4 news March 30, 2011 + Over the Edge Minimum Wage to go up in BC! Students rejoice as BC will soon no longer have the lowest minimum wage rate in Canada HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR Minimum wage has not been raised since 2001 in British Columbia. That’s 10 years of a stagnated hourly minimum wage rate, which is also the lowest rate in Canada at just $8.00 an hour. Countless students have been and will continue to survive on minimum wage and student loans as they achieve a post secondary education. The new Premier Christy Clark, announced that as of May 1st minimum wage will go up to $8.75. However, the good news does not end there as minimum wage will again be raised on November 1st to $9.50 and again on May 1st 2012 to $10.25. Currently Ontario has the highest hourly minimum wage rate which is also sitting at $10.25 per hour. “This increase could mean more than $4,000 additional dollars annually for a full time employee, providing more support to B.C. workers and the families who depend on them,” Clark stated. “Students are especially glad that the Premier has acted so quickly on this campaign promise,” said Nimmi Takkar chairperson of the Canadian federation of students in a March 17th press release. “Better wages are just the tip of the iceberg,” added Takkar. Clark will also abolish the incredulous training wage as of May ‘rst. The “training wage” allows employers to pay first time workers the astonishing low wage of only $6.00 per hour for the first 500 hours of employment. For a part time worker, 500 hours is a significant time to be paid so unfairly. Actually, it is arguable to say that it is unfair to pay an employee so little amount of money in any circumstance. Apparently Christy Clark believes similarly as BC will soon be eliminating that loop hole for an easy source of cheap UNBC Prays for Japan UNBC students fold paper cranes to show support for those suffering in Japan HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR An ancient Japanese legends promises that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a wish by acrane. The FOCUS club, Asian club, and international students from Gakushuin Women’s college, Utsunomiya University, and Hiroshima Shudo University came together to raise money and hope for the people suffering in Japan in the wake of the Sendai earthquake and tsunami. The strings of paper cranes, that students have been making throughout the week, now hang in the Wintergarden as a symbol of solidarity for those suffering in the disaster. The UNBC prays for Japan group is also taking donations for the Canadian Red Cross which will be sending all funds to Japan for relief efforts. The March 11th earthquake was the biggest earthquake to hit Japan since people began recording their impact in the 1800s. It was first designated a magnitude of 8.5 but has since been reassessed as a 9.0. To put that in perspective the 2010 Haiti earthquake was a magnitude of 7.0 and the more recent New Zealand quake was a magnitude of 6.3. Unfortunately the quake was followed by hundreds of aftershocks, some of which were more than a magnitude of 6.0 themselves. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami which has caused an unparalleled amount of destruction on the north east coast of Japan. Over 9,500 people have been confirmed dead and 16,000 are missing. Over 400,000 people have also been displaced from their homes and are living in temporary shelters. The final death toll is expected to be near 18,000 people. The earthquake and tsunami also damaged the Fukashima Daiichi nuclear power plant, preventing power to its cooling systems. The news of the damaged reactor has caused a considerable amount of anxiety in Japan and abroad. Pools where used but still radioactive fuel rods are stored began to overheat and set off a series of hydrogen explosions which caused further damage to the plant. The Japanese government has banned the sale and exports of produce and milk products from the surrounding area. Officials have labour. Oddly there is one exception to these reforms. Minimum wage for those employed serving alcohol will be capped at $9.00 an hour. This is being referred to as a “tipping wage”. The logic behind the regulation might possibly be that alcohol servers are ‘generously’ tipped and thus do not require the same regulations as other jobs. Although tipping has been entrenched in many cultures, it is nevertheless a gratuity. Considering the fickle nature of tipping in BC especially, it seems an odd addition to the otherwise positive reforms. After May 1st, Alberta will now have the lowest hourly minimum wage rate in Canada at $8.80 per hour. ordered people living in the area to remain indoors as much as possible. The international community has also differed on the level of danger surrounding areas of the nuclear plant poses to residents and foreigners in the affected area. The Japanese government has sent 10,000 troops, police, and firefighters to the disaster zones. The Japanese Red Cross has also deployed 95 medical units. However, the Japanese government has been quick to accept foreign aid to supplement its own efforts. Several foreign countries have sent aide teams to Japan. The United Nations has sent a seven member disaster response team, which includes specialists from France, UK, Sweden, India, South Korea, and Japan. It is expected to cost more than $235 billion US to repair the damage. Thus every penny counts. And when pennies are not enough, folding paper cranes does help to express empathy for the turmoil in Japan. UNBC rallies together to pray for Japan by folding cranes Coming together to show their unified support for a struggling Japan, UNBC students are only a few cranes away from their wish