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IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST(S)
Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019
“The national economic interest” is not to be considered by the prosecution in deciding whether a prosecutor may negotiate a remediation (deferred prosecution) agreement… the purposes of the remediation sections added to our Criminal Code? There are six, one being: “to reduce the negative consequences of the wrongdoing for persons – employees, customers, pensioners and others – who did not engage in the wrongdoing while holding responsible those who did …”
Tags: corrections, crime prevention, economy, ideology
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
Ontario’s low-income tax credit gives fewer benefits than minimum-wage hike, watchdog says
Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019
The Ontario government’s new low-income tax credit provides fewer benefits than the cancelled minimum-wage increase, and will add $1.9-billion to the deficit, according to a new report from the province’s fiscal watchdog… On average, minimum-wage workers will receive about $400 less per year under the new plan… Under the proposed minimum-wage increase, 1.3 million people would have benefited, and received a net after-tax benefit of $810, the report said.
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, poverty, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
New parental-leave benefit inches us ever closer toward gender equality
Monday, April 1st, 2019
… women who take a longer maternity leave are seen as less committed to their jobs by co-workers and managers. This is a foundational fact in the chronic underrepresentation of women in upper management. Reducing mothers’ time away from work by shifting more child-care responsibilities on to fathers could play a major role in correcting this problem.
Tags: budget, child care, economy, ideology, participation, rights, women
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
Ontario’s response to the opioid crisis? Offer less help, and fewer answers
Monday, April 1st, 2019
Using Orwellian doublespeak – plus a dash of Trumpian random capitalization – the government was not announcing that it was “continuing to build a connected mental health and addictions treatment system”, but rather that it was cutting the legs from under four badly-needed overdose prevention sites, rejecting two others, and continuing to drag its feet on funding of additional sites.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, jurisdiction, mental Health, participation, youth
Posted in Health Delivery System | No Comments »
To end hallway medicine, we should consider a public-private model
Monday, April 1st, 2019
In a pluralistic model with public-private competition, providers and insurance plans have more freedom to experiment, because patients or doctors who don’t like what is being tried have alternatives. The result may well be more innovation and, in the long run, a more efficient system.
Tags: Health, ideology, jurisdiction, mental Health, privatization
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »
Canada, U.S. move to redraft border treaty to cut flow of asylum seekers
Monday, April 1st, 2019
… those who cross between border stations have the right to make a refugee claim. Canada wants this changed so most people coming from the United States – at any point along the border – can be immediately deported. The idea behind the treaty is that refugees do not face a risk of persecution in the United States, so it is safe for them to apply for asylum there
Tags: immigration, rights
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
After the latest court ruling, solitary confinement’s days are numbered
Monday, April 1st, 2019
Finally, a Canadian court has reached a conclusion that long seemed inevitable: putting a prison inmate in solitary confinement for more than 15 days constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of Section 12 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Not only did the Ontario Court of Appeal make this landmark ruling last week, it also gave Correctional Service Canada an April 13 deadline to bring the new limit into effect.
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
To humanize Muslims, let’s start in the classroom
Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
Most Canadian students seemingly go through the education system without ever hearing about the plurality of the world’s histories, cultures, faiths and traditions, including Islam and Muslims… With such omissions, are school curriculums not unwittingly contributing to the dehumanization of Muslims and negating Islam’s place in world history?
Tags: globalization, ideology, immigration, multiculturalism, participation, youth
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
New Zealand’s gun ban shows the way. Will Canada be as bold?
Saturday, March 23rd, 2019
Will Canada be as brave as New Zealand, and ban the types of guns that facilitate mass killing of humans? It would take an enormous act of political will. It would take a critical mass of people of to advocate against the weapons. It would involve standing up to the country’s vocal gun lobby… before the next tragedy has people sending their thoughts and prayers. It can be done. New Zealand has shown the way.
Tags: crime prevention, ideology, rights
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
Ottawa takes first steps towards improving Canadian retirements
Saturday, March 23rd, 2019
Many employers have now shifted to defined-contribution plans, where workers tuck away a certain amount of savings every month. These plans can help an employee accumulate a substantial stash over the course of his or her career. The problem is that once the employee retires, it is entirely up to him or her to figure out how to transform those accumulated savings into a steady stream of income that can last a lifetime.
Tags: economy, pensions, standard of living
Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »
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