Archive for the ‘Policy Context’ Category

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Canada unveils new restrictions on work permits for international students, spouses

Monday, January 22nd, 2024

Starting on Sept. 1, the federal government will stop issuing postgraduate work permits to international students who graduate from programs provided under so-called Public College-Private Partnerships, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said… “I’m not the minister of post-secondary education underfunding. I’m the minister of immigration. Clearly in the last decade or so or even longer, post-secondary institutions in Canada have been underfunded by provinces.”

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Federal government’s new fiscal guardrails ‘helpful’ for monetary policy: Macklem

Thursday, November 23rd, 2023

The fall economic statement made new commitments on how the federal government will approach its finances, including setting a goal to keep deficits below 1 per cent of the GDP beginning in 2026-27… The governor said Canada has two advantages today compared with the 1970s. The first is that people expect inflation to come back down in the long run; the second, that the Bank of Canada responded forcefully this time with aggressive rate hikes.

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Canada poised to create public company registry to curb financial secrecy

Monday, November 20th, 2023

The new registry will require companies to publicly disclose beneficial ownership information of federally registered companies — a move experts say will help expose criminals and tax cheats who anonymously create companies or purchase property… Panama Papers dataset, revealed how Canada had emerged as a popular tax haven, touted by corporate service providers as a “reputable” destination to hide wealth.

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Levelling the playing field: The case for a federal ‘anti-scab’ law

Tuesday, November 14th, 2023

Despite corporate objections to the contrary, anti-scab laws can play an integral role in improving union-management relations… it would force employers to focus on reaching negotiated settlements rather than strategizing over how to best undermine and antagonize union members exercising their right to strike. 

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New Canadians have valuable work experience. A new law will knock down a barrier to putting those skills to work

Tuesday, November 14th, 2023

Studies have suggested that only about a quarter of internationally-trained immigrants in Ontario were working in regulated professions aligned with their training… Banning Canadian experience requirements from job postings and ads is another step toward eliminating systemic barriers newcomers face, creating a more inclusive work force, and addressing labour shortages.

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Ontario plans to require salary ranges be included in job postings

Tuesday, November 7th, 2023

“Including salary ranges with job postings can help close the gender pay gap, while allowing companies to find qualified candidates faster and improve retention, helping tackle the labour shortage.” … new legislation… also proposes to require employers to inform job seekers when they are using AI to inform hiring decisions… the province is considering banning the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace sexual harassment, misconduct or violence.

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What you need to know about Canada’s new first home savings account

Saturday, July 8th, 2023

… many first-time buyers start by buying more modest properties initially, and the FHSA could help them get into the housing market earlier. Of course, this will still take time given the $8,000 per year contribution limit.  While the impact of the FHSA won’t be instant, and while it’s not a complete solution, it’s a step in the right direction. For many Canadians, owning a home provides security and a sense of belonging.

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… Canada’s 2023 federal budget moves on climate and dental – but avoids almost everything else

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023

… the budget drops the ball on support for underfunded public transit systems, affordable housing, pharmacare and high inflation. [but] “When it comes to health care, the piece of this budget with the most teeth is dental care… It seems like the federal government decided that it had to choose between dental care or pharmacare, but not both—and dental care came out the winner. 

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Canada needs a minimum tax on corporate book profits

Thursday, March 2nd, 2023

In 2021, tax avoidance by 123 of Canada’s largest corporations cost the public $30 billion… Corporate tax avoidance nearly doubled in 2021, compared to the pre-pandemic average. More robust policies are needed… A minimum tax on book profits is the major revenue generator within the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act… If Canada had a 15-per-cent minimum tax on book profits in 2021, it would have reduced the tax gap by $11 billion.

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Humans aren’t widgets, and Canadian workers are not in ‘short supply’

Saturday, February 11th, 2023

Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, also cites employers’ complaints as justification for painful interest rate hikes. He aims to ‘solve’ the labour shortage by deliberately raising unemployment… The federal government, too, is catering to employers by increasing immigration targets… Properly planned and supported immigration is good for the economy and for society. But importing masses of workers just to make life easier for employers is the wrong way to do it

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