My first paid job was as a fifteen year old when I was hired to work a game booth at the CNE. Minimum wage at the time was $3.85, if my memory serves me correctly, so I thought I scored when I learned I was going to be paid $5 an hour for my efforts. I was going to be rich.
Before settling into a comfy string of five years working as a grocery clerk for Oshawa Foods, I flipped burgers at McDonald's for $6.85 an hour. I didn't stay there very long but at least I got to experience minimum wage for the first time in my life.
Today, minimum wage in Ontario is being increased to $7.45. Teenagers everywhere can celebrate with that extra coffee or two each week. But wait, there are more annual increases in store for each of the next two years until it reaches $8 per hour in February 2007. Welcome to Ontario's salad days.
