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Hey Occupy, what about the 20%?
Sunday, September 2nd, 2012
September 01, 2012
… public-sector workers now make nearly a third more than their private-sector colleagues when pay, perks and hours of work are factored in… But perhaps the biggest gap between public and private employees comes in their pensions… governments pump more than twice as much per employee into their workers’ pensions as private-sector employers do… yet, even with all this extra money, public-pensions plans are hundreds of billions of dollars in debt. They couldn’t even come close to paying all the pension money they’ve promised without enormous subsidies from taxpayers.
Tags: budget, pensions, privatization, rights, standard of living
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
Fraser report raises questions on provincewide testing
Sunday, March 25th, 2012
March 04, 2012
Fraser’s report card ranked elementary schools on the basis of how well students performed on annual standardized reading, writing and math tests. Critics of Fraser’s rankings see them as a “narrow” snapshot of a school’s performance… Thomas argues that “hardships” outside of a school — such as poverty or a community with a large number of single parents — are not necessarily determinants of academic failure or success.
Tags: ideology
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
Slogans and demands won’t change world
Monday, October 17th, 2011
October 15, 2011
… to make poverty scarce, to foment prosperity and to avoid political favouritism for anyone, here are a few general principles Occupy protesters should grasp and promote: Principle One: Subsidize only people in need, never the wealthy or corporations… Principle Two: Be neutral in tax policy…. Principle Three: Always favour consumers over producers… Principle Four: Oppose government-sponsored “Ponzi” schemes… Principle Five: Favour opportunity, wherever it appears.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, participation, standard of living, tax
Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »
We need to move away from public housing
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
September 24, 2011
Even those willing to trust the poor with a welfare cheque for other basics do not think it wise to hand them the down payment on a house, or even the monthly rent on a decent apartment. Hence the impulse to furnish housing more directly… if someone else owns your home you gain little from looking after it. Trash it and the state will find you another one; take care of it and you gain nothing… Living on the public dime teaches only helplessness, resentment and anger.
Tags: budget, economy, homelessness, housing, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
Laws to protect kid labourers too lax: advocates
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
September 17, 2010
Each province and territory now has jurisdiction to craft its own rules related to the minimum work-start age, maximum hours and types of employment. But decrying a recent “erosion” of protections for child workers — especially in British Columbia and Alberta — there is a growing call for the federal government to impose national minimum standards… Most provinces restrict the type of work children are allowed to do, but young people have toiled in a number of workplaces, from retail to farms, construction, mines or service industries.
Tags: rights, standard of living, youth
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
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