Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - research • analysis • solutions

All the latest on the census long-form debacle

tor — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:38:11 +0000

On June 30th, the CCPA's Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan was among the initial voices leading the criticism over the government decision to eliminate the census long-form questionnaire.

Since then, a groundswell of alarm has turned into a wall of opposition, across the political spectrum. Stay tuned to this page for all the CCPA's updates on the topic.

Updates

Armine's open letter to the Honourable Tony Clement, Ministry of Industry and Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada and Munir Sheikh, Chief Statistician, Statistics Canada. [June 30]
Listen to Armine appearing on CBC radio's As It Happens. [July 5]
Question Period for Census Decision asks “Where’s the beef?” on the privacy complaints [July 7]
An account of the growing backlash to the policy, in Rolling Thunder Census Review. [July 9]
Connecting the dots between Harper’s announcement and the one made by David Cameron in the UK just a few days later in Stephen Harper’s New BFF [July 10]
A media roundup of the latest top news stories and editorials on the issue. [July 12]
Part two of the media roundup [July 15]
Christian and Jewish groups join the debate in New twist on census story [July 15]
Armine comments as The Fraser Institute finally weighs in on the Census [July 16]
Tracking the Globe and Mail On-Line Poll on the Census and its “intrusive” nature [July 17]
Taking a look at The Globe’s Experiment in Census-Taking [July 18]
The Anti-Information Information Society, Brought To You By the Anti-Government Government [July 18]
Marc Lee’s Census and Inequality blog [July 19]
Strange Bedfellows Invite Clement to Work With Them Towards Census Solution [July 19]
Armine writes a commentary in The Hill Times: Harper know best, or does he? [July 19]
The base of support for the census decision is pretty narrow. Read about Stephen Harper’s Gamble [July 20]
The real privacy issue that Harper should focus on: credit info [July 20]
While Harper weakens Census info, the United Nations thinks it is critical. [July 20]
A little midsummer night’s entertainment. Sing-along, laugh, scream with horror at the Census shenanigans. [July 20]
Armine appears with Laval Economist Stephen Gordon on Globeandmail.com to answer questions on Canada's long-form census debate. [July 22]
Is the resignation of the Chief Statistician a gamechanger? How the resolution to the Census saga could now unfold. [July 23]
Former Clerk of Privy Council remarks on Sheikh’s resignation and the “integrity and technical competence” of the public service [July 23]
A businessman weighs in, and notes even Clement uses census long form data [July 23]
The Hill Times commentary piece listed above has been updated. Click here for the updated version. [July 26]
For a continually updated roll-call of who has joined The Resistance to the Census decision, click here.
For the bomb du jour, check out how Stephen Harper relied on Census data for his 1991 master’s thesis on “political business cycles”. Sadly, that was then, and this is now. [July 26]
Watch for this story in the Hill Times on Monday. A sneak peek at next week’s news cycle on the census: Enter the provinces [July 29]
Is this the core of an exit strategy for the Conservatives? [July 29]
Does the Census invade your privacy? Read about [how it works and other alternatives to collecting information [July 30]

Apply now for the Next Up youth leadership program

Sarah Leavitt — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:22:21 +0000

Applications are now being accepted for the fourth year of Next Up: A Leadership Program for Young People Committed to Social and Environmental Justice.

This is an amazing, intensive and transformative program for young social change activists between the ages of 18 and 32. This year we're excited to announce that the program will operate in three provinces: Next Up BC in Vancouver, Next Up Alberta in Edmonton, and Next Up Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, so please forward this call to your friends and colleagues in those regions. (The CCPA co-hosts the program in BC and Saskatchewan.)

In each province, 13 young people will be selected. Participants will develop life-long relationships, explore different leadership styles, meet some of the province’s leading change-makers, learn new leadership and organizing skills, and be exposed to current and topical social justice issues and progressive governance.

The application deadline for Next Up BC is Sunday Sept 12. The program runs between October 2010 and April 2011.

Please forward this call far and wide — to individuals, organizations, institutions and your progressive networks. Encourage young people you know to apply. Thank you in advance for helping us find the fabulous young leaders for Next Up 2010/11 — you'll be thankful you did years from now!

Application forms and more information can be found at www.nextup.ca.

New Report: In the Red: The Green Behind Nuclear Power

Simon Enoch — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:39:55 +0000

Regina — The Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has released a new study on the economic costs of pursuing nuclear power in Saskatchewan. "In the Red: The Green Behind Nuclear Power," authored by policy researcher Heath Packman, critically examines the economic costs that the construction of a nuclear reactor in our province would entail.

While the Wall government has suspended its plans for nuclear energy in the province for now, they remain open to the future possibility of a nuclear reactor here in Saskatchewan. And despite the government’s concerns with costs, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce continues to support the idea, arguing that the economic case has yet to be made. This study should bring some clarity to the economic debate over the true costs of pursuing nuclear power in our province.

