Situation in Canada mirrors that in the United States
Figures compiled by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) from Statistics Canada show that, like their counterparts south of the border, Canadian men have been hardest hit by this economic downturn. In an article entitled “Canada’s He-cession,” authors Trish Hennessy and Armine Yalnizyan note that the recession has hit “mostly men of prime working age.”
Between October 2008 and June 2009, about 217,000 manufacturing jobs were lost across Canada, with the result that the sector shrank by about 11 per cent. With the collapse of this sector went many jobs held by men. In fact the CCPA notes about 71 per cent of Canada’s unemployed are men. In comparison, in the United States, 80% of workers whose jobs have disappeared are men.
The unemployment rate for men in Canada in June was 9.2 per cent, compared to 6.8 per cent for women. According to the analysis made by the CCPA, the unemployment gender gap is widest over each month so far this year than at any time since Statistics Canada began gathering such data in 1976.
Moreover, most workers to suffer job loss — 63 per cent — are between the ages of 25 and 55. And young workers — those under age 25 — account for 37 per cent of job losses although they make up only 15 per cent of our labour market.
There is, however, an anomaly in this recession: Unlike earlier recessions where older workers were given “golden handshakes” and then left the workforce, the number of workers over age 55 has actually increased. About 78,000 more older people were working in June than in October (up three per cent), according to Statistics Canada — and many of them are women. In fact, an additional 60,000 women (up five per cent) aged 55 and over were added to the workforce since October and 70 per cent were in full-time work. Nevertheless, the authors warn the next wave of unemployment may hit the service sector, in which many women find jobs.
