In October 2016, the Canadian finance minister, Bill Morneau, remarked that young Canadians should prepare themselves for “job churn,” a statement that provoked the ire of many across the country. Though Morneau recognized that retraining is critical for workers as they navigate increasingly complicated careers— asking, for instance, “How do we train and retrain people as they move from job to job to job?”— his remarks brought considerable irritation.

Whether in Canada or other Western countries, public dialogue on precarious work is characterized by uncertainty, anger and appeals for worker retraining as career paths become increasingly disjointed. In this chapter, I attempt to shed light on the precarious work narrative, which is an important facet of public dialogue pertaining to young people. Specifically, I argue that whether or not work is precarious, the narrative itself creates a sense that uncertainty is the “new normal.” This makes it difficult for workers to feel comfortable in whichever jobs they are in. The default mindset has become one of insecurity— even for those in well- off circumstances.

TRUST AND BETRAYAL

Of the publications that report on precarious work, The Guardian is unquestionably among the most vocal about its downsides. Whether in this or other publications, we tend to hear from university- educated young adults working in bookshops, retail stores and other low- paying forms of employment that wonder what their university educations actually provided them. Because of their tenuous situations, these interviewees acknowledge that traditional markers of adulthood— such as getting married or purchasing a house— are unrealistic for them. Or, these important life decisions will be delayed well beyond their twenties, at least for those without parents’ generous financial aid.

Mark Carney argues elsewhere that the widening of social and economic inequality between generations risks diminishing the social capital required for our trust in capitalism. In his wide- ranging speech on inclusive capitalism, Carney remarks that “within societies, virtually without exception, inequality of outcomes both within and across generations has demonstrably increased.” There is no shortage of writing or speeches focused on precarious work. And there is a sense in delving into research on this topic that the long- term, individual- level repercussions could be severe.