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Flaherty’s update: Belief versus reality?
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
Oct 13 2010
… he cited the Conservative government’s “fundamental belief” that the private sector must lead the return to economic growth… But if those markets are drying up and Canada is slipping back into recession, the federal government may well have to intervene with some Keynesian stimulus. Flaherty and the Conservatives have done it before. Tuesday’s economic update suggests, however, that the government is deeply reluctant to do it again, for reasons that sound more ideological than economic.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Give family docs more freedom
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
Oct. 12, 2010
What causes our shortage of family doctors? …according to a 2005 report from the CFPC, the main reason is money: “[A] lack of remuneration is the leading cause of a decline in medical students choosing to take up family practice. It is also the prevailing reason why family doctors are forced to close their practices.”… Instead of fighting market forces, through a rationed, monopoly-payer system, Canada should allow family doctors to practise both public and private medicine.
Tags: Health, ideology, privatization
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Ottawa abusing the public trust
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Oct 12 2010
In our increasingly webbed world, information confers more power than ever on a federal government tempted to use and abuse that power. That’s why it is critical that the government share important information with the public in the spirit of Canada’s Access to Information Act rather than try to hide it. That’s why it is also essential that the government protect privacy by safeguarding, not exploiting, confidential information as mandated by privacy laws. On both counts, the Conservative government in Ottawa has utterly failed the Canadian people…
Tags: ideology, participation, rights
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Ignatieff’s serious plan for home care
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Oct. 11, 2010
The Liberals’ promise to cancel a planned cut in the corporate tax rate from 18 per cent to 15 per cent, and reallocate the money to caregivers marks a clear point of distinction… the Liberals… will need to counter the argument that cancelling the tax cuts could compromise economic growth. Canada needs more and better home care. How to pay for it economically, and without crippling the public finances, will be a challenge, for all governments and political parties. At least Mr. Ignatieff has had the courage to raise the subject.
Tags: disabilities, Health
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »
The welfare state should be tough but fair
Monday, October 11th, 2010
October 11, 2010
… the elimination of social benefits for middle- and upper-income families should be seen as a major transformation of the British welfare system… rethinking the concept of universality seems both appropriate and necessary. Why provide benefits to people not in need?… Despite the current enthusiasm for universal full-day kindergarten in Canada, for instance, those scarce resources would be better directed toward low-income families. Federal tax breaks for children’s fitness expenses or public transit bear an even-more tenuous connection to need.
Tags: budget, ideology, poverty
Posted in Inclusion Debates | 1 Comment »
Accountability on reserves
Saturday, October 9th, 2010
Oct. 9, 2010
The chiefs have no legal requirement to disclose their remuneration to Canadians. Even local natives have trouble jumping through the bureaucratic hoops necessary to find such information… But as we see it, the greatest threat to the image of First Nations people isn’t legislation aimed at bringing their communities into line with modern standards of good governance and transparency. Rather, it is the native leaders who, through their own AFN mouthpiece, cynically circle the wagons in defence of their cash and powers.
Tags: Indigenous
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
Food banks: Don’t stop at giving
Saturday, October 9th, 2010
Oct 09 2010
Food banks represent the best and worst in our society. It is inspiring that so many give so generously… But it is appalling that such individual altruism is needed to overcome our collective failure to address this most basic need through government programs… talk to your politicians. Ask them why food banks, charities and churches have become so critical in the lives of those who cannot get decent jobs. Urge them to take action on affordable housing, inadequate welfare rates and an employment insurance system that provides no help to many jobless workers in Ontario.
Tags: featured, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Debates | 6 Comments »
Census as policy by complaint
Friday, October 8th, 2010
Oct. 07, 2010
It is now clear that Canadians are not bothered by the mandatory long-form census. Thus, no reason exists to scrap it… But one complaint is enough, says today’s Industry Minister, Tony Clement, if it points out government coercion that should not be tolerated. This attitude would be quite laudable, if government actually worked this way. It would truly be government of, by and for the people. One person could turn a nation in a new direction, if he or she were right. On second thought, it is probably not a good way to run a country.
Tags: ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Women need their chance to lead
Friday, October 8th, 2010
Oct. 08, 2010
In the U.S., roughly 50 per cent more women run the top 1,000 companies… In Canada, fewer women preside over significantly smaller empires. The number of women corporate officers here has grown only by 2.8 per cent since 2002. To make this charge is not an act of tokenism, charity or correctness, it is a corporate and political challenge. It is time for Canadians to… show some leadership when it comes to women and leadership.
Tags: participation, women
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
Strike multiculturalism from the national vocabulary
Friday, October 8th, 2010
Oct. 08, 2010
Multiculturalism should be struck from the national vocabulary. Instead, Canada needs to refocus the debate, and have the courage to build a successful society around the concept of citizenship. Canadians should not be afraid to articulate – to the native-born and to newcomers – a sense of what defines the country and the idea that citizenship brings with it responsibilities, not just rights.
Tags: ideology, immigration, participation
Posted in Inclusion Debates | 1 Comment »
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