Archive for the ‘Governance’ Category
The Ford government’s second pandemic budget is another missed opportunity
Thursday, March 25th, 2021
The budget unveils plans to “establish a task force to advise the government on how to address the unique and disproportionate economic barriers women face.” It’s ridiculous — the government already knows what to do. It should be making meaningful changes for women and other vulnerable workers now, not delaying action with a task force that will repeat what has been said before.
Tags: budget, child care, economy, Health, ideology, participation, rights
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Tax Index 2021: Line by line break-up of who’s paying and dodging taxes
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021
Canada’s top 20 billionaires made $37 billion during the pandemic, while thousands lost jobs and took pay cuts… Canada’s income gap is at its widest since the 1980s and upward income mobility has significantly reduced for most of us… A 1% tax on wealth over $20 million would raise $10 billion in the first year alone.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, privatization, standard of living, tax
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Doug Ford doesn’t believe in government — and that explains a lot
Thursday, January 14th, 2021
… the premier has been trying to bargain with the COVID-19 virus from day one. Do we really need more staff in long-term care? Do we really need to legislate paid sick days so contagious workers can stay home? Do we really need smaller class sizes so students and educators are safer? The answer to these questions is yes, but Ford hasn’t used the full legislative and financial powers of government to fight the virus. At every turn, he’s held back, seemingly always hoping for a better, cheaper deal… In other areas, the government has acted without hesitation…
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, standard of living
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From sunny ways to icy reception: How the Liberals are handling issues involving Big Tech firms
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
“… we’ve come to the realization that this great, wonderful promise of the free internet… came at a pretty steep cost”… Ottawa’s more aggressive push also comes at a time of rising public distrust of the tech giants worldwide… they appear to have public opinion on their side… polls… showed broad support for policies such as more social-media regulation and requiring digital platforms to charge sales tax.
Tags: economy, featured, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, privatization, tax
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With a little help for his friends, Ford steals Christmas
Saturday, December 12th, 2020
The owners and directors of long-term-care (LTC) home corporations (including Mike Harris) are off the hook for liability for their well-documented shoddy operations during COVID-19. Ford’s friend and funder Charles McVety will, somewhat magically, likely get his Christian College turned into a university. His developer buddies will like Ford’s new rules for Conservation Authorities whose authority is now much diminished… Every one of these treats was snuck into omnibus bills designed to deal with the pandemic.
Tags: Health, ideology, jurisdiction, privatization
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Premiers call dibs on federal money before it’s all spent
Friday, December 11th, 2020
Health care is provincial jurisdiction. They can levy taxes like Ottawa. If they need more money, they could raise taxes… A lot of what Ottawa does is sending money to people or provinces. But health care? … Mr. Trudeau doesn’t want to just send cheques. He wants to say he paid for something new and specific that Canadians want. He told the premiers that Ottawa might fund better long-term care, or pharmacare.
Tags: budget, featured, Health, jurisdiction, pharmaceutical, tax
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Spare some pity for right-wing premiers in the time of COVI
Friday, December 11th, 2020
… a global pandemic isn’t the best circumstance for invoking libertarian individualism and the all-purpose value of the private sector, then standing aside. Active government has its problems, but someone has to do something right now, not just wait for the invisible hand to generate profitable solutions… Doug Ford… more a right-wing populist than an ideological conservative… is about “the little guy,” by which he means small business owners, never their employees.
Tags: economy, ideology, privatization, rights
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Human rights cities: The power and potential of local government to advance economic and social rights
Thursday, December 10th, 2020
… a growing number of local governments from across the world are turning to human rights to affirm a vision of more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable communities. Such places may be broadly categorized as “human rights cities.” … we offer a few key points for cities and municipalities of all sizes to consider to protect, promote, and fulfill human rights…
Tags: economy, homelessness, housing, ideology, jurisdiction, participation
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Jason Kenney doesn’t seem to understand what the Charter actually says
Thursday, November 26th, 2020
“as a general rule, individual rights in Canada are more circumscribed, and collective or ‘group’ rights, protecting linguistic, religious or aboriginal communities, are more generous than in the United States. In the United States the ethic of the individual is foremost; in Canada there is more concern for the general public welfare and members of disadvantaged groups.” … the Charter doesn’t give cover to governments that don’t want to do what’s required to limit the devastating effects of a pandemic, and it doesn’t explain their decision to slow-roll any public health measures or restrictions.
Tags: economy, ideology, jurisdiction, rights
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Doug Ford’s love-hate relationship with the nanny state
Saturday, November 21st, 2020
If there’s any time not to demean “the state” in utterly clichéd terms, it’s now. He’s clueless enough to unsheathe the nanny-state weapon at the very moment when governmental action is the only recourse, in a time of virtual — and literally viral — war. There is no substitute for the state in a war.
Tags: economy, Health, ideology
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