It was just a small section in an issue of Maclean's magazine last summer, so you probably missed it.
The page was devoted to lists and one focused on the 10 Canadian cities with the highest concentration of rich people.
Estevan was sixth on that list that based its research on the number of people earning $250,000 or more per 1,000 people.
The Energy City finished behind Toronto (8.4) and just ahead of Yellowknife (7.3) with 7.7 people per 1,000 making $250,000 or more.
Calgary, as you might expect, led the parade with 14.9/1,000 followed by Fort MacMurray-Wood Buffalo with 13.9 and then Okotoks and Canmore, Alta. with 13.5 and 13 respectively.
Estevan was the only Saskatchewan city listed. Edmonton and Grande Prairie with 6.7 each made the list a near Alberta sweep. Vancouver was No. 10 at 5.9.
I will make no social, economic or political comment about this information other than suggest we have a whole load of well-paid people in this city, so it's no guess why our cost-of-living is so high.
This survey suggests there are about 100 people in our fair city who take in a quarter million or more per year. If we included all the two-income families with a combined intake of $250,000, I would guess that number would triple.
I would bet if there is a list of most generous donors to worthy causes, we'd make that one, too!
Just another topic or two to cover today, then I'll let you go.
Our provincial government is privatizing the food and communications (telephones) in our provincial prison system. They claim it will save money. I'm guessing that within three years, that won't be the case as the loss-leader aspect of the plan will translate into a need to make a healthy profit and with a taxpayers' system in place, the suppliers will have a captive market in more ways than one.
Onward.
Did they ever get the regional and provincial camp-site booking debacle sorted out? I think it is a privatized service now, too, isn't it?
Speaking of automated, digitized, miracle systems, I found it wonderfully ironic that the same day Revenue Canada announced they were discarding the paper-based tax filing centres and procedures, their e-file system took a header thanks to the Heartbleed bug. They assured us that the compromised tax filing system was fully secured and ready for confidential filings after five days of rumours and Mr. Fixit computer gymnastics. Wanna bet?
My advice, dear diary; just understand that nothing sent out from your screen is ever secure or confidential. That's not criticism, it's just an observance of life as we know it. You are being tracked and compromised. Live with it.
Finally, who are the dimwits who have come up with the idea of half birthdays? As if we didn't have enough goofiness in our lives, now some entitled wooden heads are suggesting kids should not only have birthday parties on their actual birthdates, they should also have celebrations at the six-month plateau. Why? Do they fear kids will forget when their birthday is? Talk about indulgent! Let's talk about loving kids, not about how much you spend on them. It's not the same.
