Savings: One-third expect lottery winnings to fund retirement
Speaking of the lottery, according to a BMO study one-third of Canadians are relying on future lottery winnings to fund their retirement. If that wasn’t bad enough, 14 per cent are relying heavily on lottery luck. From the same survey 89 per cent say they are relying on Canada Pension Plan benefits, with 31 per cent depending on them heavily. Unfortunately, CPP benefits currently average just $7,130 a year and max out at $12,460. Time to expand the CPP? We certainly think so.
Sick leave: No significant difference in public sector leave, despite politician’s claims
The difference in the amount of sick leave taken between public and private sector workers is much smaller than Tony Clement claimed last June. The Treasury Board President said public sector workers were taking 18.2 days per year, but a report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer released in February calculated an average 11.5 sick days a year, similar to the private sector. Unfortunately, this new information hasn’t stopped Clement from using the federal budget to push for the elimination of bankable sick days for federal public servants.
Voting: Does money make people conservative?
A study by British researchers found that people who won money in lotteries became more likely to vote conservative. Higher winnings made for a stronger effect. Those who won more than $1,000 were 16 per cent more likely to vote conservative.
The researchers conclude this result reflects naked self-interest in voting. Ironically, those who won larger amounts were also more likely to agree with statement “ordinary people get a fair share of society’s wealth.” It seems conservative values line up with the self-interested rich, and that the random events that largely shape one’s life also play a significant role in framing our political outlooks.
Job satisfaction: Canadians are happiest at work
Canadians were happiest at work of all countries surveyed by employment website Monster.ca. Sixty four per cent of Canadians said they like their jobs a lot or love them so much they would work for free. By contrast, 34 per cent of German workers and 53 per cent of American workers reported they loved or liked their jobs. Only seven per cent of Canadians surveyed admitted they didn’t like or hated their jobs. Better-paid and older workers were more satisfied, while younger and lower paid workers were least satisfied with their jobs.