Alberta rules out minimum wage review

Conservative government rejects call from Tory delegates to increase minimum wage to $6.50 by 2005

The Alberta government has ruled out reviewing the province’s minimum wage — currently the lowest wage in Canada — despite a vote by delegates at the ruling Conservative party’s convention to increase the wage, according to a CBC News report.

Human Resources Minister Clint Dunford rejected the idea to increase the minimum wage from $5.90 per hour to $6.25 this year and $6.50 in 2005. Delegates supported bumping the minimum wage at a weekend convention in Banff.

Dunford said the recommendation will be passed along to a government committee, but he had no plans to look at it again.

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein also spoke out against raising the minimum wage, citing the adverse impact it would have on small business and that most industries in the province pay above the minimum wage.

Only two per cent of workers earn the lowest wage, and most of them are part-time, said Klein.

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