October 12, 2004
Kamloops Daily News



"British Columbia.  The best place on earth to learn and
work," crow the ads paid for by the government of B.C.

Yes, it's a wonderful place -- unless you're a kid.  If you
are a child learning and working in B.C., then it is one of
the worst places in North America says a study by Helesia
Luke and Graeme Moore written for the Canadian Centre for
Policy Alternatives.

The changes made by the B.C. Liberals to the Employment
Standards Act compromise child safety for the sake of
getting them to work.  There is no mistaking the
government's intentions.  Just look at the headings -- a
section of the Act that used to read "No hiring of children
under 15 without director's permission" has been changed to
"Hiring children."

"Bill 37 removes a cautionary tone and, therefore, a
cautionary environment for child employment in BC. These
changes may prove disastrous to the well being of children,"
says the study.

It used to be that an employer had to get permission from
the Director of Employment Standards, plus both of the
child's parents, plus school authorities before employing a
child under the age of 15.

Now all that is required is the permission of one parent,
even in cases of joint custody.  No one else need know.

It used to be that schools, who have some legal
responsibility for the care of children, would have a say in
the employment of children.  Now a child may be doing poorly
in school and require extra help.  Too bad.

The Director of Employment Standards used to intervene where
a working child was at risk. Now the director doesn't even
know about it.  Employers don't have to inform the
government that they are employing children.

Before the changes to the Act, a BC Employment Standards
officer would visit the worksite to check on the
suitability.  On one occasion an officer checked out a
butcher shop and found that while the boy employed could
easily enter the walk-in freezer, he was not strong enough
to operate the lever to get out.

In the above instance, the boy's parents had already
consented to his employment - -  highlighting the fact that
even under the best of circumstances parents simply don't
know what dangers exist for kids.

Now one parent alone is responsible for investigating the
working condition of their child.  And unless the parent
knows what to look for and what questions to ask of the
employer, all kinds of things can go wrong.

The new regulations allow children to be employed for up to
four hours on a school day up to a maximum of 20 hours per
week.  Add 30 hours a week for school and these kids have a
50-hour work week.  This does not allow enough time for
homework or team sports.  It doesn't even allow working kids
enough time to be kids.

UNICEF Canada warns "Child work implies that there is still
time to attend school, learn important life skills, and
socialize with family and friends, while child labour
implies a situation where the child is forced to work in
circumstances which harm his or her physical, emotional and
intellectual development."

B.C.'s  working kids face some of the worst child labour
laws in North America.  Even in Alberta, with the lowest
minimum wage in Canada, kids can't be employed for more than
2 hours on a school day.

In Washington State, a child must be 14 to be employed in a
non-agricultural sector job.  In B.C., the minimum age is
12.  On a school day in Washington, a 14-year-old cannot
work more than 3 hours up to a maximum of 16 hours a week.

U.S. federal law prohibits the hiring of children in
dangerous jobs that involve machinery, excavating,
demolition, mining, and logging.  In B.C. there are no
prohibitions against the employment of children in dangerous
jobs.  Kids can even sell goods from door-to-door at night.

Young workers are twice as likely to injured on the job as
workers over the age of 24.  Children are the most
vulnerable because they are compliant -- they do as they
are told.   They don't ask questions and are easily
distracted.

Working a job can provide valuable experience for kids but
not when it robs them of their childhood.  Unregulated child
labour doesn't fit into my image of a great place to live.

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