The Average Canadian is Truly Joe Average
As Canadians we have a lot to be proud about in terms of living in a wonderful country like Canada. The best country in the world, in fact. Where else can you retire on nothing and still be taken care of (see my previous blog Ridiculous Retirement Advice). However the stats for the average Canadian as a person are considerably less impressive:
- the average male is slightly overweight (think of that ugly beer belly many middle-aged men sport) and only earns $30,000 a year
Many Canadians spend $2,000 on fast food and/or restaurants annually yet they save zero for retirement (again, that relates to my previous post if you are interested in the no-frills retirement option)
- the average Canadian is $112,000.00 in debt …. watch cbc a living wage instead of minimum wage
- Canadians spend more on booze than fresh fruits and vegetables
- these stats don’t jibe with the fact that most Canadians have graduated from college or university
- most people are happy with their economic situation
- if you live in a house larger than 1,900-sq.-feet, contribute anything at all to your RRSPs and don’t have a mortgage, you’re doing better than most
- The average household debt, including mortgages, credit cards and personal loans equates to a monthly payment of about $1,140 …. watch canada’s growing debt
- There’s no evidence that we have a retirement crisis since overall Canadians contribute 30% to their RRSPs
- If your family brings in more than $68,000 a year, you’re doing better than average
The average household rake in between $68,000.00 and $86,000.00, but that is only if both spouses are working. It is the combined salaries that raise the household income from a single person (on average only $30,000 to $40,000) to these higher amounts. Usually those who are university educated fare far better financially. An individual can make as much money annually as a combined household income with 2 adults who haven’t graduated from a post-secondary institution.
The stats seem rather disparaging to me, personally but in comparison with the United States they really aren’t so bad:
- In 2006, the median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00
- The real median earnings of men who worked full-time, year-round climbed between 2006 and 2007, from $43,460 to $45,113
- For women, the corresponding increase was from $33,437 to $35,102 watch thomas sowell – gender bias and income disparity – a myth?
- households with an income exceeding $60,000, had two income earners
- The educational attainment of the U.S. population reflects that the vast majority of the population has completed secondary education and a rising number of college graduates outnumber high school dropouts.
As a whole, the population of the United States is spending more years in formal educational programs
- an average per person of more than $43,000 in debt
- the American mortgage debt works out to over $60,000 in housing debt for every adult in the country
- the average debt for every adult in the United States is $113,360
- Average credit card debt per household with credit card debt: $15,956
You’re no better off if you skip to the States to try to capitalize on lower-income taxes as a senior retiree. Stats seem to bear this out. The numbers sound abysmal but apparently if you fall in that range somewhere, you’re doing okay. It seems the average Canadian and the average American have a lot in common. Who knew?
WalMart Involved in a Scandal? Really?
Well isn’t that news, and so unexpected too. Wal-Mart, according to CEO Mike Duke‘s Statements of Ethics, “our customers trust us to be their advocate. Our suppliers trust us to be an equitable partner. And as Wal-Mart associates, we trust each other to uphold the highest standards of conduct every day.” Just don’t cross the Mexican border, Mike.
Hmm let’s see now. Insofar as Wal-Mart and scandal is concerned there have been a few in its history:
- sweatshops – when we discovered that was one reason Wal-Mart could keep lowering those prices that
created a bit of an outcry, however it didn’t last too long…who doesn’t want low prices? - Chinese pork labelling scandal – Tonnes of pork was deliberately mislabeled as “organic”. Organic pigs. Who
knew? Watch president of Wal-Mart China resigns after pork scandal - Something about commie China and Wal-Mart – watch America can’t afford Wal Mart any longer. Good ol’
WM keeps importing unsafe products from China rather than selling our domestic products here where the
health and safety standards assure we won’t end up dying of asbestos poison when we eat a deli sandwich.
Tsk, tsk, Samuel. watch the hidden costs of walmart - Speaking of importing Chinese products (which have been made in Wal-Mart’s Chinese sweatshops), heaven
forbid Wal-Mart employs American and Canadian workers to make products here at home, thus improving the social
economy and guaranteeing jobs for thousands of people who have been out of work since the mortgage crisis in
the US of A. That would be too people-friendly and far too ethical. (Mike Duke will forgive me). watch Wal-Mart smiley tv commercial - On the other hand, Wal-Mart employees tend to go hungry on a Wal-Mart wage – watch 3 of 10 Wal-Mart Deception
and Corruption Documentary
Wal-Mart of course makes a mighty attempt at volleying back these accusations through their PR department. David Tovar, VP of Corporate Communications, actually kept a straight face during this little blurb. Well done, Dave. watch Wal-Mart statement on fcpa
Okay, so this one isn’t directly WM’s fault. However it is entirely understandable if the “suspect” was in a grouchy mood about WM’s victimization of consumers. Perhaps he mistook the tot for a WM PR rep and he let the kid have it. watch stranger slaps crying child at WM
I shall leave you with this catchy little jingle….. I’ve always been a CCR fan, myself.
Vatican Vs Military Spending … You Know You’re in Trouble When …
… even the Pope is devastated over international financial expenditures on military defence.
video: Pope Calls for Less Military Spending and More Development
Note the Pope’s quote: To cease the hatred, the provocation and the use of arms. Easing global tensions however is not what so many nations, especially us privileged first worlds, are about. The Pope pleaded to Iran for a negotiated solution to the dispute over the nuclear programs. Let’s have a look at the US involvement in Iran’s “dispute”, shall we? (You knew it had to go there). The UN made it clear Iran must not pursue weapons of mass destruction. Clearly this is not a sign that Iran is in any way on a quest for peace. Iran halfheartedly, kinda agreed to that but politely suggested it needed plutonium for, um, nuclear energy, not weaponry of course. The UN, not to be fooled, demurred and let it be known to other nations not to barter with Iran over that one. Well, you can’t win em’ all….or can you?
video: Iran’s uranium a problem for UN, not the world – an alternative viewpoint
Enter the United States who, for purely altruistic purposes, were happy to negotiate the sale of plutonium to Iran to manufacture nuclear energy and not nuclear weaponry, of course. Iran didn’t care for the market price of US plutonium and the final transaction was sucked into the void known as the Black Market. Outraged and shocked upon discovering Iran was purchasing plutonium after it “insisted its plutonium-separation experiments were conducted in 1993” “and that no plutonium had been separated [from uranium] since then” the United States righteously called for sanctions against Iran by the UN. Can you hear that sound? That’s me gagging on my lunch.
Article: Threats Watch: Iran, Plutonium and Assessing the Threat
Ah, Benedict XVI, world peace remains as elusive now as it was during Jesus‘ time. The Son of God Himself couldn’t turn the tides and I dare say neither can Pope Benedict. Of course now we have the hypocrisy and greed of those pesky Americans to contend with in the process.
World Peace R.I.P.
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