Two inspectors (one was in training) from The Ontario Ministry Of Labour apparently made an unannounced visit to my employer regarding a health and safety inspection. I have worked there almost two months. I do not know what the two inspector’s conclusions are resulting from this inspection, but I learned from another employee this was the third time the workplace had been inspected for alleged health and safety violations. A truck trailer we were unloading goods from was determined to be unsafe, and access to the trailer was prevented, the loading dock door closed and padlocked. This shut down our major source for production, but it did not stop work from continuing.
At this time, there are only rumours regarding what triggered this latest inspection, the alleged violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and what action the inspectors took against the Company. According to the Ministry Of Labour website:
Posting Orders and Reports in the Workplace
When an inspector issues an order or a report of the inspection, a copy of the order or report must be posted in the workplace, where it is most likely to be seen by the workers.
When, and if, a copy is posted, then I will likely have the information I want regarding this situation.
Part II
The report was posted, and it was almost entirely related to “slip and fall” issues. A "stop work order" was issued for the truck trailer because the trailer sat on uneven ground from a slight wheel rut, and the loading dock ramp to the trailer was not level when in contact with the dock. The Company was ticketed for some offences. This latest inspection was the result of an aggrieved former employee. More complaints of safety violations were made by some current employees, but all were found to be unfounded by the Inspector. The Ministry of Labour is satisfied all safety concerns have been dealt with by the Company, but some current employees still believe certain work is unsafe.
Each day that I drive home from work, I usually see this “homeless” young man standing on the median strip (central reservation ) near a busy intersection with a cardboard sign asking for money. Sometimes, I see a young woman holding an advertisement sign as she stands at the roadside in front of a flower shop.
When this girl gets paid, the government deducts money from her paycheque. She is not allowed to keep all of what she has worked for. Her employer must pay a minimum hourly wage to her, that is really less than that required amount after the government deductions, and pay payroll taxes to the government. The girl must be issued a statement of yearly earnings by her employer, and the girl may need to file an income tax return each year.
The guy panhandling in the street gets to keep every cent he is given, pays no taxes on he money he receives, files no income tax return, and may very likely even get some of the money the government stole from the girl’s paycheques through a government handout. That is why he is out there everyday. He would not be there at all if he did not make money. That is he job. What is the problem? The problem is the government redistributing wealth.
My argument is not that the man should get a real job. As long as he gets his money through consent, meaning he does not steal from people, or defraud people, I have no objection to his method of earning his living. My objection is that the government takes money from people like the girl, and everyone who does work within the government rules, to give to “the less fortunate” citizenry, or to spend it on "social programmes", or other wasteful ventures. Is my solution to have every person earning a living to pay income tax? To have everyone owe the government some part of his or her earnings though consent?
Absolutely not. My solution is to let eliminate all deductions and tax from all people’s earnings. As long as one earns his or her living through consent, then the government should keep its hands off the money earned. The government should be there to protect its citizens from theft, and to prosecute those who steal from others. Governments should not be thieves themselves, as we have now.
