Letter to the editor,
I honestly don't understand why the Owen Sound Chamber of Commerce needs to oppose the minimum wage increase that Premier Wynne is proposing for Ontario. In the world of a competitive marketplace, it simply doesn't make sense.
If I were in business, one of the few things that would matter is competing on a level playing field. If I must buy my materials at a cost greater then my competitors I would be in big trouble. Of course the competitors who can buy in bigger volumes are dangerous to me, but only if I'm in the same market.
If I'm buying my labour at minimum wage, my competitors can't buy cheaper and they would have no greater competitive edge. Big or small they all must either pay at the same rate that I do, or more if they choose.
Of course, with a minimum rate increase, my total labour cost becomes higher than before, but no more than my competition. Should I go out of business because of my increased costs? Only if I'd want my business to go to my competitors. Should I raise my prices to compensate for the increase in labour cost? Of course. What if my competitor doesn't raise his prices? Then likely he is losing profit or has compensated for the increased labour in some other way; something he would always want to do anyway.
To argue that the sky is falling is absurd. The sky was only lowered equally for everyone who is in business.
Of course if a competitor's labour costs are all outside Ontario, a business might be in trouble, but that is not really the case for most businesses in Grey Bruce. Besides, any business competing worldwide better have a bigger edge than simply the cost of minimum wage.
It's time to stop reacting to fear mongering and get on with paying a wage that is more respectful of workers. A wage that is on a level playing field where no one has an advantage.
Robert Hope
