Harper Job Record in 2013

Further to Erin’s post, the Labour Force Survey numbers released by Statistics Canada on December 6 give the lie to the Harper government’s frequently heard claim that our economy is doing well.

Over the past year, between November, 2012 and November, 2013, ALL of the net new jobs created in Canada were in the lowest paid and most insecure occupational group, sales and service jobs.

There were just 172,400 new jobs created over this period. But sales and service employment rose by 191,700.

These jobs pay an average of just $16.50 per hour.

Reflecting that shift to lower quality jobs, the proportion of Canadians working part-time jumped from 18.8% to 19.0%.

The proportion of all working age Canadian with jobs – any kind of a job – fell from 62.0% to 61.8%.

The unemployment rate would have gone up from 7.2% to 7.3% if the proportion of working age Canadians either working or actively looking for work had not fallen from 66.8% to 66.4%.

Not a record to be proud of.