SACHEDINA. >> Omar: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A CANADIAN ECONOMIST NOW PART OF AN EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL CLUB, SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE PRESTIGIOUS NOBEL PRIZE. DAVID CARD'S PIVOTAL RESEARCH CHALLENGED THE STATUS QUO ON MINIMUM WAGE AND HIS WORK SHOWED THAT RAISING IT DIDN'T STOP EMPLOYERS FROM HIRING. CARD GOT THE NEWS JUST AS HE WAS GOING TO BED. >> I'M STANDING HERE IN MY PYJAMAS, AND MY WIFE IS TAKING A PICTURE OF ME, AND TAKING FUN OF ME. >> RATHER THAN MAKING FUN OF YOU, I'D LIKE HER TO SEND ME THAT PICTURE. >> THIS GUY WANTS THE PICTURE! [ Laughter ]. >> Omar: CAPTURING THAT HISTORIC MOMENT. CTV'S HEATHER BUTTS ON HOW CARD'S IMPACT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THE IVORY TOWER OF ACADEMIA TO FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS ON MAIN STREET. >> Reporter: THE GUELPH ONTARIO BORN PROFESSOR CURRENTLY TEACHES AT BERKELEY, BUT HASN'T FORGOTTEN HIS CANADIAN SENSE OF MODESTY. >> SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HELPED ME ALONG THE WAY, THAT I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT I SHOULD BE THE ONE PERSON THAT IS SINGLED OUT FOR AN AWARD. >> Reporter: CARD STUDIED REAL WORLD SITUATIONS TO EXAMINE ECONOMIC QUESTIONS, SUCH AS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN NEW JERSEY RAISED ITS MINIMUM WAGE IN THE EARLY 90s, USING FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS IN BORDERING PENNSYLVANIA AS A COMPARISON. THE PIONEERING RESEARCH SHOWED GIVING WORKERS MORE MONEY DID NOT LEAD TO LESS HIRING. >> IT'S NOT THAT WE SHOULD RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE, NECESSARILY, BUT A FOCUS ON A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING OF HOW WAGES ARE SET. >> Reporter: THE NEW FOCUS ON DECADES OLD RESEARCH COMES DURING A PANDEMIC, WITH INCREASING CALLS FOR BETTER WAGES FOR FRONT LINE WORKERS. ACROSS CANADA, MINIMUM WAGES VARIES FROM A LOW OF 11 OPINION 75, IN NEW BRUNSWICK, TO A HIGH OF $16 IN NUNAVUT. CARD'S RESEARCH CONCLUDED IMMIGRANTS DID NOT LOWER PAY FOR NATIVE BORN WORKERS. >> GIVING PERMISSION TO THE PREMIERS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE AND GIVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS, BUT NOT JUST BECAUSE IMMIGRANTS BUILD ECONOMY AND INCREASING MINIMUM WAGE DOESN'T HURT THE ECONOMY, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS. >> HIS CANADIAN MILD MANNERISMS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO HIM BEING SO WELL LIKED. >> THIS ECONOMICS PROFESSOR AT U OF T WAS A STUDENT OF DAVID CARD'S AT BERKELEY. >> IT WASN'T JUST HIS OWN STUDIES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO PUBLIC POLICY, BUT THE INFLUENCE HE HAD ON SO MANY OTHER ECONOMISTS. >> Reporter: CARD SHARES THE AWARD WITH TWO OTHER RESEARCHERS. >> IT'S AN HONOUR TO GET THE NOBEL PRIZE. >> THESE THREE LAUREATES HAVE REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE WAY EMPIRICAL RESEARCH IS DONE IN ECONOMICS. >> Reporter: THE AWARD FOR ECONOMICS IS THE LAST NOBEL TO BE ANNOUNCED. DAVID CARD AND THE TWO OTHER WIN ARES WILL SHARE THE
