I obviously can't speak for the states (I assume that's where you're living), I was just making the point that McD's, at least where I live, treats their employees pretty fairly. That being said, I've heard some fucked up things about employment laws in the US so you could be getting a sweet deal. On top of that, Canada has some of the highest rates of secondary education attendance in the world, meaning that there is a surplus of blue-collared jobs.

If I were in your position I would definitely start calling around to food distribution warehouses, they usually pay pretty well and are usually unionized, meaning good employee protection. The best way to get into warehouse work is call them before Christmas time or before summer holidays, usually they're looking for relief staff for their regular employees who are taking holidays. If you can get a temporary job with a warehouse during a "peak time", you can usually bust your hump and might find yourself with a full time job that pays pretty well.

Besides all of that, I would honestly tell you to look in a different country for a job. Apply for a temp work/holiday Visa in Australia and go pick grapes or something; the thing is, you aren't going to be making any LESS money and now, before you get settled, is the best time to travel. If you're discontented in your situation, make lemonade, don't think of it as being burdened by you situation, think of it as being freed by little to no responsibility.

Seeing as this is an AMA: do you guys have interest relief on your student loans? In Canada you can seek relief from repayment of your student loans based on your situation. Lets say I couldn't get a job for 6 months after being laid off and I don't have enough money to pay the government on a monthly basis for my student loans, all I have to do is write a letter to the Loan department, they review it, and then they allow me to stop making payments and interest ceases to increment for (usually) a 6 month period. When I'm back on my feet, I can start paying again, or if I still haven't found anything, and I can prove that fact, I can write them again and they'll decide if I can stay on interest relief.