Taking into account a myriad of economic factors that have rarely been considered in public debates over the costs of nuclear power, Heath Packman concludes that the province can ill-afford the economic costs associated with the construction of a nuclear reactor in Saskatchewan.

Some of the key findings from the report include:

Nuclear power has the potential to triple current electricity rates for Saskatchewan consumers to as much as $0.34 per KWh.

Throughout the life-cycle of nuclear power generation, significant amounts of GHG emissions are created.

Even with carbon taxes factored in, nuclear power continues to demonstrate the highest capital costs ($4000/kw) in comparison to other forms of energy.

The export market for surplus power has been greatly exaggerated, as any excess capacity Saskatchewan had to offer would have to compete with lower-cost hydro-electricity from British Columbia, Manitoba, Washington, and Oregon.

"In the Red: The Green Behind Nuclear Power" should serve to further bolster arguments that Saskatchewan needs to rely on safer, cheaper and more sustainable forms of electricity generation to secure its future energy needs.

Read the full report here

About the Author:

Heath Packman holds degrees from the University of Regina in Economics and History. A writer and researcher of public policy, Heath spent six years working alongside the key Ministers of the Calvert administration in the Ministries or Industry, Finance, and Advanced Education and Training.

Meaningful training programs for welfare recipients

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:04:22 +0000

Check out the new paper by CCPA-BC research associate Shauna Butterwick: Meaningful Training Programs for BC Welfare Recipients. Shauna examined the experiences of welfare recipients participating in two types of pre-employment programs: the BC Employment Program (BCEP) and the Community Assistance Program (CAP). The study makes recommendations for providing more effective and relevant services for people with multiple barriers like addiction, health problems, disability and homelessness.

Carbon footprint from fossil fuel exports at odds with BC’s climate action policy

terra — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:46:40 +0000

The CCPA-BC office released another Climate Justice Project brief today, this one finding that greenhouse gas emissions from exported coal and natural gas generate more than double the emissions from combustion within BC. Read the news release and the study...

Protesting the G20 - was it a waste of time?

Jill Hudspith — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:12:46 +0000

Brigette DePape, an international development student, is working in our office this summer. In June she travelled in a colourful bus to Toronto to join thousands of others in exercising their right to protest and to bring issues of critical importance to the front and centre of the world's stage.

We read and saw what the media reported. Read what Brigette experienced in our latest Youth Voices. Click here to read it now.

(In the above photo Brigette is the one in the middle on the roof!)

BC's Super-Fudge-It Budget

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:37:58 +0000

The BC government has announced that the provincial deficit is nearly $1.8 billion. "We told you so," says Marc Lee.

Read BC's Super-Fudge-It Budget on Policy Note.

The sound of income inequality

tor — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:22:14 +0000

Ever wonder what income inequality sounds like? Check out this video by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

Posted originally at: http://www.psac-afpc.org/news/2010/what/20100622-e.shtml?l=1

Listen to CCPA's Yalnizyan take on the census long-form debacle on CBC radio

tor — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:56:10 +0000

Yesterday CCPA Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan appeared on CBC radio's As It Happens to speak further about the elimination of mandatory long-form questionnaires in the gathering of census data.

Armine's appearance on CBC follows her open letter to the Honourable Tony Clement, Ministry of Industry and Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada and Munir Sheikh, Chief Statistician, Statistics Canada. To read the letter in full, click here.

To listen, click the CBC radio one logo below, or to download just right click and select "Save Link As...".

Why the "Canadian model" cannot be used to promote financial liberalization at the WTO

kerri — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:40:59 +0000

Despite the 2008 financial meltdown, the World Trade Organization continues to negotiate new rules that would promote foreign takeover of domestic banks and more deregulation. WTO advocates are using Canada to argue that a country can liberalize its financial sector yet suffer comparatively less from financial shocks.

Nobody's Poster Child: Why the "Canadian model" cannot be used to promote financial liberalization at the World Trade Organization, by CCPA Research Associate Ellen Gould shows how the opposite conclusion should be drawn from the Canadian experience, since limits Canada placed on its WTO liberalization were key to stabilizing the banking system during the financial crisis.

Click here to read the full report.

BC carbon tax turns two: should we celebrate?

Sarah Leavitt — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:39:56 +0000

Marc Lee reminds us that July 1 marked more than the debut of the HST. "The carbon tax is now $20 per tonne of CO2, or about 4.6 cents on a litre of gasoline. And like any two-year old, this toddling tax increase is set to wreak some havoc on the household."

Read BC's carbon tax turns two on Policy Note.

CCPA Senior Economist calls Statistics Canada’s census decision "senseless"

tor — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:31:43 +0000

The CCPA's Senior Economist, Armine Yalnizyan, has decried the recent government decision to elmiinate mandatory long-form questionnaires in the gathering of census data.

"This move will weaken the quality and availability of data that tells us what is happening to employment, immigration, housing, incomes and education – the very issues that beg for the best policy decisions possible as we inch our way through recovery," writes Yalnizyan in an open letter that was posted June 30th to The Progressive Economics Forum.

