Alligators and Alienation

The following visual comparison of average weekly wages and CPI (proxy for cost of living) instantly made me think of “when you are up to your ass in alligators it is hard to remember ….”

The differences in wages as compared to Cost of Living (buying power) situations for Canada as a whole and Alberta are insightful.  The Global recession (2010) hit Canadians’ buying power about twice as hard as it did that of Albertans.  The Energy Industry crash hit Albertans about twice as hard as it did Canadians as a whole.

Statistics Canada.  Table – 18-10-0005-01   Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted
Data Source: Statistics Canada. Table  14-10-0203-01   Average weekly earnings by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality

Statistics Canada.  Table – 18-10-0005-01   Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted
Data Source: Statistics Canada. Table  14-10-0203-01   Average weekly earnings by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality

It is easier to understand how simple it is to be insouciant when the alligators are bigger and closer to you than they are to the others.

Questions or comments?  Please contact me at anne@annehoward.com.