On the 'living wage'

"Wanting to afford rent and food on 40 hours isn’t unreasonable. But declaring it should happen doesn’t make it happen. 

"Affordability isn’t created by slogans. It’s created by productivity, supply, and competition. 

"If housing is expensive, ask why supply is restricted. If food is expensive, ask why production and distribution are burdened. If wages are stagnant, ask what’s blocking entry level opportunity. 

"You can’t legislate 'I should be able to afford it.' You either remove barriers that lower costs and raise productivity, or you shift the cost to someone else. And when you shift the cost, you don’t make things cheaper. You just move the bill. 

"The real question isn’t whether your desire is reasonable. It’s whether the policies being proposed actually increase supply and opportunity… or quietly reduce both while promising relief."

~ Rock Chartrand