People and Other Commodities - Beware of the Economic Treadmill!

It seems that MacLean’s magazine recently ran an article saying that we Quebecers don’t work hard enough, and are mooching off of more industrious Canadian provinces. For instance, in Alberta they are hard at work wrecking the tar sands to get at the oil in it, thus ensuring that we as a country will continue to do our bit when it comes to adding a bit of warmth to this cold, cold world in which we live. Even Lucien Bouchard, who once epitomized the wounded pride of Quebecers, now thinks we’re not giving enough of ourselves to the economy.

But the funny thing is that the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives recently ran a study analysing Statistics Canada data which showed that over the last thirty years every class of Canadians except for the rich have been working longer and harder, yet only the rich have been making more money. So basically, the deal we’re being offered is to work harder so that other people can make more money. Well, thanks – but no thanks. I’ll stick to my 35 hours a week – in fact I would work a bit less if I could, but my job is full-time and it’s quite good as jobs go.