Archive for the ‘Debates’ Category
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Pension overkill
Friday, July 15th, 2011
Jul. 13, 2011
… the IRPP study suggests expanding mandatory savings by expanding the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Similar to all the other proposals, this latest one is overkill for a policy issue that has seriously been overblown, and comes with a number of adverse consequences… those with low earning levels achieve higher rates of earnings replacement through government benefits. Hence the problem is not about senior citizens living in poverty. In fact, OECD rankings show that Canada has the second lowest poverty rate for senior citizens after the Netherlands.
Tags: ideology, pensions, standard of living
Posted in Debates | 1 Comment »
There are bigger threats to our fragile recovery than the postal dispute
Monday, July 4th, 2011
Jul. 04, 2011
The government has indicated its willingness to interfere in normal contractual relationships between private parties, even dictating contractual outcomes, in the interests of preserving Canada’s economic momentum… Why is the government, so quick to intervene to suppress compensation for the humble folks who deliver our mail, standing on the sidelines while powerful people enrich themselves at the expense of our national prosperity? Perhaps it’s not the economy they’re concerned with after all.
Tags: economy, ideology, standard of living, tax
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Intangible taxes
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
Jun 28, 2011
Why does intangible capital spending, such as research and development, exploration and development, advertising and labour training, get better treatment under the tax system than other capital investments?… The R&D lobby is able to garner public support by pointing out Canada’s low R&D intensity — the heavy tax and grant support reflects this successful plea. Mining is typically favoured since it generates jobs in rural areas… it is time for us to have a close look at the current fiscal support given for intangible spending to make it more effective.
Tags: economy, globalization, standard of living, tax
Posted in Debates | 1 Comment »
No time to give up on tax, EI reforms
Sunday, June 26th, 2011
June 25, 2011
Lower income taxes and higher transfer payments from government largely offset these declines, as they should in a recession… On the transfer payment side, Employment Insurance did much of the heavy lifting. Twenty per cent more Canadians received EI in 2009 than 2008 and among those receiving it, the amount received rose 22 per cent. Bottom line? In 2009, the system worked. Market incomes sagged as a result of recession and the “automatic stabilizers” of the income tax and employment insurance systems kicked in to help offset the damage.
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, standard of living, tax
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Pension plans: Why all the fuss?
Friday, June 24th, 2011
Jun. 24, 2011
… even if investments work out as hoped for, the new defined contribution pension plans being offered by Air Canada and Canada Post, for example, should not be expected to result in benefits as large as the defined benefit plans they want to close… So, the benefits being negotiated are important and real. Management will continue to try to pass the pension risks over to the workers by using defined contribution plans, and workers will try equally hard to retain their defined benefits.
Tags: economy, pensions, rights, standard of living
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Top 50 socially responsible corporations
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
June 9, 2011
The Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies in Canada were selected on the basis of their performance across a broad range of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators… The companies selected rank at the top of their respective peer groups… in areas such as environmental initiatives, impact on local communities, treatment of employees and supply-chain management. Some are notable for their development of products or services that contribute directly to sustainability.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Debates | 1 Comment »
Native community sees rapid income growth
Monday, June 20th, 2011
06/18/2011
A surprising new report has found that despite significant poverty, total incomes in the aboriginal community have been growing at almost twice the rate of the country as a whole. The report… from TD Economics shows total combined income of households, businesses and government will be about $24 billion in 2011, double what it was in 2001. The number is predicted to grow to $36 billion by 2016… The average annual growth rate of total aboriginal income has been about seven per cent, whereas the Canadian nominal GDP has been growing by about four per cent.
Tags: economy, Indigenous, participation, standard of living
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Good jobs aren’t in the plan
Sunday, June 19th, 2011
Jun 18 2011
The CEOs have decided. The value of young people is lower than the value of people from my generation. You don’t deserve the same salary, even if you are better educated. You don’t deserve the same vacation time or health benefits. And you certainly don’t deserve to have the same kind of secure retirement. It’s just not in the business plan.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, pensions, standard of living
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Minimum vs. living wage
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
June 2011
Inspired by the CCPA-BC office’s campaign to get BC employers to pay their workers a living wage (as opposed to a minimum wage that keeps working people poor), this month’s Hennessy’s Index shows that the idea is catching on… $10.25- Ontario’s minimum hourly wage. The second highest in Canada… $16.60 – Hourly wage needed in 2008 for couples with two young children living in the Greater Toronto Area to earn a living wage.
Tags: ideology, poverty, rights, standard of living
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GDP Report: Awfully Weak Tea Leaves
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
June 1, 2011
Consumers and governments are tapped out, and their spending binge is over. Net exports are falling. Business investment is not nearly vibrant enough to pick up the slack. Where will future growth come from? Someone has to be borrowing and spending, for demand to expand and the economy to grow. All this should lead Mr. Flaherty (and provincial finance ministers) to fundamentally reconsider the austerity track onto which they are steering Canada’s fiscal policy. Merely by freezing government spending, Canada’s real economic momentum has been considerably undermined.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization
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