The letter is addressed to the Honourable Tony Clement, Ministry of Industry and Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada and Munir Sheikh, Chief Statistician, Statistics Canada. To read the letter in full, click here.

(Right: Armine Yalnizyan Credit: Neil Ward)

On Monday, July 5th, 2010, Armine appeared on CBC radio's As It Happens to speak further about the issue. To listen, click the CBC radio one logo below, or to download, right click and select "Save Link As...".

Poverty reduction takes more than "tough love"

kerri — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:35:26 +0000

CCPA senior economist Armine Yalnizyan recently wrote a post on the Progressive Economics Forum blog noting that the Great Recession may undo the "success story" of declining poverty rates over the past decade for lone parents.

Armine's post is cited in Carol Goar's column in today's Toronto Star. The post was a response to John Richards' C.D. Howe Institute commentary, which celebrated the "tough love" of welfare cuts in the mid 1990s as the main factor in the story.

Armine notes Canada's job juggernaut from 1997 to 2007 propelled falling poverty rates, for lone parents and Canadians in general. Major enhancements to the Canada Child Tax Benefit since 1998 were also key for lone parents. But with income supports at their lowest levels in decades, record household debt and job losses of the early stages of the economic crisis unmatched by anything since the Second World War, more Canadians are more exposed to poverty than in generations.

The HST and BC family budgets

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:50:46 +0000

That the HST will take a bite out of family budgets is clear to everyone. The main question right now is just how big of a bite. Two studies released earlier this week asked this exact question but came to very different conclusions...

Visit Policy Note to read the rest of The HST and BC family budgets by Iglika Ivanova.

Spring issue of Our Schools/Our Selves looks at why anti-racism education is MIA

tor — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:49:31 +0000

What kinds of messages are today's youth receiving in their lives? What
normative values are educational institutions creating for them? Where does
racism fit? What impact is it having? Is it being challenged and, if so,
how and by whom?

These are some of the questions the spring issue of Our Schools/Our Selves - Anti-Racism in Education: Missing in Action seeks to answer. In so doing, it identifies many of the challenges faced by Aboriginal and racialized people in our classrooms at all levels of the education system, and offers theoretical and practical approaches to addressing these challenges through educational policy and programs. It also examines the relationship of educational institutions to other public and private sector bodies as well as to broader societal values. Edited by author, poet and playwright Charles C. Smith, Anti-Racism in Education: Missing in Action is an exciting, ambitious, timely and challenging collection of articles by some of the founders of the anti-racism in education movement, as well as a number of new voices.

Click here for more and to purchase your copy.

Housing Crisis in Saskatchewan: PATHS Report

Simon Enoch — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:21:14 +0000

In Saskatchewan, homelessness has become a grave concern and a serious reality for many women and children. Saskatchewan now has the highest rates of homelessness in the country with one in five people saying that they are homeless or at risk of being homeless. In the past 3 years in Saskatchewan the vacancy rate has been dropping with the rate for 2009 being 1.5%. Regina and Saskatoon have vacancy rates below 1%.

Homelessness is compounded by poverty. More than 41% of female-headed lone-parent families in Saskatchewan struggle to provide the basic needs of their families because they live below the poverty line. Saskatchewan has the third highest child poverty rate in Canada.

With sky-rocketing home ownership costs and a constantly decreasing availability of safe and affordable housing, the women and children of Saskatchewan who are attempting to exit abusive situations are faced with incredible challenges. If women cannot find adequate and affordable housing their chances of succeeding in leading lives free from violence are diminished.

While the causes and consequences of violence against women exist beyond housing, there is no question that without an adequate, suitable and affordable home to which one can escape, women are choosing to stay in violent relationships or return to abusive partners because they feel they have no other option.

To read the full PATHS report, visit here.

New videos on the facts & myths of medicare sustainability

tor — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:00:25 +0000

Canadians are being told that public health care financing is not sustainable, and that the solution is a shift to more private health insurance and private delivery of services. On June 17, 2010 the CCPA and the Canadian Health Coalition hosted a breakfast lecture on the sustainability of medicare for Members of Parliament. Renowned pollster Nik Nanos reviews the numbers, and Canada's pre-eminent health economist, Dr. Robert G. Evans, presents the facts and reveals the myths. Their presentations are now available on video on the CCPA website.

Medicare Sustainability: Facts & Myths - with pollster Nick Nanos and health economist Dr. Robert G. Evans

tor — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:00:17 +0000

Canadians are being told that public health care financing is not sustainable, and that the solution is a shift to more private health insurance and private delivery of services. Renowned pollster Nik Nanos reviews the numbers, and Canada's pre-eminent health economist, Dr. Robert G. Evans, presents the facts and the myths.

The dangers of cutting municipal taxes

Sarah Leavitt — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:46:17 +0000

On Policy Note, Keith Reynolds argues against the anti-tax logic of the Taxpayers' Federation. If municipalities go further down the road of tax cuts, we could end up like California: in deep financial trouble, with social services in disarray. Go to Policy Note to read Keith's full post on the dangers of a BC tax revolt.

