Your assumptions are very flawed. I'm in my 40s and I live in Northern Canada in the Yukon.
You saying that Canada's weather is bad on the basis because you've seen one microcosm of the world's second-biggest country with six different time zones (doesn't even sound like you lived there, more of a tourist)? It's is like saying: "Australia's weather is so shit because it rains in Melbourne all the time." Or it's the same as a Canadian saying: "Australia is such a dangerous country because all these things can kill you." I mean, really?
Where I live and in Western Canada, we get 250+ days of sun each year, and it's fairly pompous to make a judgment on the weather being bad just because you're not a fan of the rain or snow. I mean, that's your preference.
On tech, I mean, Amazon, Facebook, Netflix, Apple, Google, Moderna, and even Fortescue didn't make a profit until they did (Netflix specifically will be cash-flow positive this year). That's what the market is there for - it supplies capital on the basis that investors are confident that they will become profitable and they believe in the story obviously for a massive windfall and at a risk (the traits of capitalism).
What recent tech wreck? Can you please point me to this recent tech wreck that we had? The NASDAQ fell barely 10% and the internet is full of LOUD NOISES!? TECH WRECK I TOLD YOU SO RAR RAR RARR and now the bears are in hiding again after the bounce? It's like saying when Mineral Resources/FMG/BHP etc. dipped 40% that we're having another commodities crash and China is going in recession - if you look carefully, quality and profitable tech is continuing to perform.
At the end of the day these "Unicorns" are offering value - you can see it at work and on the street, everyone is using Canva and lining up outside Lululemon, everyone small business is using the Shopify application for e-commerce - these are tangible businesses with tangible value on a pathway to (if not already are) profitability. If they weren't, they wouldn't be existing IMHO.
On wages, how come we have high wages and record low unemployment then? How come every man and his dog wants to set up an operation, store, or office in Australia? I think we should push for even higher wages - the majority of people in America can't even retire and expect to rot until their 80s working. How come the US has such high wages in the tech sector? How come they're competitive? How come Switzerland has very high average wages and they're doing just fine?
In Australia generally speaking as long as you've played your cards right (bought a house, contributed to super, maybe bought an investment property and a few shares on the back of your relatively high wages), you'll be right at 65 with a dignified retirement and IMO that's something to be proud of as a nation.
Sounds like you're a conservative who wants a US-style system of tips, $5 wages for unskilled jobs/$20 wages for skilled jobs, and no healthcare/super (you're on your own for that), and a society where having a side hustle/gig economy work is not a choice but a necessity.
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