Murray Sinclair sought to build a pathway toward mutual understanding and healing for future generations
In waves of paternalism and government intervention, Indigenous Peoples were moved off their lands, onto reserves or into the cities and, far too often, into the courts and prisons… That “reconciliation” entered the national vocabulary is a testament to his gentle persuasiveness… His vision for a reconciled Canada sought to unite the strengths of Indigenous Nations and Canadian ideals, creating a path toward a future where the best of both worlds could flourish together.
Child & Family
The rise and fall of co-op housing in Ontario
Toward the end of the last century, the construction of co-operative housing — and social housing more broadly — garnered substantial federal and provincial investments: thousands of co-operative units were built every year for a span of nearly three decades. But a nexus of political, economic, and social factors in the late 1990s ground the breakneck pace of construction to a crawl. Today, units in co-operative buildings are coveted by those looking for affordable-housing options in an increasingly unaffordable market.
The problem with [the cheque-in-the-mail approach or as they like to put it “fund the families directly” with a government tax credit or voucher] as a child-care plan is it’s one that works for for-profit child care owners — and absolutely nobody else. It doesn’t lower parents’ fees. Its value is almost immediately swallowed up when owners raise their fees (and then raise them again). It doesn’t improve wages for hard-working educators. It doesn’t build new child-care spaces… we must not let a small group of owners put their private interests ahead of those of our children, families and communities.
Education
Why teachers like me are dreading the return to school
… 30 per cent of Ontario teachers leave the vocation in the first five years as educators. Ontario educators are leaving teaching behind as severe provincial spending cuts, the strain of COVID and a drastic rise in student violence have created an education crisis in Ontario… The provincial government began slashing funding to education in 2019. This resulted in multibillion dollar budget shortfalls for Ontario boards… A 2023-2024 survey reported a 24 per cent shortage of teaching staff in elementary schools, and a 35 per cent teaching shortage in secondary schools.
Nigmendra Narain speaks truth about Ontario’s manufactured university crisis
ON funding $6000 below national average… this scarcity of university funding… has been completely manufactured by a provincial government bent on ‘saving tax-payer dollars’ by downloading costs onto individuals while encouraging public-private partnerships… Ontario’s ratio is currently 34 students : 1 professor. Contrast that with the rest of Canada averaging 23 students : 1 faculty.
Employment
What’s behind Canada’s housing crisis?
Canada had a strong housing welfare system in the 1960s and 1970s, but this changed in 1993 when the federal government stopped funding social housing programs. It shifted toward a commodified system that emphasized individual responsibility… This shift was driven by two neoliberal beliefs. The first is that the private market is the most efficient way to provide housing… The second belief is that homeownership promotes autonomy and reduces reliance on governments by building property assets, although the reality defies this belief.
CMA calls for elimination of sick note requirements by employers
The association says sick notes burden physicians with unnecessary administrative tasks and detract from patient care. In a new position paper, the CMA calls for legislative changes to restrict the requirement for sick notes and promote alternatives such as self-certification and flexible leave policies… the move aims to ease the administrative burden on health care providers and improve patients’ access to care and the overall efficiency of the health care system.
Equality
In waves of paternalism and government intervention, Indigenous Peoples were moved off their lands, onto reserves or into the cities and, far too often, into the courts and prisons… That “reconciliation” entered the national vocabulary is a testament to his gentle persuasiveness… His vision for a reconciled Canada sought to unite the strengths of Indigenous Nations and Canadian ideals, creating a path toward a future where the best of both worlds could flourish together.
Most academic economists support a higher inclusion rate, partly because it levels the playing field between different types of capital income. But the best motivation is $20 billion in revenue it will raise over five years, to support modest new programs announced in this budget. This will help fund school lunches, affordable housing initiatives, dental care and disability benefits — while still respecting Freeland’s fiscal “guardrails.”
Health
The Nurse Practitioner Answer to the Primary Care Crisis
Another factor [to explain Canadians’ seemingly sudden disenchantment with their healthcare system]may be the reluctance of provincial governments to undertake major institutional reforms. Since the 1990s, when serious budget deficits necessitated action, most provinces have been reluctant to provoke opposition from powerful interest groups, in particular physicians’ associations… As a result of this opposition, some NPs are underemployed in rural and remote communities or underutilized in urban hospitals…
Why it is urgent that Ontario share health data with Ottawa
… every province and territory closely guard their residents’ health from the federal public health agency to varying degrees, but what’s done in the name of protecting individual privacy comes at the cost of blinding the Public Health Agency of Canada to a fuller understanding of the health of Canadians… Timely and accurate data inform sound public health policies. Their absence does the opposite, including leaving risk management to the most vulnerable.
Inclusion
The history of domestic implementation of Canada’s international human rights commitments is disappointing, particularly when it comes to economic and social rights… Over the past 75 years, Canada has neglected to build the necessary legal foundations, government structures, and political will at home to institutionalize human rights and provide accountability to rights holders. We need a new national framework for international human rights implementation.
Toronto hospital to open permanent supportive housing apartments for homeless people
A new housing project for those who live on the streets and frequently end up in the emergency room is set to welcome its first residents in Toronto this month, supported by one of the largest hospital networks in Canada… The hope is that the project will ease pressures on hospitals while also providing stable care for vulnerable individuals… [and] a playbook for other jurisdictions or other partnerships between every level of government, between hospital and community, to try to advance concrete solutions for people
Social Security
Key takeaways: What is the state of welfare in Canada?
… overall, adequacy is still a problem. And there are two components…: the actual amount of the benefit, federal and provincial components, and indexation… it’s terrific that more jurisdictions have indexed their benefits or part of their benefits, but this should be a given without any question… maybe it’s time for an income supplement for lower-income families… And third, if there is any increase in any federal benefits, we have to make sure that there is no clawback.
There are Better Ways to Spend $3 Billion on Seniors than Boosting OAS
If $3 billion per year were spent on seniors, where would it be best spent: Income security, supports, services or residential and nursing care? And if income security turns out to be the answer to that question, then why via OAS, which is paid to 7 million Canadian seniors? Should it not instead be the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), which is targeted towards to Canada’s 2.2 million lowest income seniors almost all of whom really do struggle to make ends meet?
Governance
Public media can lead the way in charting a course for all media to use AI ethically, and in ways that diminish rather than contribute to the flow of misinformation… developing and testing ways to encourage civil online conversations as an antidote to the harmful, toxic online discourses that are fed by misinformation and disinformation.
… Tenet Media produced at least 51 videos this year focused on Canada that were viewed half-a-million times… on hot button cultural issues, including immigration, crime, gender and sexuality, as well as “anti-white” sentiment, unmarked residential school graves, and economic grievances about grocery prices and housing affordability… It is bad for our democracy when a significant slice of our population is being deliberately misled and even radicalized.
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