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Throwing money at Big Pharma won’t guarantee vaccine supply
Thursday, April 8th, 2021
Now we’re poised to give Sanofi hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the hope of ensuring a future vaccine supply… If we really want a biotech company we can rely on and that doesn’t hold a gun to our head, we should spend our money creating an enterprise that we actually own and control – a little secret learned by Cuba and, decades earlier, by the brilliant Canadians who created Connaught.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization, Health, ideology, pharmaceutical, privatization
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
The ‘torture’ of Canadian prisoners in solitary confinement must stop immediately
Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
It is time to simply prohibit prolonged solitary confinement (15 days straight or more). Then, appoint a non-CSC expert to ensure legislative compliance. Prisoners would remain locked-up but in a manner that is Charter-compliant. This simple change would ensure taxpayers do not see another $135 million squandered on confinement that violates the Charter and offends our values.
Tags: budget, corrections, ideology, jurisdiction, mental Health, rights
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
Taxing extreme wealth to offset the costs of the pandemic would be unquestionably fair
Monday, March 29th, 2021
… we should look to new tax measures on extreme wealth transfers, including inheritance taxes, and to changes in the tax treatment of investment income to ensure more equitable treatment in relation to employment income. But for now, as we look to Budget 2021, we should ask those with extreme wealth to pay for our national recovery.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »
Finally, everyone agrees that Canada needs better child care. But what should it look like?
Sunday, March 28th, 2021
High-quality child care gives children an early, productive start on their educations and a more certain path to prosperous careers… It’s an equalizer … It increases the labour force participation of women by giving mothers more certain options to go to work… Tax incentives or fee limits to help families pay the child-care bills are a moot point if there aren’t enough spaces to go around.
Tags: budget, child care, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, standard of living, women
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »
The Ford government’s second pandemic budget is another missed opportunity
Thursday, March 25th, 2021
The budget unveils plans to “establish a task force to advise the government on how to address the unique and disproportionate economic barriers women face.” It’s ridiculous — the government already knows what to do. It should be making meaningful changes for women and other vulnerable workers now, not delaying action with a task force that will repeat what has been said before.
Tags: budget, child care, economy, Health, ideology, participation, rights
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Ontario must spend more to drive prosperity and growth
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
Growth has to be inclusive, meaning recognizing that women, new Canadians and others will get the support they need to participate fully in the economy… The Ford government would be wise to demonstrate full support for a universal child care model that marries social and economic goals, and further increases women’s participation in the labour force. Distance education and telemedicine will also be vital…
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, standard of living
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Youth ‘aging out’ of care deserve better. The Ford government needs to deliver real reform
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
Some 12,000 children and youth live in foster homes and group homes in Ontario. About 2,000 of them turn 18 every year at which point they are usually forced to move out of their foster or group home to live independently, whether they’re ready or not. (There is financial assistance and other supports beyond 18 for some youth but it’s not universal and it’s not enough.)
Tags: child care, ideology, youth
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »
How much COVID help did the Ford government give Ontario schools? An analysis reveals the real numbers
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
… in Ontario’s public and Catholic school boards, each school was able to add just 1.5 new staff members on average. In terms of teachers alone, that works out to less than one per school…. most of the funding announced by the province for COVID-19 help in schools actually came from school boards themselves or the federal government.
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, standard of living, youth
Posted in Education Delivery System | No Comments »
Nurses are not just the front line — we are the only line
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
Nurses and other health care workers are facing unprecedented levels of mental health challenges and exhaustion… While the government has been addressing this as an access issue by recently promoting the new college-based Ontario nursing programs, the nursing shortage is due to issues of job satisfaction, funding, and safe staffing, which are not being adequately addressed.
Tags: budget, Health, mental Health, standard of living
Posted in Health Debates | No Comments »
Ontario pledges $106.4M for university, college COVID-19 costs
Saturday, March 20th, 2021
The Council of Ontario Universities (COU) estimates its 21 members have spent or lost $1 billion during the pandemic, but found $500 million in one-time savings. It has said there is “an urgent need for sector-wide cost recovery.” … “while this targeted and time-limited investment will help address some urgent and immediate costs, it does not address the significant long-term financial needs of the sector.”
Tags: budget, ideology
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
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