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Aging Population, Low Birth Rate Will Place Massive Economic Burden on Younger Canadians: Report

Report fails to mention demographic effects of abortion and contraception

By Elizabeth O'Brien

OTTAWA, June 18, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A report released on Friday in the Canadian Economic Observer by Statistics Canada states that the increasing number of aging baby boomers will cause a major decline in overall worker participation within Canada.

The recent demographic study reveals that the labor force, that is, the number of workers aged 15 and over, will continue to increase over the next few decades. The labor participation, however - that is, the proportion of labor workers to retired persons - will experience a drastic decline.

The study predicts four possible future scenarios in which the labor force increases significantly over the next 24 years as the population increases. According to the most positive scenario, by 2031 the labor force will increase by 22.9% from 2005, to 21.8 million in total.

Regardless of all four situations, however, a sharp decline in labor participation is inevitable after the year 2031, the report concludes. Even with increased immigration and a higher birth rate within Canada, the proportion of workers to retired persons will change dramatically.

At present, there is a ratio of approximately 4 workers aged 15 and over to every retired person. By 2031, however, the ratio will have declined to approximately 2 to one.

In just over two decades, the report continues, the labor force may only include 58% of the population. In Labrador and Newfoundland, it could be as low as 45%.  This is down from 67% of the total population in 2005.

Laurent Martel, population analyst for Statistics Canada and co-writer of the report, told LifeSiteNews.com that the study shows a change in demographics only and makes no specific predictions about future effects on the individual or the family.

As the baby boomers start hitting retirement age, logically more and more people will be relying on the Canadian Pension Plan. The ratio of workers to retired people is decreasing, and soon a relatively small number of people will be forced to carry a heavy economic burden. This will make it increasingly difficult for families to survive financially and may influence future ethical decisions regarding issues like euthanasia and suitable old age care.

The report also failed to mention that abortion and contraception, and the consequent dearth of population, are the most fundamental reasons for the current economic crisis. In Quebec, for example, the province with one of the highest abortion and contraception rates, the real growth rate of the GDP will shrink to half its current level within the next ten years (see http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/oct/05102501.html).

Likewise, any proposed solutions habitually fail to address the issues of abortion, contraception, and the dangerously low birthrate, and little mention is ever made about the possibility of exploring means of encouraging families to have more children.

Laurent Martel proposed one possible economic solution to the current crisis, telling LifeSiteNews.com that, "In the forthcoming decades, the Canadian economy will have to rely more on productivity gains rather than employment gains. The overall participation rate will decrease in the forthcoming decades despite higher levels of immigration and despite higher participation rates among older workers."

These words paralleled the comments of David Dodge, President of the Bank of Montreal, who discussed similar facts in a speech to the St. John's Board of Trade last week.

He commented that the economy has grown in recent decades as the working-age population increased and more women entered the work force. Now as the trend reverses and numbers are declining, population productivity must increase. People are encouraged to work more years, rather than retiring at the mandatory age of 65. Already several provinces have discarded the retirement age regulation.

Rates of decline may slow down, said Dodge, because "the nature of work is changing: it's becoming less physical and more service-oriented. And people are remaining healthier later in life."

"As life expectancy increases, people may want to remain in the workforce longer. In addition, strong demand for labour in the economy might make it more attractive for older workers to remain in the labour force."

Agreeing with past studies of population trends, the report clearly shows that economic growth must be based upon productivity rather than sheer numbers. Forced to work harder and longer, people will have less recompense in both time and money.

See Statistics Canada Report
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070615/d070615b.htm

See full Speech by David Dodge
http://www.bank-banque-canada.ca/en/speeches/2007/sp07-13.html

Study Shows More Immigration Won't Fix Demographic Implosion in Canada
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/sep/06092706.html

Canada in Population Crisis: Seniors to Outnumber Children in a Decade
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05121504.html

Canada - Our Suicidal Northern Neighbor
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/nov/06111012.html

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