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The best person for the job [employment equity]
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
April 15, 2010
If a general mentality of prejudice in favour of men — i.e. a systemic discrimination — ever existed, it is long gone now. That means that continuing an employment equity policy risks placing skin colour or chromosomes or impairment above talent in civil service hires, which also means that social engineering will be given a higher priority than efficiency and competence.
Tags: disabilities, multiculturalism, participation, rights
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
A tale of two reports [on housing]
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
April 13, 2010
According to the analysis, “overall Canadians have a less than 1 in 10 chance of experiencing affordability challenges for long periods,” and that “the good news is that unaffordability is a short-term phenomenon for many Canadians.” The report says that “on one level the solutions to unaffordability are simple: raise incomes or reduce shelter costs.” The point about raising incomes is a good one.
Tags: homelessness, housing
Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »
An opening for health care reform
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
April 14, 2010
Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews made it clear that the Liberals were elected to save the province from the alleged threat of private health care, and that there would only ever be a monopoly government payer under the Liberal watch. Meanwhile, hospitals make do with minimum levels of funding and infrastructure is ageing.
Tags: budget, Health
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Time to reconsider preferential hiring practices for women in public service: watchdog
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
April 13, 2010.
Women now hold the majority of jobs in the public service, filling about 55 per cent of all jobs. They also have a firm hold on senior jobs, holding about 43 per cent of all executive positions. …the biggest worry about amending the Employment Act and removing women as an equity group is the impact on visible minority women who face a difficult time getting into the public service and management.
Tags: rights, women
Posted in Equality Debates | 1 Comment »
Ontario’s new Drug Czar
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
April 10, 2010
About 50% of the drug business flows through Ontario’s Drug Benefit Program. It covers seniors and others who need assistance, a segment of the population that is clearly going to generate more and more drug demand in years to come. The Competition Bureau recommended that government drug procurement be open to tender.
…the plan Ontario has offered as an alternative will not solve any long-term problems. It also removes consumers as active players in the drug market, which flies in the face of all the best advice.
Tags: Health, pharmaceutical
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
What stimulus?
Friday, April 9th, 2010
April 08, 2010
Even if there is a Keynesian multiplier effect, there just hasn’t been that much government spending to be multiplied… Does that mean government had no helpful effect in bringing about the recovery? No. Taxes automatically eased back and employment insurance kicked in as the recession hit and these automatic stabilizers doubtless help explain why private consumption didn’t sag more. … even we who at the financial brink in fall 2008 did rediscover our inner Keynesian nevertheless realize there is a time and place for desperate measures.
Tags: budget, economy
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Canada’s national health care myth
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
April 08, 2010
…look at the percentage of “private” care in Canada’s supposedly universal public system. It’s equal to or greater than most comparable western/industrial countries. The main difference is that — unlike other countries — we refuse to admit it and revamp the system to take into account the reality of private care in a way that integrates it with the public system in a more effective and less wasteful manner.
Tags: Health
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Ontario unveils new rules for generic drugs
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
April 07, 2010
When Ontario made an initial, tentative step to rein in rebates and cut generic prices in 2006, it sparked a firestorm of opposition from pharmacies, whose message of dire consequences dominated media coverage. As it turned out, the industry has thrived, with 140 more stores now than before the changes.
Tags: Health, pharmaceutical
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Here’s to healthy user fees
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
April 06, 2010
Only a fee that patients must confront at the time of each visit will spark them to ask themselves whether seeing the doctor is necessary. And only when they are forced to face the prospect of paying for some of their care directly, will they begin to demand more private delivery choices to ensure value for their dollars.
Tags: Health
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Rights not a cure for Indian Act
Monday, April 5th, 2010
April 02, 2010
Education is the real key to enabling future generations to live in and contribute to the modern world. Unfortunately, too much aboriginal “education” is built around the notion of “preserving the culture.”… While more secure individual property rights may be necessary, they are very far from sufficient to solve the terrible problems — including isolation, dependency, substance abuse, mismanagement and joblessness — inflicted upon natives by well-meaning paternalism, self-serving humbug, and the depredations of their own “leaders.”
Tags: Indigenous, standard of living
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
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