The hoarded wealth of the superrich can do more good in the public’s hands, so let’s tax it: a book excerpt
… the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians increased their share of total Canadian wealth from 18 per cent to 26 per cent between 2010 and 2019, while the share of wealth owned by every other income group in Canada declined… while Canadians at almost every income level pay a substantial portion of their incomes in tax, billionaires do not… a wealth tax… could raise billions of dollars that could create a better-functioning democracy with a more hopeful, well-nourished and empowered citizenry.
Child & Family
Why we need to talk about the root causes of food insecurity
Research shows that when more people have adequate incomes, food insecurity declines, and that policy changes are essential to ensure that wages, social assistance and pension rates provide a livable income and greater income equality… most children’s fiction suggests individual choices or life circumstances are to blame for food insecurity and that charity, kind strangers and luck are the solutions.
Why Canada must transform its long-term care system
… inclusive, age-friendly, home-like settings not only give residents a greater sense of comfort, control and autonomy; they also also provide an environment for direct-care workers to thrive and do meaningful work that makes a difference in their lives and in the daily lives of those they care for… If Canada wants to ensure dignity in aging, it must treat care work as essential infrastructure.
Education
4 ways to empower students to spark social change
… students crave more than passive listening and are eager to translate knowledge into actionable solutions… Simple, everyday activities can be life-changing when integrated into traditional teaching. The key is shifting from one-way lectures toward open dialogue, peer collaboration and personal reflection. These changes foster the trust and inspiration students need to ask better questions, listen deeply and see themselves as capable of creating real-world change.
… years of underfunding, mismanagement and neglect, colleges and universities across the province are slashing programs and cutting jobs… the harm may become irrevocable. Even in the best case, it will take years, and perhaps decades, to repair the damage already done… postsecondary education is a provincial responsibility…
Employment
What Canada can learn from Mexico’s approach to U.S. trade
Mexico’s strategy offers a template for aligning with the U.S. without sacrificing sovereignty or respect for the rule of law. It is a far cry from a full North American customs union that some hope to achieve as part of the upcoming CUSMA review, which would unduly tie Mexican and Canadian trade policy to the whims of Washington, D.C… The recent China deal is a step in the right direction.
Elbows up: A practical program for Canadian sovereignty
A strong industrial strategy is needed so this frontal attack does not consign Canada to its previous role as supplier of primary staples products… Canada’s trade-oriented, goods-producing industries receive most attention, yet almost 80 per cent of our GDP is produced in non-traded sectors. This includes the care economy, like health care and education, which need more investment, too—not austerity.
Equality
… the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians increased their share of total Canadian wealth from 18 per cent to 26 per cent between 2010 and 2019, while the share of wealth owned by every other income group in Canada declined… while Canadians at almost every income level pay a substantial portion of their incomes in tax, billionaires do not… a wealth tax… could raise billions of dollars that could create a better-functioning democracy with a more hopeful, well-nourished and empowered citizenry.
100 highest-paid CEOs now make 248 times more than average workers in record-breaking year
“CEO pay is mostly bonuses now, bonuses tied in some form to those corporate profits. When inflation drives profits, it also drives CEO pay through the stratosphere… CEO pay continues to soar without restraints… And tax rates on Canada’s richest are well below where they used to be. Meanwhile food bank demand has hit all-time highs. We need to take action on income and wealth inequality in Canada, and taxation can be the control we need.”
Health
… the door is now wide open to a major expansion of for-profit health care thanks to Ontario’s Bill 60. The bill contains no obvious limits on outsourcing publicly funded health services to the private sector… While reducing wait times is a goal we all share, funding private, for-profit expansion while publicly funded operating rooms sit underused and nurses remain unavailable is not the solution.
B.C. to end drug decriminalization project, after ‘challenging’ three-year-experiment
The program was pitched with the goal to “reduce stigma and fear of criminal prosecution that prevents people from reaching out for help, including medical assistance.” But a furor ensued over claims that the program was encouraging public drug use in playgrounds and other inappropriate places… we continue… adding treatment and recovery beds… intervention and supports… harm reduction services and undertaking everything that we can to save lives,”
Inclusion
I don’t have dental insurance. Do I qualify for the federal government’s dental care plan?
For Canadians whose annual income is between $80,000 and $89,999, the CDCP will cover 40 per cent of eligible oral health-care services; for those in the $70,000 to $79,999 range, the plan covers 60 per cent, and those whose income is less than $70,000 receive 100 per cent coverage. You can see exactly what’s covered on the government of Canada’s website. In many cases you will have a co-payment based on your adjusted family net income.
Canada will reduce international student permits by more than half, budget reveals
The 2026-28 plan will allocate 239,800 permanent residence spots for economic immigration, and 84,000 for family reunification programs, including the sponsorships of spouses and parents/grandparents. The share of skilled immigrants will go up from 59 per cent to 64 per cent, while spaces for protected persons and resettled refugees from abroad will drop from 68,350 this year to 56,200 in 2026 and 54,300 in 2027 and 2028.
Social Security
A basic income can be a strong investment in mental health
Research shows how poor mental health is a direct consequence of poverty. Money not only helps meet people’s material needs but also alleviates their worries. Reducing poverty translates into significant savings for the economy and the public purse. Canada could save $4 to $10 for every dollar spent on mental health supports. Poverty is not caused by personal failings. It is the social environment people live in that has the greatest impact on life trajectories.
Why the Canada Disability Benefit won’t end disability poverty, and how it could
It won’t be a game-changer, but it could help many if eligibility and access expand and clawbacks are not allowed to erode possibly its entire value… Though the benefit will not fill the poverty gap for hundreds of thousands of people, it could still reduce their depth of poverty… If it is intended to fill the poverty gaps in provincial and territorial social-assistance programs, the benefit amount should reflect that… Poverty is a policy choice – one that is inconsistent with Canada’s human-rights obligations.
Governance
With their astronomical wealth, tech companies use extraordinary, undemocratic means to shape policy conversations in favour of consolidating US power… First, Canada needs a new digital strategy and charter to meet the moment… Second, Canada must identify and secure the most critical digital systems and data from foreign control… Third, Canada must stop giving away leverage to the U.S… Digital sovereignty does not arrive by surrender.
Could a national, public ‘CanGPT’ be Canada’s answer to ChatGPT?
… what if AI were developed as a public utility rather than as a commercial service? Canada’s long history with public service media — namely the CBC and Radio-Canada — offers a useful model for thinking about how AI could serve the public amid growing calls for a public interest approach to AI policy.
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