EDMONTON, AB: (Wednesday) Wildrose Shadow Jobs, Skills, Training, Labour and Red Tape Reduction Minister Grant Hunter released the following statement on the NDP’s planned 50 per cent increase in minimum wage, phase one of which began yesterday:
“At a time when small business confidence continues to plunge and job loss numbers continue to climb, the NDP need to put on the brakes and re-evaluate the proposed ten per cent increase in minimum wage set to take effect tomorrow.
“Wildrose has repeatedly asked the government to consider who they are really going to affect with this hike. We are concerned about those it is intended to help the most: Alberta’s youth, non-profits and our province’s most vulnerable.
“Business owners will be forced to make tough decisions about their bottom line. These decisions will only become more difficult as the NDP sets us on the course of having the highest minimum wage in the country.
“This government has shown recently it is willing to reconsider ill-advised decisions. I would urge the NDP to postpone this increase until they have a study on the impact to our economy before implementing experimental changes on a struggling economy.”