Legislative Report, 23 June, 2005

The Calvert government loves to play a game called “Revolving Money”. It works like this: you give people more money, and then take it back from them in the form of taxes. This is essentially what the Premier and his cabinet are doing.

This week, we in the Saskatchewan Party learned that the Calvert government plans to announce a three-stage increase to the minimum wage from $6.65 to $7.05 this September, and then to $7.55 next March, and again to $7.95 in March 2007. We believe the government’s plan to increase the minimum wage is not good enough. What low income earners need is more money in their pockets and the Official Opposition has a balanced plan that will do just that – partially through an increase in the minimum wage, and partially through a tax cut.

Our plan calls for people earning minimum wage to pay almost no income tax. And our plan also allows for people earning under $35,000 a year to pay less tax. We believe that everyone, including government, must be involved in fixing the minimum wage issue and improving the lives of low income earners.

A strict increase in the minimum wage with no corresponding tax cut will mean consumers and business owners will have to shoulder the entire burden. Our plan ensures such a burden is shared across the board.

We support an increase in the minimum wage. It’s long overdue, and it’s time the minimum wage reflected the growing costs of living in Saskatchewan.

We would also like to see politics removed from setting the minimum wage. We need a system that puts stability and predictability into setting the minimum wage – a model where consumers, employers and government all share a role.

Raising the minimum wage is a step in the right direction, but without a tax cut, it’s just “Revolving Money”.

Past Legislative Reports