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How about ‘Buy Canadian’ for resource projects?
Sunday, March 25th, 2012
Mar. 14, 2012
We need a national strategy to maximize Canadian content in Canadian resource developments. Canada, for example, could impose a “Buy Canadian” requirement on future mining projects, similar in spirit to the Buy American rules… If we limit our national economic ambitions to digging stuff out of the ground, all we’ll ultimately have left is a big hole in the ground. But if we’re thoughtful and pro-active about leveraging our resource wealth into all-round economic and industrial development, we’ll have much more to show after the resources are gone.
Tags: economy, globalization, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Free-market ‘rationalism’ turned Canada from champ to chump
Sunday, February 26th, 2012
February 26, 2012
From Korea to Finland, China to the Netherlands, Brazil to Germany, countries which actively direct and manage growth seem to perform better in productivity, innovation, and global trade. These countries have fostered investment and innovation with focused sector strategies; deliberately favourable capital market, exchange rate, and trade policies; and sophisticated efforts to manage income distribution so that productivity growth visibly translates into higher living standards
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, poverty, rights, standard of living
Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »
Policy, not technology is killing Canadian manufacturing
Friday, January 27th, 2012
Jan. 24, 2012
… technology can explain some of the job loss, but not most of it. It certainly cannot explain the disproportionate carnage in Canadian manufacturing… The loss of 500,000 manufacturing jobs in Canada over the last decade was far more dramatic than most jurisdictions. Many factors contributed to this miserable record… [but] Caterpillar’s demand to cut Canadian wages in half has nothing to do with technology. It reflects power: a global company’s ability to isolate and threaten workers, one factory at a time. And it reflects policy: an active decision by governments (like Canada’s) to let them do it.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, rights, standard of living
Posted in Policy Context | 1 Comment »
On productivity, the ‘invisible hand’ lacks visible success
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
Nov. 22, 2011
… large government by itself is no more a guarantee of productivity success than small government: Interventions must be smart, efficient and disciplined. But experience shows clearly that market forces on their own cannot be relied on to guide the economy to its innovative, efficient potential… we cannot continue to wait for the forces of unregulated private competition to develop Canada’s economy in a sustainable, diversified manner.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
What do banks actually DO?
Monday, November 7th, 2011
What do banks actually DO? Create credit out of thin air. Were Canadian banks bailed-out? Absolutely, to the tune of $200 billion. And they are still protected and subsidized more than any other sector of the economy. What must be done with these banks? Tax them, control them, and ultimately take them back… A video is available here: < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoOKY5kH9cc&feature=youtu.be >
Tags: economy, featured, globalization, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Policy Context | 6 Comments »
Raitt’s Three Principles for labour relations only run one way
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Nov. 02, 2011
In Hamilton, where workers held little power, the government stood idly by. It seems it’s only when workers have some leverage that it acts powerfully to “protect the economy.” …there’s no doubt work stoppages cause inconvenience and disruption. But because something is unpopular or inconvenient hardly gives government the moral authority to take away rights, making up the law as it goes – even if it does hold a majority of seats in Parliament.
Tags: economy, ideology, rights, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Occupy movement: It’s about time
Monday, October 17th, 2011
Oct. 16, 2011
In the 1930s, the last time capitalism failed so destructively, radical opposition movements won the day: Demanding both immediate aid for the Depression’s suffering, but also bigger structural changes in the economy… governments’ response went well beyond “stimulus.” Instead, government was given powerful, countervailing powers to offset the skewed dominance of business and wealth
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
Canada’s Billionaires
Monday, October 17th, 2011
October 14, 2011
Just in time for the “Occupy Bay Street” protest this weekend, Canadian Business magazine has come out with its annual listing of the richest 100 people in Canada. So in honour of the protestors and their noble cause (demanding more attention to the 99%, instead of the 1%), let’s peruse together the sordid details of Canada’s ultra-rich.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »
Tim Hudak’s Troubled Geometry
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
… the Conservative party’s campaign is guided by a platform booklet called the “changebook.” It’s an audacious manifesto for significant change in the policy and the philosophy of government in the province, mapping out a long agenda of measures to cut taxes, balance the budget, privatize government assets and agencies, get tough on criminals, change labour laws and arbitration systems to reduce wage increases, end government support for business investments, and many others. The changebook has drawn criticism from commentators on all points of the political spectrum, most pointedly for its implausible claims…
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | 3 Comments »
It’s going to take more than free-market ideology to create jobs
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
Sep. 13, 2011
The dismal experience of Europe has proven that a single-minded focus on austerity and debt reduction is economically self-defeating… the next government should emphasize continuing support for public services and infrastructure, partnership with private sector capacity expansions, and more support for training and adjustment programs to prevent displaced workers of any age from falling by the wayside of the labour market. We also need stronger regulations to protect young workers from abuse by contract agencies and other unfair employers.
Tags: economy, featured, globalization, standard of living, youth
Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »
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