The number of people who were jobless in Canada rose in July—despite it being the peak employment period in Canada.
The jobless rate was 6.8 per cent in July, up from 6.7 per cent in June.
But a closer analysis shows where it weren’t for the relatively low unemployment figures in the western provinces, the national figure would be much much higher still.
(June rate in brackets).
-Newfoundland 14.4 (13.9)
-Prince Edward Island 11.0 (11.9)
-Nova Scotia 7.9 (8.6)
-New Brunswick 9.7 (9.7)
-Quebec 8.4 (8.0)
-Ontario 6.6 (6.7)
-Manitoba 4.7 (4.8)
-Saskatchewan 4.7 (4.8)
-Alberta 3.6 (3.8)
-British Columbia 6.2 (5.8)
Meanwhile, U.S. employers added 207,000 workers in July. As Bloomberg reports, this suggests that companies are gaining confidence as the economy accelerates.
The jobless rate in the U.S. stayed down at 5 percent, matching an almost four- year low. “The payroll increase exceeded the 180,000 median forecast and was led by the biggest jump in hiring at retailers in five years. The U.S. added 42,000 more jobs in May and June than first reported,” Bloomberg said.
I wonder who to blame for Canada’s comparitively poor performance…. maybe the hockey strike …or… the July weather! Or Stephen Harper’s “anger”! Maybe that old Conservative Party “hidden agenda” bugaboo, somehow! Perhaps that newfangled “obstructionist” shindig (known outside the liberal media as “being the opposition”) that the Conservatives are planning for the upcoming autumn!
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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