Discrimination

"We pay a lower minimum wage to those who are under 18."

This is the new Alberta.

But consider this: change the words 'under 18' to 'Black' and read the sentence again. Does it suddenly sound discriminatory?

That's because it is.

I'm pretty sure the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms prohibits discrimination based on age, and yet, here we are.

I know the NDP-initiated move to $15/hr minimum wage negatively impacted some small businesses. I'm not an economist who claims to have all the answers on how to make that issue any easier. That being said, equity and social justice is more important than any business having to reconfigure its budget.

Lowering the minimum wage for a sub-group of people is discrimination, not a business strategy.

Period.

Here's 16 yr-old Karissa talking about what Jason Kenney's minimum wage change means to her.

Our side of the house believes that value of your work should depend on the effort & skill you put into it, not what year you were born. #ableg #bill2 #15forall pic.twitter.com/RiYise5wzs

— Rachel Notley (@RachelNotley) May 28, 2019

Fortunately, even though the UCP feels it's okay to allow discriminatory business practices, businesses themselves can go above and beyond. If you disagree with the option to pay a lower minimum wage to youth, simply because they are under 18, you can do two things:

1. Support businesses that commit to non-discriminatory practices and pay $15/hour minimum wage regardless of age.

2. Commit your own business to a $15/hr minimum wage for all ages.

Both of those action steps can be taken at https://alberta15.ca.