Canada’s unemployment a whole per cent higher than B.C.’s

THE#BCBIZDAILY
Plus, Air Canada calls for a tax cut, and what to call the new iPhone 

Steady jobs
No news is good news for B.C. in Statistics Canada’s August Labour Force Survey released Friday. While Canada’s unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 7 per cent as more people looked for work, it remained steady at 6 per cent in B.C. There was also little change in B.C.’s overall employment rate of 59.5 per cent, although full-time jobs increased slightly while the number of part-time jobs decreased. In Canada overall, an increase of 54,000 in full-time employment was offset by a drop of 42,000 in part-time work. The increase in unemployment is a result of more Canadians entering the job market, not a decrease in the number of jobs. Estimates are based on sampling from August 9 to August 15.

Sky-high taxes
There is an area where the Harper government has yet to cut taxes. Speaking at a Prince George Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday, Air Canada’s senior vice-president for regional markets, Kevin Howlett, says Canada’s tax structure makes airline tickets much pricier here than in the U.S.: $580.28 for a round trip between Vancouver and Phoenix compared to US$278.60 ($317.60) between Seattle and Phoenix. And unlike the U.S., which subsidizes its airports, Canada doesn’t reinvest those taxes in airports, said Howlett, who wants to make airline taxes an election issue. (via Prince George Citizen)

What do you call them Apples?
A B.C.-based marketing company is trying to turn lemons—or possibly Apples—into lemonade. As the latest iPhone could be called the 6S, a company with the same name—6S Marketing—is lobbying for Apple to call it the iPhone 7 instead. At least its name wasn’t usurped by a terrorist organization, like various businesses and organizations previously called Isis. The marketing company, founded in 2000, has erected billboards in Times Square and outside Apple’s Manhattan store with this message: “Dear Apple, Please call it the iPhone 7. Sincerely, 6S Marketing.” That’s one way to market yourself.