Reduce income gap, think-tank says
Posted on December 6, 2011 in Equality Debates
Source: Winnipeg Free Press — Authors: Craig Wong
WinnipegFreePress.com – /business
Posted: 12/6/2011. By: Craig Wong
Governments need to do more to address a growing gap between rich and poor in Canada and around the world by fostering more and better jobs and even considering raising taxes, a global economic think-tank says in a new report.
Among its findings, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development reported the average income of the top 10 per cent of Canadian earners in 2008 was $103,500 — 10 times that of the bottom 10 per cent, at $10,260.
The ratio for Canada in the early 1990s was about eight to one.
While the OECD study reaches only to 2008 — just as the recession kicked in around the globe — that kind of income inequality has been at the heart of the Occupy Wall Street protests across the U.S. and Canada.
The report found the gap between rich and poor in its member countries had reached the highest level in more than 30 years in 2008, with the average income of the richest 10 per cent now about nine times that of the poorest 10 per cent.
The aim of the study is to dispel the assumption the benefits of economic growth trickle down automatically to those on the lower end of the earning spectrum, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said Monday.
“Greater inequality does not foster social mobility,” Gurria said in the release of the report.
“Without a comprehensive strategy for inclusive growth, inequality will continue to rise. There is nothing inevitable about high and growing inequalities. Our policies have created a system that makes them grow and it’s time to change these policies.”
The OECD report noted the economic crisis has added urgency to the debate as disenfranchised young people see little opportunity in the future.
“Fostering more and better jobs, enabling people to escape poverty and offering real career prospects, is the most important challenge for policy-makers to address,” the report said.
“Investing in human capital is key. This must include the early childhood period and be sustained through compulsory education.”
The report also suggested governments may want to consider raising marginal tax rates on income, though it cautioned that may not be the most effective way to raise revenue.
“Other measures include improving tax compliance, eliminating tax breaks and reassessing the role of taxes on all forms of property and wealth, including the transfer of assets,” the report said.
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty defended the government’s record on job creation.
“The OECD and the IMF say that Canada’s economic growth, job creation will be the best going forward. That’s how you address inequality,” he told question period in the House of Commons.
NDP finance critic Peter Julian said the government was not doing enough.
“We have a government that attacks the whole issue of economic policy in a one-dimensional frame and that is cutting taxes for Canada’s biggest companies,” Julian said. “What’s happened is that not only has job creation not kept up with the labour market, but the jobs that they created pay about $10,000 a year less than the jobs they lost.”
— The Canadian Press
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Tags: economy, featured, globalization, ideology, standard of living, tax
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One Response to “Reduce income gap, think-tank says”
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Inequality is a major issue within society. Although both the provincial government and federal government has provided the CFSA and the CCTB and combined to create the NCB it still isn’t enough. I agree that the government’s need to do more to address the growing gap between the rich and the poor.
Policies do need to change to benefit all of society not just the rich. Looking at the numbers of the average amount of money made from the top 10% standing at $103 500 when the average bottom 10% only makes $10 260 is utterly ridiculous. That is a huge gap between the rich and the poor and $10 260 is not a lot of money to make over one year especially for those who are not only providing for themselves but for their families. Where is the equality? It states that “without a strategy for inclusive grown, inequality will continue to rise. Our policies have created a system that makes them grow and it’s time to change these policies” I agree 100%. There is obviously a major problem within society for there to be such a large gap in yearly income.
This goes to show that those who are living in poverty do not have equal rights to opportunities and in Canada; we stress the importance of equality amongst people. It sounds to me like we are making Canada look like a hero, when in reality it is failing to take care of its citizens. The government does need to create new policies to benefit everyone within society to try and lessen the gap between the rich and the poor. Now, I am not trying to say take money away from the rich, but provide money to the poor to provide them with equal life opportunities, rather than leaving them at rock bottom with no way out. Something needs to be done, and now, because time is running out and the poor are only going to get poorer while the rich continue to get richer.