Canadian companies failed to pay billions of taxes owed, new CRA report reveals
Canadian corporations failed to pay between $9.4 billion and $11.4 billion in taxes in 2014, according to the first comprehensive analysis of the country’s corporate “tax gap” — the difference between taxes legally owed and those collected — being released today by the Canada Revenue Agency. That means 24 to 29 per cent of all the corporate income tax legally due in Canada didn’t get paid that year.
Child & Family
Misspeaking childcare: The Ford government’s evidence vacuum
Taken together, this brew of rapid-fire cuts, chipping away, and misrepresentation of Ontario childcare add up to a picture of a childcare future that isn’t good for anyone — not children, parents, educators — but could be great for investors. Fortunately, the childcare community, together with supporters and political allies from across parties are speaking up to set the record straight on what accessible, affordable, high quality child care actually is, what’s needed to get it, and why Ontario families today recognize, need, want and demand it.
Bedlam over beds: We can no longer ignore our long-term-care crisis
In Ontario … the wait list for long-term care is a staggering 34,000 people… Long-term care is a $70-billion-a-year business but consumers – and government in particular – can be parsimonious in what they are willing to pay to care for individuals… Far too many Canadians learn the hard way that long-term care is not only costly, but there isn’t much government support… most long-term care is paid out-of-pocket.
Education
Every child left behind: How education cuts fuel inequality
… good fiscal sense includes eliminating inequalities that cost economies and challenge political stability. Stiglitz cites the OECD, which estimates that “in countries like the U.S., the U.K. and Italy, overall economic growth would have been six to nine percentage points higher in the past two decades had income inequality not risen.” And in a 2018 Gallup study, countries with greater income inequality, the Economist found, also report higher incidences of assault, theft and concerns about personal safety.
No, professors shouldn’t collect a six-figure pension – on top of a six-figure salary
Nearly one in 10 Ontario university professors is over the age of 65. As of 2016, these professors were earning, on average, $184,947 a year. Moreover, because federal legislation requires all taxpayers to start drawing down their retirement savings at the age of 71, septuagenarian professors can collect a six-figure pension on top of a six-figure salary… No one is stopping senior scholars from writing academic papers, or teaching ECON 101. The debate is over how much they should be paid for doing so.
Employment
The Ford government’s proposed wage-cap legislation: Debunking the myths, outlining the facts
The Ford government has introduced sweeping wage legislation that will undermine free and fair collective bargaining under the pretense of a fiscal crisis. The reality is that Ontario faces a revenue problem and not a spending problem, as Ford continues to falsely claim… the Ontario government has the lowest per capita program spending in the country. This includes spending on essential public services such as long-term care, childcare, education, transit, water, and infrastructure.
Canadian companies failed to pay billions of taxes owed, new CRA report reveals
Canadian corporations failed to pay between $9.4 billion and $11.4 billion in taxes in 2014, according to the first comprehensive analysis of the country’s corporate “tax gap” — the difference between taxes legally owed and those collected — being released today by the Canada Revenue Agency. That means 24 to 29 per cent of all the corporate income tax legally due in Canada didn’t get paid that year.
Equality
Canada’s largest First Nation is introducing a citizenship code to take control over its membership lists as the federal government prepares to enact legislation that could create tens of thousands of new status Indians while removing the last vestiges of sexism from the Indian Act… The concern of the First Nation is that many people who can trace a distant ancestor to the community will turn up after Bill S-3 takes effect to claim a portion of scarce resources…
Canada Signs Historic Post-Secondary Education Agreement with Métis Nation
The Government of Canada Budget 2019 proposed an investment of $362-million over 10 years and $40-million ongoing to support Métis Nation post-secondary education, with the goal of supporting over 7,000 Métis Nation post-secondary students… This Sub-Accord will establish new approaches aimed at improving the education outcomes of Métis Nation students and programs and support three activity streams including student support, community-based programs and services, and governance capacity.
Health
Why are we forever chasing the dream of a universal drug plan?
… derailed by opposing political agendas, fierce resistance from private insurers, public ambivalence and voter apathy… universal pharmacare isn’t merely about equity and ideology, but efficacy and efficiency… The challenge is to make those savings feel real, not notional… that cost-benefit tradeoff must be spelled out clearly to persuade people that the savings end up in their pockets.
Report goes all in on pharmacare, and that may be a mistake
The bottom line is that Canada’s inconsistent drug coverage can’t be fixed without government intervention of some kind. That includes lowering the nation’s drug bill by creating a government system of bulk purchases, limiting drug co-pays and regulating premiums.
Inclusion
Increased Supports for Single Adults Living with Low Incomes
… create a new program to support ill and unemployed Canadians whose temporary Employment Insurance (EI) or disability benefits are about to run out… make single, low-income adults a priority consideration in all future poverty reduction policy measures to ensure that this vulnerable population is no longer left behind… implement our Basic Income recommendation
Ontario eliminates Indigenous Culture Fund as government cuts millions of dollars in arts funding
Arts sector support is cut from 18.5 million dollars to 6.5 million, and the Ontario Arts Council, which awards grants, is receiving 10 million dollars less from the government this year. Five million dollars of that comes from axing an Indigenous Culture Fund… Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says the arts, including music and storytelling, are a very important part of Indigenous culture, and cutting this fund sends a terrible message.
Social Security
Needed: A New Pension Paradigm For Canadians
… the pension industry must go beyond the tired defined-benefit versus defined-contribution pension debate and focus on the model pension of the future… the authors explain a new pension paradigm that lies between the Classic DB and Classic DC… The common ground would include: Pooling: across multiple employers to reduce risk… Target Benefits: to share risks between sponsors and members… Scale: The optimum asset size would be $1 billion and up… Independent Management Boards
Is ‘Left Over’ Food for ‘Left Behind’ People the Best We Can Do?
Food banks operate as secondary food markets propping up ailing welfare systems… government must ensure domestic compliance under international law with its obligations to “respect, protect and fulfill” these rights ensuring food security for all. That means understanding food insecurity as a problem of income poverty. It must change the public conversation and political discourse from charity to human rights and social justice.
Governance
All Ontarians will pay the price for Doug Ford zapping public sector wages
As much as some Conservatives might dislike debt, or disdain deficits, or begrudge public servants’ salaries, or resent teachers’ summers off, the laws of our land set a higher standard for the systematic suspension of collective bargaining rights. The courts have ruled that you must have good reason(s) — unless, of course, Ford once again intends to overrule any courts that dare to overrule his government by invoking the Charter’s notwithstanding clause.
Ford government to cap pay raises for public servants in bid to control spending
TheStar.com – Politics June 5, 2019. By Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson, Kristin Rushowy, Queen’s Park Bureau In a bid to rein in spending, Premier Doug Ford is threatening to impose a cap on pay hikes for 1 million public servants. Ford’s Progressive Conservatives on Wednesday tabled legislation that would limit annual wage increases to 1 per cent when […]
Recent Comments