Canadian incomes flatlined; poverty unchanged

Trish Hennessy — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:57:51 +0000

Statistics Canada released 2008 income data for Canadians and finds median after-tax family incomes were flatlined and the number of families living in poverty remained virtually unchanged compared to the year before. Striking findings, considering most of 2008 represented an economic growth period for Canada -- until the worldwide recession spilled into our border in the Fall of that year. Since our national statistical agency is always two years behind in reporting Canada’s income data, the reality that has unfolded for many Canadians living in poverty since recession hit here has yet to show up in the numbers. The 2009 income data, to be released next year, will tell the story of recession's impact on Canadians. View the Statistics Canada report at this link: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100617/dq100617c-eng.htm.

BC's Clean Energy Act will cost British Columbians

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:06:56 +0000

In today's Vancouver Sun, Marvin Shaffer argues that the Clean Energy Act is far worse legislation than the HST — in fact, he says, this is the legislation that British Columbians should be fighting to repeal.

Read Clean Energy Act will cost British Columbians on the Vancouver Sun website.

Winnipeg Premiere of Poor No More a great success!

Jill Hudspith — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:01:42 +0000

The Carol Shields Auditorium was filled to capacity last night when CCPA-Manitoba hosted the Winnipeg premiere of Poor No More, a film featuring Mary Walsh. The movie was followed by a short presentation with a local perspective from CCPA-MB director, Shauna MacKinnon and Prof. Gregg Olsen presented comparative data of 2 Nordic and 2 Anglo countries. Both were very interesting and informative. The evening ended with the presentation of the Joe Zuken Activist Award to Tom Simms, a long-time community activist who recently became the coordinator of the Premier's Advisory Council on Education, Poverty and Citizenship--- so everything fit together very well! Another great event by CCPA-Manitoba!

Special Advisor's Report on the Vancouver School Board

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:36:06 +0000

Over on Policy Note, Keith Reynolds has outlined some of the problems with the recent report on the Vancouver School Board prepared by the Comptroller-General. Like, for example, the fact that the comptroller was appointed as a "special advisor" to carry out this review, and was instructed not to consider any issues related to provincial government funding for education... Hmm. What do you think? Read the post and add your comments: Some issues arising from the special advisor's report on the Vancouver School Board

How do race and gender factor into income inequality?

tor — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 05:30:17 +0000

New analysis by CCPA Research Associate Sheila Block shows Ontarians from racialized backgrounds are far more likely to live in poverty, face barriers to finding a job, and receive less pay for work. Sexism and racial discrimination pack a double wallop, hampering racialized women’s earning power. To read the report, click here.

CCPA's YouTube Channel is Canada's number one non-profit channel

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:20:15 +0000

How exciting to see the little gold ribbons on our YouTube homepage! The CCPA's YouTube channel is the most viewed non-profit channel in Canada, and the second most subscribed non-profit channel in Canada. Our most popular videos are from the BC Office's 2007 Gala, when Naomi Klein was our keynote speaker. Take a look...

Poor No More - Winnipeg Premiere of a film hosted by Mary Walsh

Jill Hudspith — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:49:43 +0000

When Mary Walsh was in Winnipeg last fall for a CCPA-MB fundraiser, she spoke about a film she was working on Poor No More (www.poornomore.ca). Now we can see that movie! CCPA-MB, with the support of the Joseph Zuken Memorial Association, is hosting the Winnipeg premiere on Thursday June 10 at 7 p.m. in the Carol Shields Auditorium, Millennium Library, Winnipeg. Click for more information.

Ed Broadbent on the rise and fall of economic and social rights

kerri — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:05:05 +0000

He has committed his life to the advancement of human rights. He's watched Canada move from a "sharing and caring" society to the "new barbarism." Now Ed Broadbent comes out swinging.

In his address to the Congress of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences on May 29th, the former leader of the NDP summarizes the journey of generations and issues a challenge to today's leaders: stop ignoring the threat of rising inequality, tackle poverty, and show Canadians your progress.

Click here to read the article based on his speech, The Rise and Fall of Economic and social Rights: What's Next?, published by the CCPA.

CCPA-MB launches new book: The Social Determinants of Health in Manitoba

Jill Hudspith — Fri, 21 May 2010 18:00:48 +0000

Yesterday, CCPA-Manitoba launched its eagerly awaited book, The Social Determinants of Health in Manitoba, edited by Lynne Fernandez, Shauna MacKinnon and Jim Silver. More than 50 people gathered at the William Norrie Centre on Selkirk Avenue to hear from the three editors and special guest Dennis Raphael from York University in Toronto. Dennis (above) is Canada’s leading expert on the social determinants of health and we were delighted that he was able to join us.

The book is available from the CCPA-MB office and costs $20.

CCPA Saskatchewan comments on the Spring Session

Simon Enoch — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:38:46 +0000

A look back at the spring sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature with David Seymour of the Frontier Centre and Simon Enoch of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Saskatchewan office.

