I have been pondering the editorial of Neil Godbout ("Math doesn't Add Up") of March 7th. Math aside, he seems to be saying that as the housing costs and commuting times are less in Prince George, as the status of an employer increases so too do salaries and such, the professors at UNBC should be satisfied with what they get. Fun with numbers is really not his major point - it is just a red herring thrown into the salad he creates.
To be sure, there is some truth in his comments. Yes, high status universities do pay more than those of lower status, and highly esteemed professors are paid more than their lesser-known colleagues. The Rolling Stones do get more for a concert than - say - Nickleback. Such is the nature of our world.
But is it true overall that people who live in Prince George should be paid less than others in BC or Canada as our cost of housing is lower and the commute time is much less? Does a teacher/plumber/electrician/retail clerk/ fast food worker in Prince George deserve less income because they live here? Should we have a lower minimum wage than the rest of BC as our housing costs are lower? Should an RCMP constable or teacher receive less pay as he/she works in Prince George and not Surrey? Should doctors willingly come north to receive a lower salary or income than their fellow doctors in the Lower Mainland?
Recall, please, the argument of the BC government when questioned on the higher pay it was offering bureaucrats to come to Vancouver or Victoria. "We have to pay more to attract good talent" was often heard. The same argument was advanced by our city in hiring bureaucrats, as I remember.
Yes, we do have lower housing costs here. We also (normally) endure colder and longer winters and other financial negatives. There are many reasons one could give to argue that those who live in Prince George should be paid more than those who live in the south.
Perhaps Godbout was writing merely to prompt replies such as this. If so, he was successful. If he was seriously suggesting that all in Prince George should be paid less because of our lower housing costs and commuting times, he is at best delusional and urgently needs a long vacation.
Willow Arune
Prince George
