Posts Tagged ‘economy’

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Freeland prepares to take us down a self-defeating path

Sunday, September 20th, 2020

The problem with putting government-influenced distribution of wealth ahead of wealth creation as a public policy goal is that it tends to create a national economy that is a zero-sum game — i.e., stagnant — and pursues a socioeconomic goal in which wealth is taken from those who have earned it and given to those who have not, in the name of social justice and in implicit exchange for their votes. This ultimately leads to massive discontent, corruption and a failed economy.

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Posted in Equality Debates | 1 Comment »


Can Canada pivot from pandemic to progress?

Sunday, September 20th, 2020

… the Liberals’ Throne Speech on Sept. 23 will be an opportunity to set out policies and programs to carry us forward in ways that are more inclusive and equitable… a guaranteed livable income, along with adequate wages and benefits for the employed – as well as other social and health supports such as child care, education, pharma, mental health and dental care – would be a way to protect all Canadians.

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Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »


Forget a guaranteed basic income. There’s a better way to make sure Canadians have enough money after COVID-19

Saturday, September 19th, 2020

We already have many well-entrenched programs serving many parts of the population quite well… To replace many of them with a single cheque would not only be legally difficult, but would also give the federal government a blunt instrument to deal with the complex and ever-changing problems of poverty, low income and inequality… It’s become painfully obvious that ensuring that there are enough affordable, high-quality child-care spaces is essential for a recovery.

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Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »


‘Billionaire wealth has bounced back’: Canada’s 20 richest people saw their fortunes grow by $37 billion during COVID-19, study says

Thursday, September 17th, 2020

The proceeds of a wealth tax could “create ongoing revenue streams” to fund important social policy initiatives… “That includes areas such as health care, building a universal child-care system, addressing the housing crisis that exists in so many parts of the country, and addressing the next looming crisis on the horizon in climate change.”

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Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »


Opportunity for a privacy law that works for consumers, businesses

Thursday, September 17th, 2020

While a modern privacy framework respects privacy through meaningful consent, it is also practical and realistic. It allows for certain business practices without consent, when individuals can reasonably expect them as part and parcel of what they signed up for, subject to appropriate conditions and regulatory oversight… This is an important time to pursue a new private-sector privacy law for Ontario.

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Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »


Strengthening Canada’s disability community in a post-pandemic world

Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

COVID-19 has had a seismic impact on our society, comparable to that of the Second World War and the population explosion of the 1960s. Following those historic events, Canada responded with ambitious and innovative social legislation designed to meet the needs of a changing world. Those innovations gave birth to the broad social, health and education supports that Canadians enjoy today. The current crisis demands similarly bold solutions.

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Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »


Basic income would be the biggest reordering of public finance in a generation

Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

… the question of how it would be paid for (the UBI Works page on suggested tax increases to fund a UBI is eye-opening, in multiple senses of the phrase). One point that is worth dwelling on early in the discussion is what a UBI would mean for a pretty fundamental element of Canadian politics: the balance between federal and provincial spending.

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Posted in Social Security Policy Context | No Comments »


The ‘supply crisis’ in Canada’s housing market isn’t backed up by the evidence

Sunday, September 13th, 2020

… Common complaints include a lack of new housing, burdensome regulation and flawed zoning… The vested interests behind the narrative are relentless, since there are billions in profit to be had. Why let pesky facts get in the way? … housing affordability will suffer to the extent that policy makers either buy into the misdirection, or use the narrative to deflect public pressure to take substantive action.

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Posted in Policy Context | No Comments »


With the pandemic war still on, can we afford a postpandemic Throne Speech?

Thursday, September 10th, 2020

Team Trudeau’s original 2015 idea of using that extra borrowing to pay for a temporary surge in long-term investment fell by the wayside. There’s a strong hint it might be revived later this month. Would that make sense? The only fair answer is: It depends on what the money is being spent on… If it’s permanent, how will it be paid for?

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Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »


The pandemic can spur long overdue change for Canada’s workers

Monday, September 7th, 2020

… it’s time to reinforce our social safety nets to ensure affordable housing, accessible child care and support for the unemployed. We didn’t need a pandemic to show us that too many workers in Canada are often living paycheque to paycheque and worried about the future of their families; that women and racialized workers often make up the majority of those doing precarious, low-paid – but essential – front-line work.

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Posted in History | No Comments »


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