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We should ban cellphones from classrooms. The research backs that up
Thursday, March 21st, 2019
Our most effective teachers, though, have adopted coping strategies and already utilize some form of check-in and check-out system for devices. The Ontario government’s initiative is more about helping to re-establish purposeful, productive classrooms for the majority of teachers as well as those students struggling in our schools… Classrooms will simply be better places for learning without the constant and distracting presence of the devices.
Tags: rights, youth
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
New funding will fill key data gaps, create Canadian information centre
Thursday, March 21st, 2019
The federal budget is channelling tens of millions of dollars toward filling key data gaps in housing, gender equality, the labour force and Indigenous communities, areas where researchers say Canadians are often in the dark thanks to spotty or inaccessible numbers… the Liberal government declined to make any firm commitments to fill these data gaps, even while acknowledging that Canada has many… “But the funding is likely to be highly inadequate to develop the kinds of data required…”
Tags: budget, Health, housing, Indigenous, multiculturalism, standard of living, youth
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
On Pharmacare, the Liberals offer big questions and small investments
Wednesday, March 20th, 2019
… If [the federal government] were to directly fund and manage drug coverage, there would be less integration in the management of overall health care costs and provinces would have less incentive for cost-effective choices between drugs and other inputs to health care… One hopes that the final report on the Implementation of National Pharmacare will… clarify the intended scope of public drug coverage and Ottawa’s intended role in a new national pharmacare system.
Tags: budget, Health, jurisdiction, mental Health, pharmaceutical
Posted in Health Delivery System | No Comments »
Taxing the rich and finding the sweet spot in the tax debate
Sunday, March 17th, 2019
… soaking the top 1 per cent with higher income taxes does not lead to a massive change in government revenues because there simply are not that many of them… Rather than getting caught up in simple fixes to tax rates, Canadians would do well to get behind a review of our tax system to ensure that all its parts – from taxation of small businesses and corporations, to the treatment of capital gains and dividends – helps Canada grow faster.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, tax
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Is there a ‘female’ brain?
Friday, March 15th, 2019
the idea of “male” and “female” brains is entirely too simplistic. Brains aren’t binary, and the similarities dwarf the differences. But the differences – well, they matter… On average, males are far more likely to be autistic, die by suicide, wind up in jail, specialize in competing and be interested in systems. They are more risk-taking, single-minded and status-seeking. Females are far more likely to specialize in caring and be interested in people – and to suffer from depression.
Tags: ideology, mental Health, women
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
Ontario to look into school exclusions of children with autism
Thursday, March 14th, 2019
… families with children in many parts of the country who have intellectual and developmental disabilities are increasingly being asked to pick up children early, start their school day later or keep them home for an indefinite period because of behavioural issues… the Ontario Autism Coalition, which advocates for families, have been calling on the government to hold public discussions on possible legislation and policy changes surrounding exclusions of special-needs students with behavioural issues.
Tags: disabilities, ideology, mental Health, participation, rights
Posted in Education Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Ontario government announces new supports for schools ahead of change to autism program
Tuesday, March 12th, 2019
… the government will subsidize an additional qualification course for teachers on supporting students with autism, but that won’t happen until the fall. Additionally, Ms. Thompson said she is asking school boards to dedicate a professional activity day for teachers on how to support children with autism… Many of these children currently attend school on a modified schedule, and parents have said cuts in funding will leave them with little choice but to send their children to school more frequently, even full-time… “All that this [announcement] does is it dumps the responsibility for autism therapy onto the schools. Teachers are not therapists.”
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, ideology, mental Health, participation, youth
Posted in Education Delivery System | No Comments »
Pharmacare panel offers no prescription for how the new program would work
Friday, March 8th, 2019
The interim report called for a new, arm’s-length drug agency to oversee the health-technology assessments (HTA) that evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of new medicines; spearhead negotiations with pharmaceutical companies; and manage a “comprehensive, evidence-based national formulary,” which is a list of drugs covered for everyone.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, jurisdiction, mental Health, pharmaceutical
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »
Wilson-Raybould and Philpott aren’t principled because they’re women. They’re just principled
Friday, March 8th, 2019
Our society will only benefit from having more female representation in all fields, not because women are “better” than men, are more “consensus-driven,” are “nicer,” are more willing to stand on principle, or can otherwise claim some higher moral ground. We will all benefit because the different experiences and different perspectives they bring permit better, broader analysis and decision-making.
Tags: ideology, participation, women
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
There’s a health gap in Canada – and women are falling through it
Wednesday, March 6th, 2019
Simply put: The routine inclusion of sex and gender data into health research leads to better care. Equal treatment, representation and access to health services should be our country’s mandate. It’s time to bridge the health gap, so that Canada’s universal health-care system lives up to its name.
Tags: Health, ideology, mental Health, participation, poverty, women
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
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