Listen to the podcast here.

The job market may be recovering, but some jobs aren't coming back

Sarah Leavitt — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:29:21 +0000

On Policy Note, Iglika Ivanova is "thinking about recessions as times of more fundamental, structural change in the economy and the job market and not just periods of temporary slow-down after which things go right back to how they were before."

To learn more about the process of "creative destruction" and the pitfalls of economic growth without job creation, read her post about the state of the job market.

Quebec earnings gap at 30-year high

tor — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:00:34 +0000

A groundbreaking new report shows the earnings gap between the rich and the rest of Quebeckers is at a 30-year high.

The report, co-published by Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-economiques (IRIS) and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), looks at income inequality among Quebec families raising children under the age of 18.

It finds income inequality got worse between 1976 and 2006 – in fact, 70% of Quebec families are earning a smaller share of the income pie than a generation ago.

Click to read the report, available in both English and French.

New study outlines path to renewable electricity in Saskatchewan

Simon Enoch — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:55:27 +0000

Regina —The Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ series "Transforming Saskatchewan's Electricity Future" was launched with the publication of "Sustainability is Achievable, But How Do We Get There?" by Mark Bigland-Pritchard and Peter Prebble.

The report – developed in partnership with Green Energy Project Saskatchewan – outlines how Saskatchewan can leave coal-fired electricity generation behind, and with it the vast bulk of our electricity-produced greenhouse gas emissions, while building a renewable energy system that includes rural and Aboriginal communities.

“With the best solar and inland wind resources in Canada, extensive possibilities for biomass energy production, reasonable hydroelectric potential, and a very low population density, Saskatchewan should be well-placed to lead the world in the inevitable shift away from fossil fuels,” the authors write, “Yet currently the province is heavily dependent on coal and is among the world's very highest per capita greenhouse gas emitters.”

Report author Mark Bigland-Pritchard states: "It is one of the urgent tasks of our generation to make this shift. It will require a major re-think of the way we do electricity, but the result will be less pollution, fewer health problems, more stable costs, more jobs and stronger communities".

"Two other provinces in Canada - Nova Scotia and Ontario - are making the transition away from coal and towards renewable electricity,” notes series co-author Peter Prebble, “the time has come for Saskatchewan to do the same."

Transition to a sustainable electricity system is a real possibility in Saskatchewan. As the report states, “none of the technical and economic barriers is insuperable: the questions to be resolved concern the best technical, legislative and logistical routes to take — and whether the province can find the political will to do so.”

Some of the highlights from the report include:

Saskatchewan has traditionally spent less than $1 million per year on electricity efficiency, while Manitoba’s electricity efficiency budget has been over $35 million per year for years. We have the potential to realize 300 MW in electrical efficiency alone.
Renewables — and even more so efficiency/conservation — have been consistently found to generate more jobs per dollar of investment, and more jobs per kWh, than either fossil fuels or nuclear.
The renewables available in Saskatchewan — wind, sun, hydro and biomass — are all ideally suited for community-scale development.
A grid based more on distributed generation, and less on large power stations, can offer more jobs, stabilize more communities, help more families to stay together by creating an alternative to long-distance commuting, enable more family farms to stay solvent, and provide opportunities for some First Nations communities.

To view the full report, visit here.

Time for a living wage

Trish Hennessy — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:22:22 +0000

Thanks to groundwork laid by our B.C. CCPA office, a city in that province has enacted Canada's first living wage policy. Drawing on that development, and using CCPA Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie's living wage estimates, Toronto Star columnist Carol Goar looks at how Toronto falls short of providing workers with a living wage. Read her column here.

2010 living wage shows the real costs of raising a family in Metro Vancouver

terra — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:32:02 +0000

The BC Office has released a 2010 update to the living wage calculation for Metro Vancouver. Read about it here: www.policyalternatives.ca/livingwage2010

NFB Film showcases the growing gap in Canada

tor — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:33:40 +0000

What does the growing gap look like in Canada? Class consciousness, an NFB film, explores the issue.

Pensions and Retirement Quiz will have you asking what happened to Freedom 55

tor — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:18:25 +0000

The CCPA's new Pensions and Retirement Quiz will test your knowledge of Canadians' financial circumstances as they end their careers and/or enter retirement.

This quiz is based on a series of reports on pension reform by CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson. What Can We Do About Pensions? provides an overview of the issue, A Stronger Foundation: Pension Reform and Old Age Security examines the Old Age Security system, and Options for Pension Reform: Expanding the Canada Pension Plan provides an analysis of options for expanding the CPP.

Click here or on the button below to test your knowlege on the topic.

Federal government undermining workplace safety

tor — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:36 +0000

On the eve of the National Day of Mourning for workers killed on the job, the CCPA is releasing two studies highlighting the need for improved health and safety enforcement and regulation.

According to Success is No Accident, by CCPA Research Associate David Macdonald, federal underfunding and understaffing of safety inspectors are putting federal jurisdiction employees in harm’s way. The study provides several recommendations for improving federal workplace safety.

