TORONTO – Better late than never. The provincial government has decided to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, starting next January. In an announcement with great pomp, accompanied by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and Labour Minister Mount McNaughton, Doug Ford dusted off a measure that had already been approved by the previous government led by Kathleen Wynne, a measure that had been blocked and shelved by the Conservative prime minister himself after winning the 2018 election. According to government calculations, the provision should affect 760,000 workers. 

Ford’s intent is quite clear, even in the choice of the location in which the press conference for the presentation of the bill was made: the headquarters of Local 414 in Milton, with the presence of two of Canada’s leading trade unionists, the president of Unifor Jerry Dias and the secretary of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Smokey Thomas.

And also the choice of words used by the prime minister contributes to feeding the narrative of the conservative leader, who at this stage is trying to win the consensus of a certain electoral group in view of the vote on June 2nd.

“Ontario’s workers have been the unsung heroes of this pandemic, as they’ve stocked shelves, kept our supply chain moving and helped so many of us enjoy a meal among family and friends at a local restaurant,” said Premier Doug Ford. “When we asked labour leaders what their priorities were, increasing the minimum wage was at the top of the list. As the cost of living continues to go up, our government is proud to be working for workers, putting more money into their pockets by increasing the minimum wage.”

Words that were also echoed by the Minister of Finance. “An incredible debt of gratitude is owed to the workers of Ontario. These dedicated men and women kept store shelves stocked and supply chains going through the pandemic,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “However, we also recognize that for too long workers have been falling behind, and that wages for many have not kept up with the cost of living. They had Ontario’s back, and now, our government has theirs. Ontario workers should be in a race to the top, not a race to the bottom.”

But how do you explain this sudden change of mind about the minimum wage? According to the premier, the spring that triggered the need to raise the basic pay was Covid-19. “We cannot compare apples with oranges – Added Ford during the press conference – in 2018 there was no pandemic and all the heavy consequences we had”.

In short, the purchasing power of the less well-off classes – this is the reasoning of the premier – has collapsed due to the pandemic and for this reason the government wants to intervene to put a patch on it. In any case, the oppositions are on a war footing, judging the government’s move by the yardstick of “too little, too late”.

“By cancelling the planned $15 minimum wage three years ago, Doug Ford has taken more than $5,300 out of the pockets of Ontario workers to date. The cost of everything has skyrocketed since then — like housing, auto insurance, food and gas — and $15 an hour isn’t nearly enough anymore. Workers need a bare minimum of $17 an hour to cover the cost of living. New Democrats have never believed in Doug Ford’s low-wage policies for Ontario’s working people — we believe all working people should have a chance to build a decent life here”, said Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.