Newfoundland Boat Owner

The Newfoundland Department of Employment believed a boat owner wasn’t paying proper wages to his help.

An agent was sent to the fishing village of Burin to investigate the boat owner.

GOVT AGENT : “I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them”.   

Boat Owner : “Well, there’s Clarence, my hired hand. He’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board. Then there’s the mentally challenged guy. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, and pays his own room and board. I buy him a bottle of Lamb’s rum and a dozen Labatt Lite every Saturday night so he can cope with life. Also, he gets to sleep with my wife occasionally”.

GOVT AGENT : “That’s the guy I want to talk to – the mentally challenged one”.

Boat Owner : “That’ll be me. What’d you want to know?”