FORSETH – Latest jobs report shows economic recovery a failure for women
(Image: Govt of BC)
WHILE RAVI KAHLON, Minister of Jobs, Economy Recovery and Innovation, was quick to issue a statement Friday morning (April 9, 2021) on the latest Stats-Can employment figures for March, his focus was very carefully scripted to skirt several undeniable facts.
In his statement, Kahlon remarked that ‘B.C. added 35,000 jobs last month’ and that ‘British Columbia has the highest job-recovery rate in Canada.’
Further, he stated that the actions of Premier John Horgan’s NDP government were a ‘sign our approach to an innovative, sustainable and inclusive economic recovery is working.’
While the latest employment figures indicate there are some positive signs, there is definite cause for concern … so let’s take a closer look at the latest Statistics Canada employment figures.
In Canada, full-time employment increased in March by 1.2 percent, including a whopping 182,000 new jobs (+2.5 per cent) in Ontario. In British Columbia, however, the unemployment rate remains stagnant at 6.9 per cent.
Jobs Minister Kahlon wants us to focus on the 35,000 jobs he spoke of, while desperately hoping British Columbians won’t dig deeper. In fact, there were actually 42,000 jobs created in March – part-time jobs.
Meanwhile, full-time employment for British Columbians decreased by 6,700.
What’s even worse, however, is the disparity in job gains between men and women. While new jobs for men aged 25 and over increased by over 11,500, at just 300, jobs for women in the same age bracket were pretty much non-existent.
Let’s just say the NDP’s so-called approach to an innovative economic recovery, at least in terms of employment for women, has been a dismal failure.
Alan Forseth is a Kamloops resident and former member of the Reform Party of Canada and the B.C. Reform Party, and a past and current member of the BC Conservative Party. His blog is My Thoughts on Politics and More.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
“Clinging on to any shreds of debatable statustics”?
There’s no debate that full time employment went down by several thusand” and that instead what is typically lowe pay part-time jobs increases.
And as I also noted women were tragically left behind when it came to new job opportunities.
This latest report from Stats Can can in no way be considered good news
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Just about what could be expected from this writer. Is it a dismal failure, or a modest success, and did BC have total control over all relevant factors?
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Clinging on to any shreds of debatable “statics” to needlessly and pointlessly criticize what can be argued this is the best premier this province ever had. And about “Conservatives” and their relations to women’s issues…better keep that one “under the surface” Allan.
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SORRY Pierre … original reply got messed up – let’s try this:
“Clinging on to any shreds of debatable statistics”?
There’s no debate that full time employment went down by several thousand, “and that instead, we had an in crease of those +40,000 part-time jobs – jobs which most often are lower paying.
And, as I also noted, women were tragically left behind when it came to new job opportunities with a near zero increase for those 25+.
As much as you might want to cling to your claim this is just conservative gobbley-goop, this latest report from Stats Can Can is in no way good news … no matter how Ravi Kahlon spins it
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