The Hidden Slavery of Canada

*** continued from previous post ***


I tugged at your Mom's arm, "Are those Circus Midgets?"

She leaned close and whispered "I don't know, and I don't care. I just want a burger and for this day to be over."

We waited our turn in line and I got a good look at the person tending the cash register. Why, these weren't Circus folk at all! These were children!

The boy, in a pre-pubescent octave only audible to dogs and squirrels said, "Welcome to McDonalds, can I take your order?"

Now I'm not kidding when I say this kid is young. What kind of a country uses forced child labor to serve hamburgers? What kind of monstrous society put's its youth into corporate slavery? This is the dark belly of Canada that they don't tell you about. This is the ugly flip-side to all the politeness and beauty and well maintained roads and health care for all.

He took our order and tried to make change. After fumbling at the till for a minute he said, "Um . . . can you help me? We don't learn subtraction until next week."

Your mother began to weep softly. "Just keep the change son, just keep the change," I said.

His face lit up like a carelessly tossed match at the gas station. "Thanks mister! Woo Hoo!" he shouted and held two quarters above his head in triumph. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I had given him a $20 for a $12.28 purchase.

Later we would discover that due to the boom in the oil and natural gas industries in Alberta, the minimum wage, service-oriented jobs were impossible to fill. So Canada had lowered the minimum working age to 14. They are seriously discussing lowering it to 12. No joke. Soon, I imagine, your fries will be served by toddlers. Oh, you'll get your order, but you'll have to change their diapers first.

So began our last stretch to the Holy Grail of the day – Hidden Valley Lodge in Carnack Alberta. Here we were to take a 3 day rest, explore the area, and enjoy the ambiance, soak up some nature. It looked like a fabulous place when I booked our reservations, and we were more than ready to get there. But we still had a bit of traveling to do, so we wolfed our burgers and with a heavy sigh once again hit the road.

After traveling for a few miles, Mom leaned forward and tapped me on the shoulder, "When will we get to Carnack?" Which really meant "When will be done with the Godforsaken day?"

I shouted into the wind, "Shouldn't be more than a couple of hours at the most. Maybe quicker if this rain would let up."

Yes, our day was almost done.

Or so we thought.


*** the journey continues ***