne’s government is following other Liberal and Tory governments in Canada:  to drive down wages and living standards, attack labour and democratic rights, reduce taxes on the corporations and the rich, cut services and privatize, privatize, privatize.

No Friends in the Legislature

The Liberals have been all too happy to parrot the policies put forward by corporate employers and their lobby groups. This includes the Retail Council of Canada, which is supported by Toys ‘R’ Us, and the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, which represents Tim Hortons and McDonald’s.

The very modest $14 minimum wage being fought for by youth, labour, anti-poverty and social justice groups around the province, has no friends in the Legislature.  The NDP is non-committal.  The Tories would eliminate the minimum wage altogether if they could (in keeping with the right-to-work-for-less legislation they want for Ontario).   The Liberals want to make sure the minimum wage is wrapped in cement, never rising beyond the annual inflation rate. 

Raise in minimum wages demanded for Ontario workers

Minimum wage campaign launched!  A province-wide campaign to raise the minimum wage was launched Thursday with Melt the Freeze actions taking place in communities across Ontario. In Toronto, over 200 people braved the cold outside the Ministry of Labour office, where a mountain of ice was set up on the Ministry’s doorsteps. Community members and labour representatives called on the government to raise the minimum wage to $14 – the amount needed to bring workers and their families above the poverty line. Actions in 15 cities across Ontario! Meanwhile, community and labour groups also rallied outside Ministry of Labour offices in Ottawa. Despite the snow, people left fired up to continue this fight! In Peterborough low wage, precarious workers, labour activists and community organizations presented MPP Jeff Leal’s office with a block of ice with $10.25 frozen inside. Delegations also visited MPP offices in Cornwall and London. Today, community members will deliver blocks of ice to over 30 MPPs in Hamilton, York Region, Kingston, Windsor, Belleville, Welland, Kitchener-Waterloo, Oshawa, Toronto, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury!We are coming together to demand a decent minimum wage that  brings our communities out of poverty.  The number of communities signing up to take action shows we can’t wait for a commission or another study – we need an increase now. Take action! Check out our photo report from Thursday's actions and media coverage here Get involved!  Like the Campaign page here to get updates about upcoming actions Endorse the campaign by sending an email to raisetheminimumwage@gmail.com The Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage is coordinated by ACORN, Freedom 90, Mennonite New Life Centre, OCAP, Parkdale Community Legal Services, Put Food in the Budget, Social Planning Toronto, Toronto and York Region Labour Council and Workers’ Action Centre  Follow us on Facebook  and Twitter  for news and updates