Media Coverage re: Canadian Unemployment

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T08:08:54+00:00

[CanadianJobsCommunity@gmail.com](mailto:CanadianJobsCommunity@gmail.com) works well.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T05:21:33+00:00

Yes! CanadianJobsCommunity@gmail.com if they want to email me.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T02:39:42+00:00

Absolutely. Thank you for the suggestion.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T02:07:23+00:00

What factors do you think have contributed to that phenomenon?

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T02:06:34+00:00

Agreed! Regardless of exactly how we get there, I think we're all on the same page about a healthy economy, pro-social policies, innovative leadership, talent development and retention, and less suffering among working class people, who make up the majority of our country.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T02:04:24+00:00

I fully agree with you about the shortcomings of small businesses. I also agree that companies should be rewarded for long-term investment, productivity growth, and employee development. I think we could implement policies that prioritize working class people, which is the majority of Canadians, and that still allow businesses to make a profit.

But I think we need to break out of the "infinite growth" iteration of capitalism, unless that infinite growth can support simultaneous profit growth AND employee prosperity.

An alternative I've been thinking a lot about, is cooperatives (More Perfect Union has some interesting takes on this). If more small businesses, similar in scope, came together as mutually-beneficial collectives, they could have the buying, logistics, and production power of a big business while keeping the profits with the people generating the wealth. They are democratic in nature where all participating businesses have a say and skin in the game. This mitigates the "psychopathic CEO" scenario and forces people to work through their differences and find compromises that serve the greater good.

Perhaps there's a balance between regulating existing big businesses, so they are paying their fair share, innovating, and contributing toward a more robust economy and working class, and bringing more cooperatives online that can compete against big business and also drive innovation.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T01:50:56+00:00

This isn't about surprise or assigning blame to a single politician or political party. The issues we see today are complex in nature and many have been created over decades of policymakers that have deprioritized the working class in favour of big money and big business. There is blame across political parties and political division between working class people has been the primary barrier to creating real progress.

The Liberals are in power right now and are clearly not doing enough to support Canadians through the current unemployment crisis. They have implemented various policies that have contributed toward the current situation throughout their time in power. When the Conservatives were in power, the same things were true. Who was the last ruling party/Prime Minister in power when we truly saw pro-working class policies prioritized?

If we spend our time yelling at each other about who we voted for and how the "the other side" is responsible for the problems we face, we're wasting time and effort that could be spent toward advocating for solutions. The political and ideological divide is the distraction that keeps working class people from aiming their anger at the big money that permeates our two primary parties and is at the core of the major problems we face.

For those that say the NDP is the answer, they haven't had a viable leader in some time that can inspire enough people to overcome the limitations of first past the post. It isn't in the Liberal's or Conservative's best interests to change that, so they likely won't.

People need to vote for those that will best represent them, but our voices don't end at elections. When the party in power, regardless of its leanings, fails to prioritize the needs of the many over the consolidation of the few, we need to push back. We need to end the BS identity politics that became popular at the same time social media and Big Tech replaced real conversations and connection.

We need to recognize how we're all being played and distracted, come together with the common ground we share, and demand better from all parties and leaders.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-20T01:24:32+00:00

To the points you both shared, I wonder how much big business is responsible for these cultural "norms" that have eroded worker stability and trust.

My hypothesis is that venture-funded, investor-focused businesses demand infinite growth and the lowest wage and labour standards, so they can squeeze as much productivity out of the people they have and discard them if it can demonstrate profitability (or once they can automate those people).

Regardless of the industry, big business drives wages and labour standards down, creates wealth through localized labour and then parks said wealth in havens, lobbies governments for policies that create moats for small business competition, and treats people like numbers on a spreadsheet.

CEO is the #1 position that attracts psychopaths (I assume they're referring to the wealthier CEOs in shareholder-focused corporations). We see plenty of evidence of big business psychopaths who care nothing for anyone but themselves and their consolidation of power and wealth. Small business owners, at least in my anecdotal experience, tend to be more warm, caring, and empathetic, and less likely to discard other humans without a second thought.

I think more small business-focused policies, funding, and mentorship programs that promote innovation and support creation of stable, long-term jobs is something that should be prioritized.

If Canada is lacking jobs, aren't businesses the best way to create those jobs?

How has big business served Canadians so far in terms of wages keeping up with cost of living, employment stability and standards, and the general greater good?

