Archive for the ‘Governance Debates’ Category
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Our constitution is in dire need of fixing
The deepest problem is alienation of citizens from their governments… But government in Canada isn’t just big and inept. It’s inept because it’s too big, in ways our traditional constitution was designed to prevent… right now the relationship between citizens and government in Canada is upside down. We don’t control them, they control us… We can’t clean it up one sensible piece at a time because the amending formula excludes the people.
Tags: featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, rights
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Referendum Aside, We Need Deeper Vote Reform Consultation
Some claim the Liberals have made it clear that committee hearings will be the only consultation process… hearings alone will not amount to meaningful consultation… The committee also should undertake a “deliberative judgment” process as the “national engagement” mechanism the Liberals have promised, as it is the best practice for meaningful public consultation.
Tags: featured, ideology, participation
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Reverse Harper’s legacy of secrecy
… federal Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault has put forward several practical ways to fix the access to information system, including limiting the secrecy granted to cabinet documents, tighter deadlines for release of records, new sanctions for failure to disclose, and an overall presumption that information should be publicly available unless there are compelling reasons to keep it secret.
This would be a good start.
Tags: featured, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
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Ontario should clean up donations to political parties
… Ontario is long overdue for a major reform of how our political parties and election campaigns are financed. There should be much stricter controls on spending by third-party interest groups. And there should be an outright ban on political contributions from corporations and unions… It should bring Ontario in line with other governments… When it comes to running fair elections untainted by outside influence, Ontario should be a leader, not a laggard.
Tags: crime prevention, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, standard of living
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We need democratic reform, not just electoral reform
If the Liberal Party doesn’t just want to reform elections but democracy — and they’ve named a Minister for Democratic Institutions, so let’s assume they do — they need to focus on making democracy relevant for today’s world… Electoral reform is a good thing, but politics shouldn’t just be about one day and one win. It’s time to stop forcing people to stew in silence between elections and start opening up politics to continuous participation.
Tags: featured, globalization, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living
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Trudeau’s right on taxes
Tax laws allow lawyers, accountants, dentists, and other professionals to provide services to their employers through personal services corporations, rather than as employees… Professionals providing services through a personal services corporation are taxed at the lower small business rate on the first $500,000 of income. In Ontario, the combined federal and provincial rate is 11%, dropping to 9% by 2019, while mere individuals face a marginal tax rate of 46%.
Tags: featured, ideology, privatization, rights, standard of living, tax
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What ‘Bob from Calgary’ really meant when he posted his NYT comment
… a great many individuals… are happy to pay taxes in order to ensure an equitable and well-run society. It’s a simple reiteration of the 1904 quote by the American Oliver Wendell Holmes: “Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.” A healthy capitalist system is founded on an understanding that both markets and governments can fail. Nuanced dialogue, analysis and engagement are critical to understanding what mix of government and free markets works to achieve the best outcomes.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, participation, standard of living, tax
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‘Canada Is Back?’ Not Until Taxation Is Truly Fair Libs’ apparent willingness to chase corporate cheats only the first step.
The government’s apparent willingness to go after tax cheats — corporate and individual — is good news. But this is just one step in terms of achieving tax justice and fairness, and in recovering the over $60 billion a year lost through tax cuts… Now that we have a government that says it believes in governing, the question of comprehensive progressive tax reform needs to be front and centre.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, globalization, ideology, standard of living, tax
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Why we must restore Parliament’s control of the public purse
… the government’s accounts are so convoluted that even the experts are baffled… It is well nigh impossible for mere mortals to follow money… We need to take advantage of the new government’s platform commitment to transparency. It has promised positive changes to information laws, the release of costing documents on new proposals, consistent budget documents and a stronger parliamentary budget office.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living, tax
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How to build a bright future for First Nations and our new government
There are two important things to consider as we embark on this new path together. The first is the continuing cost of failing to right the wrongs of the past. The second is the tremendous benefit to be realized when Canada’s First Peoples enjoy the same quality of life as Canadians. The Centre for the Study of Living Standards found that, by 2026, closing the gap that exists between First Nations and Canadians could add as much as $400-billion to Canada’s economy and save $115-billion in social spending.
Tags: Indigenous, jurisdiction, poverty, rights, standard of living
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