Archive for the ‘Governance’ Category
« Older Entries | Newer Entries »
What government is good at, and how it can improve
Over the years, we have added one program after another, one unit after another to the machinery, one officer of Parliament after another, while expanding central agencies and making them responsible for a wide variety of activities. Taken in isolation, one may be able to justify each new program, new unit, new officer of Parliament. However, when they are taken together, we have created a machinery that can no longer operate efficiently
Tags: budget, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | 1 Comment »
Canadians won’t accept Leap because it breaks these two rules
… the first “iron rule” of environmental advocacy should be to accept that people have legitimate economic fears and aspirations, and be credible in describing how your ideas will achieve their environmental and their economic goals… We are Modest Shift people. Thoughtful Shift people. Not Leap People. Or Big Shift People… The vast majority of Canadians… will respond well to constructive ideas, offered in a spirit of mutual respect. They’ll change… but trying to shame them won’t speed things up…
Tags: economy, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | 1 Comment »
A review is nice, but it’s time for Canada’s 30-year tax revamp
… the aim of tax reform should improve the tax structure, given that a certain amount of money is needed to “feed the beast.” A framework would enable governments to adjust taxes over time to achieve better results. Those countries that have had better growth rates are also those that rely on consumption-based taxes, rather than income and transfer taxes… The Canadian tax system is fraught with distortions and complexity built up over the years.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
The retreat, and rebirth, of socialism
The traditional center-left is in retreat in Europe, and to a somewhat lesser extent in the U.S. This could be seen as a failure of the centrist-socialist establishment, though it might make sense to see it from a different perspective: An attractive, modern alternative has presented itself… Voters who believe that the government should be more vigorous in curbing capitalism and redistributing wealth have been turning on traditional socialist parties.
Tags: featured, globalization, ideology, participation
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
For the NDP, the only place now is at the far left of political spectrum
… delegates at the party’s convention in Edmonton last weekend embraced the Leap Manifesto, a document that would make the NDP unelectable if it becomes party policy… who would want to lead a party saddled with a radical faction that seems to have won the hearts of the most committed activists? But what if the future leader came from the Leapers? … This is what many New Democrats are hoping for.
Tags: economy, ideology, participation
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
The campaign finance reforms Ontario needs now
Ban all corporate and union donations… Dramatically reduce contribution levels for individuals… Remove the egregious loophole that allows donors to give another roughly $10,000 for by-elections… Impose the same comprehensive limits for party leadership races… Reduce the total spending limit in elections… Set new limits on third-party groups during election campaigns… Expand public subsidies of election campaigns.
Tags: featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Keep doctors off Ontario’s Sunshine List
Billings and earning are very different things. Consider a family doctor who bills $300,000 a year. With that $300,000, she pays for a secretary, a nurse who comes in once a week, a modest office, which she shares with another doctor, insurance and all business expenses. A public-sector employee earning $300,000, though, has his office, business expenses, pensions and benefit contributions paid for with taxpayers’ money.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, mental Health, tax
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Wynne promises to end corporate, union donations this spring
Currently, corporations and unions can donate to political parties and politicians in Ontario. The province also has a relatively high donation cap of $9,975 annually, plus numerous loopholes that allow corporations and unions to give many times that amount, sometimes more than $100,000. The province also places almost no restrictions on third-party advertising, allowing corporations and unions to spend as much money as they want on their own advertising at election time.
Tags: featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Governance Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Ontario ombudsman pledges new look at broken jails system
An ombudsman needs to be trusted and respected by the government agencies whose behaviour he hopes to improve, Dubé said. “I think it’s important that the entities that we oversee feel comfortable with us, that it’s not a witch hunt, that it’s not about naming, blaming and shaming.” … Many problems an ombudsman deals with arise innocently, Dubé said. The system breaks down but not because people are exploiting it or deliberately being cruel.
Tags: corrections, ideology, rights, standard of living
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Wernick ties DMs’ performance pay to workplace well-being
… deputy ministers… will be assessed on the health and well-being of their departments. That means a portion of their performance pay will be tied to how well their departments are faring in building a “respectful” workplace. It’s the second year in a row that the public service’s top bureaucrat has made mental health a management priority… a much-anticipated strategy on how to make the public service a healthy workplace.
Tags: disabilities, featured, Health, ideology, mental Health, standard of living
Posted in Governance Delivery System | No Comments »
Recent Comments