Click here to read the full report.

Canada’s Regulatory Obstacle Course, CCPA Senior Economist Marc Lee’s analysis of the federal government’s new Cabinet Directive on Streamlining Regulation (CDSR), suggests that the government’s poor record on workplace safety is not an isolated case but may reflect an across-the-board weakening of the federal regulatory process.

Click here for the full report.

BC: Higher income households can more easily reduce their GHG emissions

terra — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:15:51 +0000

The CCPA-BC office released a Climate Justice Project brief today by Marc Lee. He has found that the richest of BC income earners are responsible for almost double the carbon footprint of the lowest-income households. If climate change policies are going to be successful, they need to start taking fairness and income into account.

Read the full report or news release.

Restoring the Bargain: Challenging Bill 6

Simon Enoch — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:40:44 +0000

The Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is releasing University of Regina business administration professor S. Muthu’s study, Restoring the Bargain: Contesting the Constitutionality of the Amendments to the Saskatchewan Trade Union Act, a thorough analysis of the constitutionality of the province’s current labour legislation.

This study represents an important contribution to the current debate over the extent to which legislatures can limit workers’ rights and freedoms. The study also thoroughly evaluates recent Supreme Court decisions, with emphasis on the Dunmore decisions and Health Services et al v. B.C. to determine if recent guidance by the Supreme Court will uphold Bill 6.

Muthu concludes that Bill 6 amendments to the Trade Union Act S.11(1)(a) are in violation of sections 2(b), 2(c), 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Furthermore, Muthu contends that these changes are not saved by the constitutional test under Section One.

Muthu argues that rather than representing a “rebalancing of powers,” as the government insists, instead “unions’ and employees’ freedoms have been infringed while employers’ freedom have been enhanced.” The effect of Bills 5 and 6 “provide the employer with a double barrel gun – freedom of speech enhancement at critical organizing moments and mandatory requirement of certification elections – with a lot of ammunition, resulting in practically an open hunting season on unions.”

With the current court challenge to the Wall government’s labour legislation by both the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) and the Saskatchewan General Employees Union (SGEU), professor Muthu’s analysis offers a detailed background of the arguments and logic that will ultimately shape this important judicial decision.

View the full report here

Fraser Institute's "Consumer Tax Index" misrepresents reality

tor — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:50:40 +0000

Earlier this week the Fraser Institute released a report claiming the average Canadian family’s tax bill has increased by a whopping 1,624% since 1961. The report was widely distributed by several media outlets despite the fact that its conclusions are based on misleading calculations.

In a reponse entitled Fraser Institute Tax Index: Half a Century of Fuzzy Math, CCPA research associate Erin Weir shows how average taxes in the report were overstated, and how new public services that account for tax increases were ignored. Click here to read the full commentary.

Iglika Ivanova, Public Interest Researcher at the CCPA’s BC Office, also responded to the Fraser Institute's report. In Have taxes really changed all that much over the past century?, Iglika notes that the Fraser Institute did not adjust their numbers for inflation, nor consider that incomes grew over the last half a century, accounting for a rise in tax revenue. Click here to read the full commentary, or check out PolicyNote.ca, the CCPA's blog about BC public policy issues.

Taxation, "Free" Trade, Site C and more on Policy Note this week

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:53:18 +0000

The bloggers have been busy on Policy Note: Marvin Shaffer gets behind the Site C spin to ask why we need more electricity in the first place; Iglika Ivanova offers some insights into income tax and Blair Redlin exposes the BC government's refusal to protect our province's resources in the Canada/U.S. Procurement Agreement.

Add your comments and questions to the discussion!

Proposed Canada-EU trade agreement threatens Canada's procurement policies and public services

kerri — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:23:37 +0000

The third round of negotiations for the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) are taking place in Ottawa April 19-23. A new CCPA analysis of the proposed agreement warns that it poses a serious threat to Canada’s procurement policies and a broad range of public services.

According to the analysis—which draws heavily on leaked documents including the draft negotiating text—the proposed CETA would have an adverse impact on public services, such as waste, drinking water, and public transit. The proposed rules would entrench commercialization, especially public-private partnerships; prohibit governments from obliging foreign investors to purchase locally, transfer technology or train local workers; and make it far harder for governments to reverse failed privatizations.

Click here to read the full report.

Expanding the CPP would be the most effective means of pension reform

kerri — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0000

A new report by pension expert and CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson argues that expanding the Canada Pension Plan is the most effective way to address Canada's pension difficulties. Options for Pension Reform: Expanding the Canada Pension Plan also provides an anlysis of options for expanding the CPP. Click here to read the full report.

This is the final report in a series on pension reform released by the CCPA. What Can We Do About Pensions?, provides an overview of the issue and A Stronger Foundation: Pension Reform and Old Age Security examines the Old Age Security system.

