In this episode, conservative pundit Sabrina Maddeaux and economist Mike Moffatt explore the growing wage gap between American and Canadian workers, discussing the implications for young Canadians and the factors contributing to this disparity. They delve into the data on emigration, the impact of housing costs, and the need for policy changes to boost productivity and wages in Canada. The conversation also touches on the potential for brain drain and the importance of attracting talent to maintain economic growth. (Full transparency, we recorded this episode before the most recent round of Trump tariffs were imposed on Canada. The content would not have changed in any way although the tone of the discussion around tariffs, emigration and the demographics of Canadian patriotism may have been expressed more emphatically if we had recorded it this week.)
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:51 Have you ever lived in the USA?
02:54 How many Canadians move to the US every year?
06:05 Understanding the wage gap: Canada vs. USA
08:17 Yes Canada should be concerned about the gap
09:15 The productivity gap
10:39 Is the cost of living a factor?
12:50 The role of remote work
13:35 Mike is a two handed economist
15:20 Sabrina is worried about losing talent to theUS
17:25 Increasing productivity and future solutions
20:02 Addressing the Brain Drain and Future Solutions
Links:
Median wages and salaries lower in every Canadian province than in every U.S. state
In 2005, There Were 41 Communities Where a Middle-Class Family Could Afford to Buy a Home. Today, There's Only Nine
CHIPS and Science Act
Here’s how Canadian tech salaries compare to the U.S.
As a Canadian, you are earning far less than your American counterpart
Canada is getting poorer when compared to its wealthy peers, data shows
The Economic Mistake the Left Is Finally Confronting
Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux
Produced by Meredith Martin
This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.