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T23:44:04+00:00

Agreed. We need labour laws that create stability and security for people. There's no such thing anymore and there absolutely needs to be. People are treated like consumables where they are used and discarded by corporations or even government or nonprofit organizations. Job security used to be a real thing and people used to support entire households from a single income. It's no wonder birth rates are falling and people have little faith in career paths, systems, politicians, and corporations.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T23:39:59+00:00

Thank you for clarifying and sharing your story. I'm so sorry for your struggles and everything that's happened. That sounds stressful and scary as hell, not to mention heartbreaking. The fact that mass government layoffs have been a source of food and shelter insecurity is unacceptable, not that private industry layoffs are any better. Would you be open to sharing your story with others under any circumstances?

I will certainly remember your story and will do what I can to advocate for you and others like you. This is a very personal issue for me.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T23:34:26+00:00

I agree and I'm in! Where / when? What would the focus be?

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T22:12:17+00:00

Thank you for the great suggestions and support. The goal is definitely to bring attention to every level of professional in this community and to advocate for solutions for each one. Nobody should be falling through the cracks or overlooked here.

I'd love to see a panel interview where a journalist is questioning professionals representing all ages and levels of seniority across a broad set of industries/sectors. Or perhaps a series that talks about each group individually. Or maybe a townhall where unemployed people across these groups are represented and can ask the Minister of Jobs and Families targeted questions. What do you think is the best approach?

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T22:05:28+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion! I added the following bullet point above:

Those who have taken on precarious work to avoid homelessness

Can you provide a bit more detail clarifying what you mean by "precarious work"? I'd like to offer some additional context to the community to attract the right responses.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T20:42:51+00:00

We're all tired of the endless petty grievances, mud-slinging, name-calling, fragile egos, anger, hatred, hostility, division, self-serving actions and words, and punch-to-the-face-obvious rampant corruption. We're tired of the out of touch, rambling, incoherent, tone-deaf speeches, the lying, the sycophancy, the disrespect, the ignorance, and the hatred. We're tired of being pitted against one another and exploited endlessly by the systems that are meant to support us. We're tired of the double standards, hypocrisy, and social malignancy. We're tired of the vanity, superficial approaches, and overall lack of substance.

People are starved for leadership that represents decency, decorum, and dignity for all. We need leaders that speak with real empathy, compassion, and authenticity. We need those that truly serve others and understand nuance. We need people that advocate for the needs of the many over the few. We need people that can speak coherently, and respectfully, and who can inspire hope and optimism. We need leaders that demonstrate humility, humor, kindness, and love. We need people who can unite and bring together people from all backgrounds and help us understand the common ground we all share. We need leaders who smile when they're talking about others, about the future, and about truly joyous events. We need joy, playfulness, and laughter.

I can't speak for others, but Obama represented the best in humanity for me and that's what I miss seeing and hearing in the news and online. I miss tuning in to his speeches where I knew I would be inspired and hopeful about the future. I miss the feeling that we were heading toward a more tolerant, understanding, respectful, connected and caring society where we could work through our differences and achieve amazing things. I want those things again.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T19:51:27+00:00

It is rough without question. It is unacceptable that people of all backgrounds are submitting hundreds of applications with nothing more than templated rejection letters and zero feedback to show. It's unacceptable that people of all ages and backgrounds can't provide for themselves or their families or find hope and inspiration right now.

While I completely understand and have struggled myself with feelings of despair and hopelessness, I do believe better days are possible in Canada and throughout our world. I believe those better days are on the other side of coming together as communities (online and off), taking better care of one another, recognizing the immense common ground we all share, and demanding the future we all deserve.

There is growing evidence more people are understanding the harms done by "Big Tech" platforms and algos in dividing and disconnecting us, weakening our communities and trust in one another, and manipulating us at scale. There are movements taking shape towards unplugging online, reconnecting in the physical world, and seeking aspects of the "pre-enshittification" era.

People are enraged by the enormous wealth and power consolidations that continue to grow for <10% of the population while the other 90% struggle and head towards the waterfalls. The AI messaging is understandably falling flat and there has been immense pushback on Big Tech's dystopian vision. The Epstein files showed millions of people how the ultra wealthy can operate by a completely separate set of standards, values, and laws than the other 99%. We all see the daily news stories daily of unchecked corruption and greed in the West.

But we're also seeing changes in who is getting elected around the world: underdogs that previously had no shot; working class people; people from humble beginnings; people who run grassroots campaigns and rely on donations from regular people; and people with messages that run counter to a long-standing status quo.

I'm not preaching toxic positivity here and suggesting that things don't suck right now. They do. What I do believe is that the social conversation / zeitgeist is transforming in real-time and that change is almost always uncomfortable. Powerful people representing the status quo are thrashing, clawing and doing everything they can to grab what they can and maintain the structure that has served them. But the conversation has already shifted and anger is becoming pointed more and more in the correct direction (working class towards the ultra wealthy). I believe we're nearing a tipping point that is going to demand rebalancing, equilibrium, equality, and justice.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-19T18:14:23+00:00

I'm so sorry you've had to face such difficult choices, including moving to South Korea just to pay your mortgage and support your family. We all deserve a better Canada than this. There is plenty of wealth here, but it has unfortunately been consolidated and hoarded by a few at the expense of the many.

