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Insite’s success causes problems for morality-based opposition
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
May 16, 2011
… government lawyers requested the court ignore the piles of evidence that suggest the inexplicably embattled facility does exactly what it purports to do: reduce overdoses, stop the spread of disease, encourage rehabilitation — you know, generally just save lives… Besides the widely reported 35% drop in overdoses, it’s also been shown to reduce HIV transmission, by as many as 35 cases a year, which is no small savings to our health-care system: the International Journal of Drug Policy finds the cost-benefit ratio just in this instance to be 1 to 5.12.
Tags: crime prevention, Health, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Immigrants cost $23B a year: Fraser Institute report
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
May 17, 2011
Young immigrants pay taxes that support social services for Canada’s aging population; immigrants fill the low-paying jobs that others do not seem to want; Canadians are ennobled by allowing people to share in the country’s economic riches; immigration enriches the cultural life of Canadians, and future generations end up repaying their parents’ debt by earning an average or above-average living in the long run. Mr. Grubel and economic consultant Patrick Grady argue, however, that these benefits either do not hold up to close scrutiny or that they are simply not worth the economic cost.
Tags: budget, economy, immigration, standard of living, tax
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Canadians pay less tax on income than most in developed countries: OECD
Sunday, May 15th, 2011
May 11, 2011
The burden of taxes and social-security charges paid by employers and employees “is lower than the OECD average for every family type (considered in the study) and the difference with the OECD average has widened over the past 11 years.”… Governments trying to cut deficits while spurring growth should shift away from payroll taxes and higher personal income taxes and instead boost revenues from property taxes and value-added levies such as Canada’s GST or HST, the OECD advised.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization, standard of living, tax
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
Drug prohibition is dumb on crime
Sunday, May 15th, 2011
May 14, 2011
… a recent World Health Organization study demonstrated that tough drug laws do not translate into stemming drug use… despite the strict mandatory minimum-sentencing regimes that exist in many states, the United States has among the highest lifetime rates of drug use… cutting drug supply by taking a drug dealer off the street will have the perverse effect of making it that much more profitable for new players to get into the market… gun violence… often occurs when remaining gangs fight over the new economic opportunity that police have unwittingly created.
Tags: corrections, crime prevention, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Economic news flash: Inequality is complex
Saturday, May 14th, 2011
May 13, 2011
…in most places growth was more rapid at the top than at the bottom of the income distribution. Across the OECD, it averaged 1.4% per year at the bottom, 2% at the top. Canada’s numbers were 0.9 and 1.6, the United States’ 0.5 and 1.9… Almost everywhere there was growth at the bottom. But incomes at the top grew more quickly than incomes at the bottom. In effect, the rich were pulling away… The great bulk of income, and therefore the source of the great bulk of income inequality, is from wages and salaries.
Tags: ideology, participation, standard of living
Posted in Equality Debates | 1 Comment »
Canada must abandon its health-care monopoly
Saturday, May 14th, 2011
May 14, 2011
The non-partisan Conference Board of Canada has released a new study enumerating the weaknesses in Canada’s public health-care system. In short, the report says that while Canada spends a lot on public health care, our health outcomes are middling compared to other developed nations… Looking beyond lifestyle factors, creating better health outcomes for Canadians will mean finding the right balance between private and public care… Every country above us on the Conference Board’s list permits a better mixture of public and private spending on health.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology
Posted in Health Delivery System | No Comments »
Millionaire nation: Canada tops G7 rich list
Saturday, May 7th, 2011
May 6, 2011
the sustained housing boom and surging Canadian dollar have produced some very lofty housing prices relative to much of the developed world. This divide is especially stark when considering the U.S. real estate implosion following the subprime crisis… While there is a greater proportion of millionaires in Canada than any other major economy, the average millionaire household has assets of about US$1.9-million. This is pretty middle-of-the-pack compared with the United States at US$3.7-million and Switzerland, which tops the list of all counties with US$4.2-million per millionaire household.
Tags: economy, ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Delivery System | No Comments »
Jack Layton’s hidden agenda
Saturday, April 30th, 2011
Apr 29, 2011
… here’s a core statement from the preamble outlining the “principles of democratic socialism” that guide the party: That the production and distribution of goods and services shall be directed to meeting the social and individual needs of people within a sustainable environment and economy and not to the making of profit; To modify and control the operations of the monopolistic productive and distributive organizations through economic and social planning. Towards these ends and where necessary, the extension of the principle of social ownership….
Tags: ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Governance Debates | 2 Comments »
The campaign’s top corporate tax myths
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Apr 25, 2011
Our election banter reminds me of the 1960s, with populist views that corporations only benefit the rich and powerful and should therefore be taxed to the hilt. The many myths about corporate tax policies being propagated are deplorable… Putting together all the benefits and costs associated with corporate tax rate reductions, there is no question that moving to the 15% federal rate is good public policy.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »
Canada’s rich are not the enemy
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Apr 26, 2011
BMO Harris Private Banking recently conducted an online survey of 459 Canadian millionaires. Of these, a scant 6% report that they inherited the bulk of their wealth. Ninety-four percent state that they are largely self-made, either as businesspersons or professionals. Eighty percent affirm that they enjoy greater wealth than their parents. And 76% believe it is important to give back to their communities… This is something we should remember as we endure the catcalls of class warfare during this election campaign and beyond.
Tags: ideology, standard of living
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
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