Peter Kairns speaks to Diocesan Council while Michael McGee and Marcia Sauder listen

Diocesan Council has urged all parishes to pay people working for the church in any capacity at least $10 an hour, and called upon the provincial government to raise BC's minimum wage to at least that amount.

The Council-the governing body of the diocese between annual Synod meetings-was responding to a request from the Justice and Peace Unit for endorsement of their participation in the campaign organized by the BC. Federation of Labour and other groups to raise BC's minimum from $8 to $10.

The Rev. Margaret Marquardt of St. Margaret, Cedar Cottage, chair of the Justice and Peace Unit, and the Rev. Don Johnson, a Lutheran member of the Unit, appeared before Council to urge them to act. "This is a political issue but it's not an issue that deals with what party you belong to. It's an issue of justice," said Johnson.

During the debate Marcia Sauder of St. Mary's Kerrisdale said the diocese should do itself what it calls other bodies to do, and encourage all parishes to pay workers at least $10 an hour, and Diocesan Council agreed.

Chancellor George Cadman, the diocese's chief legal officer, said that the council has jurisdiction only over the pay of lay employees hired directly by the diocese-all of whom make over $10-so the request that parishes pay that much to employees could be a directive.

The motion also urged the government to index future increases of the minimum to the cost of living, and to eliminate the $6 an hour training wage.

During debate on the motion, Peter Kains of St. Francis-in-the-Wood warned that jumping the minimum wage from $8 to $10-25 per cent-brings the danger of "unintended consequences." Most minimum jobs are in service industries, and it is likely costs will be passed on to consumers, he said.

"There will be a reduction in the number of minimum wage job," he predicted.

Sylvia Beech of St. Margaret, Cedar Cottage, disagreed, arguing now would be a good time to raise the minimum because the economy is doing well and there is a demand for labour.