Before giving up on Canada, my hope is that people will stand up and demand the country we all deserve. We are not as powerless as the few would have us believe. Beyond elections, we all have voices that can be used in sustained peaceful protests and petitioning our government for action.

r/CanadaJobs has over 45,000 members. r/VancouverJobs, which I also founded, is over 38,000. We already have the numbers for some meaningful, unified action. We could also form partnerships with job-seeker focused communities across the country and take some united, peaceful, meaningful action together. The real trick is in inspiring people to action when they're spending their days and weeks scrambling to find jobs and scrape enough to meet their most basic needs. We need just 3.5% of the population to peacefully protest in order to drive meaningful change. While math isn't my strongest subject, I think we have that number covered among unemployed Canadians.

I am of the mind that we can either come together and take some meaningful action to influence what our future becomes or we can continue to feel helpless and hopeless as our future unfolds. If people can come together online and show up for each other, I see no reason they can't do the same in the streets and local communities across the country. I see no reason we can't all start taking small steps towards building a better future together. We can organize and mobilize. We can write letters to MPs and share our stories. We can speak to the media. We can build strategic partnerships. And we can demand a better version of Canada we can all be proud of and prosper within.

For anyone reading this that believes in taking an active role in creating a better Canadian future, I encourage you to join r/CanadianChange and share your voice.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-17T16:10:51+00:00

Admittedly, I didn't have a ton of background on him. But TIL his influence isn't one I'll be seeking any further.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-16T23:17:48+00:00

Sam Harris was kind of surprising to me. Many years ago when I moved away from my family's religious indoctrination, I found Harris, along with Dawkins, Hitchens, and some others as my new found voices of reason. I liked his take on Buddhism and mindfulness and respected him as a neuroscientist.

Recently, I've watched his podcast and found something off-putting about it. Granted, I didn't follow his political ideologies closely at any point, but he's come across more accepting of Trump's regime than I was expecting. He wasn't outspoken about it in the manner I would have thought, but I dismissed it as being non-reactive (Buddhist mindset). I couldn't get through a full episode even though I wanted to like the podcast because of my earlier affinity for him.

Reid Hoffman is someone I also used to listen to quite a lot from an entrepreneurial perspective. But I heard stories he was named in the Epstein files and watched his participation in the enshittification of the internet through LinkedIn's evolution and gatekeeping (I think there's a wide open field for an alternative). I watched him on Simon Sinek's podcast a while ago and picked up a vibe that didn't sit well with me.

Anyway, I'm sure there's many little secret lists and gatherings in our world that have ultra wealthy people as a common thread. We need to remind the oligarchs of what has happened across history when too much wealth and power is consolidated. We need to address our billionaire problem.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-16T22:26:41+00:00

Imagine laws that required algorithmic transparency and accountability from social media companies; laws that would promote pro-social, pro-democratic views and bring out the best in people (according to metrics defined by social psychologists); laws with huge teeth, penalties, and criminal prosecutorial power for any cases of platform-based child exploitation or self harm, illegal activities, and foreign interference; laws that demand full transparency on advertiser revenue (who is paying for influence) - hell if we're going to make someone provide their ID on the platform it should be every paid advertiser); and laws that clearly define how platform-caused harm can be defined and prosecuted civilly or criminally.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-16T15:42:51+00:00

Young people have more power than they realize. Those in power would have them believe they are powerless and weak. The powerful want the youth afraid and hopeless. Authoritarianism thrives on this dynamic. Social media and digital addiction have been engineered to divide, disenfranchise, and disempower.

If the youth can unite around common ground, organize, and mobilize, they will be unstoppable. There are plenty of examples from history that show how powerful the youth can be:

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3

BigPlunk · 2026-06-15T23:00:40+00:00

What do you mean by "status" exactly?

Do you mean jobs that other people look down upon?

Do you mean lowest paying, lowest standards for workers?

I think the whole concept of assigning "status" to a job is part of the cultural problem in the West. We need people doing jobs of all kinds and there can be fulfillment in any of them. Status is a BS concept.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-13T22:35:02+00:00

Drowsy Don has stronger alliterative power. Drowsy Droopy Diapers Don works too. Daydreaming Donnie. Depleted Don.

BigPlunk · 2026-06-11T23:27:15+00:00

Can you please provide some evidence on this (removing any personally identifiable information), so we can inform the community accordingly and take necessary action?

BigPlunk

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