Nunavut’s justice minister hopes to give update on minimum wage by end of sitting
MLAs continue to push for increase to territory’s minimum wage
Justice Minister Jeannie Ehaloak says her department is working to finalize a presentation by the end of this sitting on Nunavut’s minimum wage, which continues to be criticized by regular MLAs. (File photo)
Nunavut’s justice minister says she hopes to table a decision on Nunavut’s minimum wage by the end of this sitting.
In response to questions on Tuesday, March 3, from Hudson Bay MLA Allan Rumbolt, Justice Minister Jeannie Hakongak Ehaloak said she hopes to have documents finalized to make a presentation on a minimum wage amount by the end of the sitting.
The issue of Nunavut’s minimum wage came up in the fall sitting when Ehaloak promised the territory would have the highest minimum wage in Canada.
The next day, she retracted that statement, saying proper consultation needed to be done first.
Also during that sitting, 10 of the territory’s regular MLAs spoke in favour of adopting a living wage and submitted petitions signed by their constituents.
The number of collected signatures on the petitions ranged from in the 30s in smaller communities to 600 in Iqaluit.
“I was very disappointed that the government backtracked on its commitment to ensure that our minimum wage is the highest in the country…. Nunavut’s minimum wage has now fallen behind those of the Northwest Territories, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. Can the minister tell the house today if the government considers this to be an acceptable situation for Nunavummiut who are struggling?” Rumbolt said on Tuesday. Regular MLAs thumped their desks in support.
The current minimum wage in Nunavut is $13 per hour, but the Public Service Alliance of Canada estimates the living wage would be around $26 per hour.
Ehaloak said her department is finalizing its options for a minimum wage and is “hoping to have the documents finalized so that we can make a presentation in the house by the end of the sitting.”
But Rumbolt didn’t feel satisfied with that response.
“Considering the minister answered my third question without answering my first question, I’ll ask my first question again. Can the minister tell the house if the government considers this to be an acceptable situation for Nunavummiut who are struggling?” Rumbolt repeated.
“I can’t make an opinion in this house. Personally, I have my own opinion, but in this house I represent all of Nunavummiut, I represent our cabinet members,” Ehaloak replied.
“I’m working very hard with my colleagues and the staff of the Department of Justice to ensure that our Nunavummiut come out of poverty,” she added.
Rumbolt also asked Ehaloak for an update on the public survey put out by her department last year that asked for feedback on Nunavut’s minimum wage. That survey closed on Oct. 31, 2019.
Ehaloak said the survey received over 400 responses.
“We’re taking all that into consideration so we can make an informed and adequate decision on what the minimum wage will be, and hopefully, like I said, we can introduce this minimum wage amount by the end of the sitting,” she said.
Yes, the government really need to increase the minimum wage in Nunavut, as everything, like cost of living is just keeps going up, the price of foods, baby diapers/milk, air fare, monthly bills and everything that everyone wants and needs, all the prices are ridiculous, some people can’t even afford the most things that they need because it’s too much of a cost, then no one realizes that the prices just keeps going up, when the wage is just sitting, how is the government not seeing this? the price of everything is just increasing, but the hourly rate is just still the same for a long time.
There are two issues here and people should not be mixing them up. The first is the minimum wage, the second is current hourly wage that has not changed.
If anyone is being paid minimum wage in Nunavut, please post a message. To my knowledge, nobody in Nunavut makes minimum wage. Raising it may not likely make an impact.
In Ontario, and other provinces, people do get paid minimum wage and when it was raised, it was the employees who suffered – hours were cut and some were let go. The other effect was that the costs for many things rose as the business owners still need to make a profit so consumers also suffered.
This is a complex issue and there are no quick fixes. It would be great to get our hourly wages increased but if the costs go up, are we better off?