It’s not unreasonable to assume that government statisticians routinely “massage” unemployment numbers in order to allow their political bosses to claim that the economy is in better shape than it actually is. Economist Ryan McMaken delves into the mechanics of this smoke and mirrors game.
The establishment survey report shows that total jobs—a total that includes both part-time and full-time jobs—increased, month over month, in August by 142,000. The establishment survey measures only total jobs, however, and does not measure the number of employed persons. That means that even when job growth comes mostly from people working multiple part-time jobs, the establishment survey shows increases while the total number of employed persons does not. In fact, total employed persons can fall while total jobs increases. For instance, the total number of employed persons has fallen by 66,000 since August of 2023. This is in contrast to a gain of 2.3 million “jobs” in the establishment survey over the same period.
Yes, like inflation numbers don’t include food..
———
If you need CBC news to tell you how the economy is doing.. You must be a government worker / rich..
Despite the Liberal’s best efforts to derail the farm and energy industries, Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate is 5.4%, the lowest in the country. Pumpjacks are pulling oil out of the ground, combines are harvesting grain crops and most people who want to work are working, producing the food and fuel Canadians want and need. Now if we can have a federal election this fall, we can close the book on the past disastrous decade and put more Canadians to work.
Participation rate is the best one. Clearly displays the number of new people saying F-it every month. Almost never goes up.
Government statistics people need to be purged, fire them all.
Todd Snider – Statistician’s Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUK6zjtUj00