Good points sawbill and fully agree ! I know and work with departments that use to have 8 to 10 people lets say in the clerks department that now have 3 people ! Many other departments have gone through the same down sizing over the last 10 years and this trend will continue. No new hires but add the extra work to staff to save money.
If the manufacturing industry hadn't left starting in the 1970's we wouldn't be having this conversation. The IT sector was booming in the 1990's and that also left and went bust. Hydro rates continue to go up as well as being taxed on everything ! No new industry in Ontario whatsoever that pays a decent fair wage. Gee i wonder why ?! People can only blame themselves for voting in the wrong political parties who are supposed to entice new business to come to Ontario and work for us. My home town of Chatham Ontario had Cambell Soup, Libby's, Navistar, Rockwell, Eaton Springs along with a whole list of other manufacturing plants that have left or a very bare bones manufacturing plant that still exist. All paid big money at one time and no complained about the municipal worker or other government workers. Why because they were making a hell of a lot more money than government workers.
The shoe is now on the other foot and the grass looks greener. In reality it's not ! Why because of everything i had mentioned earlier adding the mental health and stress levels that continue to climb.
People will always be comparing to what others have and that will never change. What needs to change is having responsible leaders and holding them accountable for all the promises they make and not make good on. We need new big business to come to Ontario and it needs to be presented in such a way that it is financially feasible for new business to start up. Huge reduction in hydro rates, tax, land tax, water charges etc. Make it so enticing that it would be stupid not to say no. Have them commit for so many years at these rates then slowly increase the rates.