Seth Klein on Bill Good Show, April 13

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:21:02 +0000

Seth will be on the Bill Good Show tomorrow, April 13, from 11:05 to 11:30 AM. He’ll be talking about his recent blog post, which was picked up by the Vancouver Sun and is getting a lot of attention: Income taxes are a steal: Seth’s tax confessions. Listen to the show on AM980 or online.

Where will the next generation of middle class jobs come from?

Trish Hennessy — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:05:30 +0000

CCPA Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan weighs in on the future of work for young Canadians in this Macleans magazine article. Worried that permanent jobs lost in the recession are being replaced by temporary jobs, Yalnizyan asks: “Where is the next generation of middle-class jobs going to come from?” Read the article here.

Growing income gap in Canada even worse for Aboriginal peoples

tor — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:02:05 +0000

Income inequality has been growing in Canada, but it's even worse for Aboriginal peoples. For every dollar non-Aboriginals earned in 2006, Aboriginal peoples earned only 70 cents – a slight narrowing from 1996 when it was 56 cents for every dollar.

The gap between Aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canadians narrowed slightly between 1996 and 2006, but at this rate it won’t disappear for another 63 years without a new approach. Read the study here.

Tax cuts don’t make up for BC’s low minimum wages

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:11:29 +0000

On Policy Note this week, Iglika Ivanova reveals the gaping holes in the BC government's claim that tax cuts somehow compensate for this province's shamefully low minimum wage – now the lowest in the country. Ivanova writes,

This isn’t the first time that the government has used the low taxes argument to dismiss calls for higher minimum wages, but has anybody bothered to check whether their logic is correct? Do BC’s low taxes make up for the low minimum wages we pay?

She then goes on to do the math herself, and shares the results with our readers.

Read her post and share your comments.

Test your knowledge of the 2010 Federal Budget

tor — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:09:57 +0000

What's different between this recession and the last one? How many jobs did the stimulus funding create? What proportion of the federal deficit was caused by corporate tax cuts?

Find out how much you know about the 2010 Federal Budget and the state of Canada's finances by taking the CCPA's 2010 Federal Budget Quiz.

Iglika Ivanova on stimulus, recovery and the Fraser Institute's creative mathematics

Sarah Leavitt — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:51:48 +0000

This week Iglika Ivanova published two posts on Policy Note that clearly explain the benefits of stimulus spending. She doesn't buy the federal government's claim that they can take full credit for Canada's economic "recovery," but she also dismisses the Fraser Institute's assertion that stimulus spending has done nothing for the economy. Are you confused by Jim Flaherty accusing the Fraser Institute of shabby research and Stephen Harper revealing that the Institute's research is ideologically motivated? We suggest you read Iglika's analysis for a breath of fresh air... and if that's not enough, there's more.

Ontario budget analysis

Sarah Leavitt — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:43:47 +0000

The Ontario government tabled its budget today, putting deficit reduction ahead of jobs. The budget also penalizes social assistance recipients and threatens to burden postsecondary students with tuition fee hikes. For full details, see Off target:
Ontario budget misses the point on economic recovery, by CCPA research associate Hugh Mackenzie.

CCPA Saskatchewan's Response to the Provincial Budget

Simon Enoch — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:37:41 +0000

March 24, 2010

Saskatchewan Budget 2010: Quality of our public services sure to suffer

Regina — Brad Wall stated that this year’s budget would lead Saskatchewan down “a different path.” Unfortunately, in a manner that is far too reminiscent of other conservative governments, the Saskatchewan Party has decided to make the public service bear the brunt of the government’s financial miscalculations.

The government plans to eliminate 15 percent of the civil service over four years along with the complete elimination of Saskatchewan Communications Network, the public educational broadcaster. Whether the government accomplishes these reductions through attrition, it will still mean a considerably smaller public service to deliver public programs.

The government seems to believe that the implementation of lean management-styles and other New Public Management reforms will be able to ensure the continuing delivery of quality public services with the bare minimum of public servants.

However these types of reforms – sometimes referred to as “management-by-stress” – have been roundly criticized in other jurisdictions as leading to the erosion of service delivery, as too much emphasis on cost reduction and the pursuit of efficiency at all costs leads to flawed policies with short-term gains, undermining the capacity of government to take a long-term perspective on issues such as education, technology, health and the environment.

The public service can only be expected to do so much with less support, less resources and less employees. No flavour of the month management style can remedy an under-staffed and over-loaded public service.

This government needs to be much clearer on what types of reforms and cuts it intends to introduce in the public sector and how these will affect service delivery in the province. Until the government does this, it simply stretches the imagination that we can lose 15 percent our public servants and not experience poorer quality services.

Simon Enoch, PhD
Director
Saskatchewan Office of the Canadian Centre
for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)

CCPA releases Ontario Alternative Budget

tor — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:40:30 +0000

The CCPA Ontario office released its prescription for this year's provincial budget, calling on the Ontario government to make job creation -- not deficit reduction -- a top priority. It shows how hard hit Ontario has been by the global recession. Ontario accounted for 59% of the nation's permanent job losses last year. By focusing on a strong job creation plan, the Ontario government can get Ontarians working again, which is good for the economy and will be important to the province's future deficit reduction efforts.

