Archive for the ‘Economy/Employment’ Category
Canada’s oil giants are cashing in on conflict. Consumers are paying the price
Sunday, August 9th, 2026
It is neither inevitable nor reasonable that one industry should profit so obscenely from a war that is killing thousands, dislocating millions, and undermining the livings standards of billions. This situation reflects a deliberate policy choice: to give a few corporations power to charge whatever the market will bear for an essential commodity, regardless of cost of production or harm to society.
Tags: economy, featured, privatization, standard of living, tax
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Who were the Luddites? Their legacy ripples through politics, cultural commentary and literature
Thursday, August 6th, 2026
Along with the political radicals and the labour campaigners over the course of the 19th century, they took part in a prolonged struggle waged for rights, dignity and justice. That struggle partially succeeded, forcing the ruling classes to compromise rather than continuing to rely on brute force.
Tags: economy, ideology, rights, standard of living
Posted in History | 19 Comments »
Which country is richer, Canada or the U.S.? If median wealth is the measure, it’s Canada
Thursday, July 30th, 2026
The danger in the unfavourable Canada-U.S. comparisons is the distorting effect they can have on political decisions about economic strategy. Those run the gamut from irresponsible tax cuts to privatization of public services to extravagant spending on infrastructure projects — all meant in part to address the gap between rich and poor by increasing personal disposable income… “Public policy should focus on measures that truly effect our well-being, like real median income, fairness and quality of life.”
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Policy Context | 11 Comments »
Ford government’s internal surveys expose failures in disability job training program
Friday, May 8th, 2026
Ford’s plan to get Ontarians off social assistance and into jobs is failing those with complex disabilities, according to the province’s own research… employers “don’t know how to support” workers with disabilities, and performance targets are pressuring agencies to place clients into jobs too quickly — even when those with “complex barriers” need more time to prepare… the Ford government hired third-party operators to oversee the program’s new rules for funding and contract renewals… “The new model is a disaster”
Tags: budget, disabilities, jurisdiction, participation
Posted in Delivery System, Inclusion Delivery System | 16 Comments »
Canada’s quiet economic driver: Universities and colleges
Friday, May 1st, 2026
Universities and colleges lead the way on driving economic growth: Universities and colleges’ economic output was worth $61 billion in 2025, which was 2.1 per cent of Canada’s total GDP—just $5 billion behind residential building construction, much more than all oil sands extraction ($49 billion), and almost twice as much as mining or transportation manufacturing (at $33 billion each)… Despite only making up about two per cent of Canada’s economy, the post-secondary education sector represents over 34 per cent of all research and development, which was much higher than Canada’s peer countries.
Tags: economy, Education, standard of living
Posted in Debates | 14 Comments »
Canada Strong Fund
Thursday, April 30th, 2026
Designed to give all Canadians a direct stake in the Build Canada agenda… The Fund will invest in strategic Canadian projects and companies alongside other investors—with a clear objective to achieve commercial returns to build the wealth of Canada… When Canadians invest directly in the Canada Strong Fund, they will help fuel its growth and increase its ability to deliver meaningful benefits across the country.
Tags: economy, participation
Posted in Delivery System | 8 Comments »
What Pierre Poilievre Doesn’t Get About His Economic Hero
Monday, April 27th, 2026
Poilievre presents justice — fairness, poverty reduction, the well-being of those left behind — as something that markets produce incidentally when they are left alone. The claim is that free markets lifted billions out of poverty; therefore the path forward is more free markets, fewer regulations, lower taxes, more oil and gas. But this framing depends on a separation of efficiency and justice that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
Tags: economy, ideology, privatization, rights, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Every President Tries It. It Never Works.
Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
Efforts to revive manufacturing are rooted in nostalgia. Once upon a time, manufacturing jobs provided a reliable pathway to the middle class… Not anymore… A smarter economic strategy would stop measuring success by the number of assembly lines reopened and start focusing on what actually raises living standards: productivity, affordability and the growth of the whole economy.
Tags: economy, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
What Canada can learn from Mexico’s approach to U.S. trade
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
Mexico’s strategy offers a template for aligning with the U.S. without sacrificing sovereignty or respect for the rule of law. It is a far cry from a full North American customs union that some hope to achieve as part of the upcoming CUSMA review, which would unduly tie Mexican and Canadian trade policy to the whims of Washington, D.C… The recent China deal is a step in the right direction.
Tags: economy, globalization
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Elbows up: A practical program for Canadian sovereignty
Sunday, December 7th, 2025
A strong industrial strategy is needed so this frontal attack does not consign Canada to its previous role as supplier of primary staples products… Canada’s trade-oriented, goods-producing industries receive most attention, yet almost 80 per cent of our GDP is produced in non-traded sectors. This includes the care economy, like health care and education, which need more investment, too—not austerity.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
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