This one takes the cake.

A new danger is threatening Alberta youth.

Work.

As a result of a recent exemption to the Employment Standards Code enacted by the Alberta government for the restaurant industry, children are now able to serve the same fast food they have been gorging on since Ray Kroc started slinging Big Mac’s from coast to coast 50 years ago.

Restaurant and Foodservices Industry can hire 12-14 year olds without permit, with conditions

Employers in the Restaurant and Foodservices Industry may now hire employees between the ages of 12 and 14 for their restaurants, without obtaining a permit, for certain designated duties subject to various conditions.

Consent of a parent or guardian must still be obtained before hiring an adolescent and the safety checklist must be completed, with safety requirements, restrictions and prohibitions regarding the activities adolescent employees may perform.

The employment of adolescents will be monitored in these industries to ensure compliance with the conditions of the approval.

Please note: This approval applies only to the employment of adolescents in the restaurant and food services industry.

Quite naturally, the Alberta Federation of Labour is gravely concerned about fostering any kind of work ethic among 12 year old Albertans:

“With the stroke of a pen, the government has created a new type of child labour in this province. 12-year olds can now serve you your Big Mac, or prepare your salad,” says [AFL president] Gil McGowan. “What’s next? Letting 10-year olds work on construction sites?”

Yes. There will be 10 year olds working on construction sites… (eyes roll)

Frankly, I could care less if it is 12 year old Suzie or her grandmother who asks me if I want fries with my Big Mac. If the same 12 year old can legally supervise someone’s children, then why aren’t they able to run a drive through window or buss a table for much more money?

Currently children aged 14 in Alberta are able to drive and have sex, so why is it suddenly a problem when they are able to work? While children are permitted to dodge motor vehicles traveling at 110km (double that if you’re on the Deerfoot), contract STD’s or get pregnant, heaven forbid they stand too close to a fryer:

The government is trying to say that the change is merely “procedural”, but its real impact could affect thousands of children between the ages of 12 and 14. It could expose them to workplace dangers from grills, fryers and slicing machines.

I’m actually quite surprised the AFL hasn’t jumped all over this. Naturally these young kids will need to be unionized to protect them from work force exploitation. Union indoctrination can then take place at an even earlier age, and once dues are taken care of, each child will still have enough money left for, say, a handful of Mojo’s.

Judging by the conduct of the past few generations of other people’s children in this country, perhaps it is time we started teaching our children that money is something that is worked for and earned, not thrown around and taken for granted.

Crossposted to Dispatches from the Western Alien Nation.