@HappySqurriel
You may be right and those studies may prove that it doesn't change poverty level. However Vancouver and the Lower Mainland in BC are some of the most expensive places to live in Canada. According to the Province Newspaper (Biggest newspaper in BC, as well as CTV) British Columbian's pay 20% or so more for food then any other province.
Now thanks to the HST costs of living have gotten even higher. BC up until 2012, (Currently) has the lowest minimum wage in Canada. However it has the second highest cost of living in the country. Almost everything costs more in BC. Now that minimum wage increase might not pull people out of the poverty level but it sure as heck will help people pay their bills and survive.
Also even if higher minimum wages increased the unemployment rate, the remaining populous paying more taxes (HST) etc...etc.. will pay for welfare and training for those who can't find work. If Ontario can do okay at 10.25$ an hour then BC should have no problem.
As I said in an earlier post, minimum wage helps guarantee a higher quality of life. Where as if we dropped wages and food prices, fuel prices, housing prices didn't drop. All it would do is drive more people into the streets and do a heck of alot more damage then good.
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
