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The best available science supports allowing family and caregivers into hospitals, not restricting them
Thursday, December 31st, 2020
COVID-19 has been the focus of historically intense study. And reviewing this literature suggests that at most, hospital visitors play a small role in disease transmission… family and caregivers… facilitate communication and decision-making, and act as patient advocates and substitute decision-makers when patients are no longer capable… The risk-benefit ratio of existing science now clearly favours allowing family and caregivers to visit hospitalized patients. It’s also the humane thing to do.
Tags: Health, mental Health, participation
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
There is no excuse for the suffering and death happening again in Ontario long-term care
Thursday, December 31st, 2020
It was ultimately Mr. Ford’s responsibility to enact emergency measures to prevent a second-wave crisis where homes would again be dangerously understaffed and residents left to suffer. Despite his promise, he dithered, wasted time and limited himself to incremental measures. Ontario seniors are now paying for it with their lives… There’s no excuse for this – not again, not this time.
Tags: budget, disabilities, Health, ideology, standard of living
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Universities shouldn’t abandon online learning after the pandemic
Monday, December 28th, 2020
The immediate value in terms of containing disease spread is obvious, but in normal times, the potential benefits can be immense also. Students can have more flexibility over how and where they learn. Online learning can reduce or eliminate the need to travel or live close to campus, saving students time and money. For universities, it offers the prospects of lower operational and maintenance costs, allowing them to invest more in high-value interactions that tend to occur in more intimate groups.
Tags: budget, Health, ideology, participation
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
Canada must reorient its immigration system for the 21st-century economy
Saturday, December 26th, 2020
If Canadian companies and postsecondary institutions are going to get the talent required to expand the Canadian economy, the government must shift to an aggressive, co-recruitment model of top talent globally… Our immigration officials will have to be less application processors and more head-hunters for the entrepreneurs, engineers, researchers, finance professionals, marketers, salespeople and other strategic vocations required to fuel Canada’s economy and vibrant society for generations to come.
Tags: economy, globalization, immigration, standard of living
Posted in Policy Context | 2 Comments »
From sunny ways to icy reception: How the Liberals are handling issues involving Big Tech firms
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
“… we’ve come to the realization that this great, wonderful promise of the free internet… came at a pretty steep cost”… Ottawa’s more aggressive push also comes at a time of rising public distrust of the tech giants worldwide… they appear to have public opinion on their side… polls… showed broad support for policies such as more social-media regulation and requiring digital platforms to charge sales tax.
Tags: economy, featured, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, privatization, tax
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
Net-zero, Indigenous-led resource development is possible
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020
… 70 First Nations from across six provinces and territories collectively… signed an agreement that will advance an Indigenous-led, net-zero carbon-emissions policy framework, including nature-based solutions for carbon capture… our partnership highlights three important Canadian trends… investors are putting real dollars into energy projects that will charge the low-carbon economy of the future… Indigenous nations are increasingly involved in these major energy projects as partners and owners… [and] it demonstrates a new kind of collaboration that First Nations are pursuing with each other
Tags: economy, globalization, Indigenous, participation, standard of living
Posted in Delivery System | No Comments »
CRA names companies that received federal emergency wage subsidy
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020
… more than 368,000 businesses, non-profits and charities in Canada have received the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)… A recent review of CEWS disclosures by the Financial Post found that at least 68 publicly traded Canadian companies continued to pay out shareholder dividends while receiving the wage subsidy. The review found those companies got at least $1-billion in CEWS and paid out more than $5-billion in dividends.
Tags: budget, economy, privatization, tax
Posted in Debates | 1 Comment »
The die has been cast on Canada’s carbon tax. Now we just need the courage to implement it across the country
Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
… there are those who claim that our carbon-pricing policy is unfair, imposing higher costs on some… but Canada’s carbon pricing policy is obsessed with equity. It is revenue-neutral on a national basis, meaning that each province receives precisely the amount that carbon taxes would collect. It includes support mechanisms for the most vulnerable. And the carbon tax rebates received by most Canadians will exceed the carbon tax they pay. Only high polluters will be net losers
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, standard of living, tax
Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »
Supreme Court sends signal to appellate courts on sexual assault rulings
Monday, December 14th, 2020
… the Supreme Court has sent a message to appellate courts that they should listen to lower-court judges who believe the complainant… Assessments of credibility (honesty) and reliability (accuracy) are central to the trial judge’s job. Appeal courts generally defer to these assessments because it is the trial judge who sits in court and hears directly from the witnesses. Witnesses do not testify at appeal courts.
Tags: crime prevention, disabilities, rights, women
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
Justin Trudeau goes all in on the carbon tax. It’s the right thing – for the environment, and the economy
Monday, December 14th, 2020
The aim is for people to do such a good job of reducing emissions, and thereby avoiding the tax, that revenues eventually spiral to zero. The carbon tax’s goal is its own obsolescence… Among economists, putting a price on carbon is generally seen as the most efficient way to push people and businesses to use less carbon… In taking the 2030 climate goals seriously, and choosing carbon pricing to achieve them, Ottawa is making the right move, rather than the easy move.
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, tax
Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »
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