Archive for the ‘Economy/Employment’ Category

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Federal government’s new fiscal guardrails ‘helpful’ for monetary policy: Macklem

Thursday, November 23rd, 2023

The fall economic statement made new commitments on how the federal government will approach its finances, including setting a goal to keep deficits below 1 per cent of the GDP beginning in 2026-27… The governor said Canada has two advantages today compared with the 1970s. The first is that people expect inflation to come back down in the long run; the second, that the Bank of Canada responded forcefully this time with aggressive rate hikes.

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Canada poised to create public company registry to curb financial secrecy

Monday, November 20th, 2023

The new registry will require companies to publicly disclose beneficial ownership information of federally registered companies — a move experts say will help expose criminals and tax cheats who anonymously create companies or purchase property… Panama Papers dataset, revealed how Canada had emerged as a popular tax haven, touted by corporate service providers as a “reputable” destination to hide wealth.

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Levelling the playing field: The case for a federal ‘anti-scab’ law

Tuesday, November 14th, 2023

Despite corporate objections to the contrary, anti-scab laws can play an integral role in improving union-management relations… it would force employers to focus on reaching negotiated settlements rather than strategizing over how to best undermine and antagonize union members exercising their right to strike. 

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New Canadians have valuable work experience. A new law will knock down a barrier to putting those skills to work

Tuesday, November 14th, 2023

Studies have suggested that only about a quarter of internationally-trained immigrants in Ontario were working in regulated professions aligned with their training… Banning Canadian experience requirements from job postings and ads is another step toward eliminating systemic barriers newcomers face, creating a more inclusive work force, and addressing labour shortages.

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Ontario plans to require salary ranges be included in job postings

Tuesday, November 7th, 2023

“Including salary ranges with job postings can help close the gender pay gap, while allowing companies to find qualified candidates faster and improve retention, helping tackle the labour shortage.” … new legislation… also proposes to require employers to inform job seekers when they are using AI to inform hiring decisions… the province is considering banning the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace sexual harassment, misconduct or violence.

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Ontario launching infrastructure bank with $3B in public funding

Friday, November 3rd, 2023

Ontario is proposing to launch its own infrastructure bank – with an initial $3 billion in public funding – in order to help foot the bill for long-term care homes and transportation projects, as slowing economic growth has the province sinking deeper into the red… the bank will attract trusted institutional investors to help finance essential infrastructure that would not otherwise get built,”…

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Did the Bank of Canada just push Canada over the tipping point?

Wednesday, July 19th, 2023

Profits as a share of GDP have averaged 21 per cent since the start of the pandemic and profit margins are higher too… We need policymakers at every level to address the real causes of excess/persistent inflation — profiteering, financialization, undersupply and supply chain bottlenecks. Without that we’re all left worse off regardless of the level of inflation. 

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While Ford pampers spa users, our school kids fend for themselves

Thursday, July 13th, 2023

The government’s miserly approach to funding our children’s education seems curious in such a rich province… The government is actually swimming in money — even as it hollows out key public programs, underfunding schools, shutting down hospital emergency wards and doing nothing for the homeless beyond allowing developers to build ever more condos that are quickly sold to high-income buyers… The notion that we can’t afford a strong public sector has always been a scam.

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What you need to know about Canada’s new first home savings account

Saturday, July 8th, 2023

… many first-time buyers start by buying more modest properties initially, and the FHSA could help them get into the housing market earlier. Of course, this will still take time given the $8,000 per year contribution limit.  While the impact of the FHSA won’t be instant, and while it’s not a complete solution, it’s a step in the right direction. For many Canadians, owning a home provides security and a sense of belonging.

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Why we need to rewrite the script on corporate taxes

Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

Canada’s tax-and-transfer system, which relies on taxing income and providing Employment Insurance and other benefits, isn’t reducing inequality as much as it did before the mid-‘90s. Specifically, despite increases in worker productivity, average real wages have stagnated while corporate profits have skyrocketed. This inequality manifests through middle-class household debt and significant personal savings of CEOs.

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