The full report, Steering Ontario Out of Recession by CCPA Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie, is available here.

Peddling Greenhouse Gases: How Much Does BC Export?

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:39:49 +0000

Bill Rees, the father of the ecological footprint, likes to say that fossil fuels are a powerful hallucinogenic drug. We are all addicted to cheap and abundant fossil fuels, and so have reshaped our economy and society in fundamentally unsustainable ways.

When emissions are reported for BC or Canada, there is an accounting convention that restricts the total to emissions released within the borders of that jurisdiction. This means that BC’s major exports of coal and natural gas are counted only to the extent that fossil fuels are used in the extraction and processing, not the combustion of the final product in the US. Most of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil fuels are due to their eventual combustion.

A recent study takes a consumption (or lifecycle) approach to GHG emissions to see how much has been “outsourced” to countries like China that make the stuff we consume...

Read the full post by Marc Lee on Policy Note.

Commentary on the federal budget and Speech from the Throne

kerri — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:25:16 +0000

Commentary on the federal budget and Speech from the Throne by CCPA staff and research associates are available on the CCPA website.

The Speech from the Throne signaled the Harper government's intent to loosen foreign ownership rules. In Owning the podium, selling the stadium, CCPA Executive Director Bruce Campbell warns this could compromise our national identity and our national security . The Toronto Star published this piece on its website today as well.

Mel Watkins discusses how the austerity in the federal budget can only prolong the recession in a piece originally published on StraightGoods.ca.

Hugh Mackenzie explains why deficit hysteria is no excuse to end economic stimulus in a commentary that appeared in The Toronto Star on March 2.

Advocating for our Children, our Schools and our Communities

Simon Enoch — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:03:54 +0000

In partnership with RealRenewal, CCPA Saskatchewan is proud to present an education workshop for people who want a voice in the system.

Featuring Jacqui Strachan, Parent Involvement Coordinator, People for Education, Ontario.

Discussion Roundtables on Saskatchewan Aboriginal/First Nations, Rural and Urban Education Issues

Sunday, March 14, 2010

1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Pasqua Neighbourhood Centre, Regina

263 Lewvan Dr. (off Wascana St.)

Free of Charge - Childcare Provided.

Limited seats. Please register online at www.realrenewal.org or call 585-4449.

For more information, visit us here.

BC Budget 2010 strong on sentiment, weak on vision

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:02 +0000

Iglika Ivanova and Marc Lee spent the day in Victoria at the budget lock-up, and have just posted their initial analysis of today's budget on Policy Note. They write,

For a document titled Building a Prosperous British Columbia, the 2010 BC Budget is underwhelming in its ambition. Budget 2010 shows a government talking a lot about the legacy of the Olympics but lacking any coherent vision of how to translate upbeat sentiments into real improvements in British Columbians’ standard of living.

Read the full post on Policy Note.

Civil service pensions not out of line

Simon Enoch — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:17:12 +0000

The following editorial appeared in the March 2nd edition of the Regina Leader-Post.

Barbara Yaffe's Feb. 20 column, "Public sector should share our pain," is a perfect example of the current misinformation campaign over public sector pensions.

Public sector pensions are defined benefit plans which workers pay into, deferring present income for the future. In 2008, retired public service workers received an annual average pension of $23,422, hardly overly generous.

Our current deficit is the result of increased Employment Insurance benefits and stimulus spending, it has nothing to do with public sector pensions, which as the most recent actuarial report shows, is adequately funded and has a surplus.

Rather than attacking public workers, we should be asking why private sector pension plans have proved so inadequate as a means to secure a decent retirement for Canadian workers.

If anything, the private sector should be emulating the stability of public sector plans.

All Canadians deserve retirement security, whether in the public or private sector. Engaging in a race to the bottom over pension benefits will only leave us all poorer as a result.

Simon Enoch

Enoch is Director, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives -- Saskatchewan Office.

On the eve of budget day, Iglika Ivanova calls for a post-Olympics vision

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:09:21 +0000

In today's Vancouver Sun, CCPA economist Iglika Ivanova writes,

This week, British Columbians will say goodbye to our party guests and turn back to everyday business. On Tuesday the government will release the 2010 provincial budget; here's hoping it contains some post-Olympic plans to "go for the gold" on environmental, social and economic issues.

Read the full op ed on the Sun's website.

For more on BC's deficit, read Iglika's post on Policy Note.

CCPA releases Alternative Federal Budget 2010

kerri — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:41:27 +0000

The CCPA released the Alternative Federal Budget for 2010 today. In addition to the budget document, the alternative budget put forward a six point jobs plan to confront the jobs crisis and get Canada working again. The plan would bring unemployment back to pre-recession levels by the end of 2011 and demonstrates there is a better way to reach fiscal balance through smart investments and smart taxation.

The full alternative budget document, budget in brief, and the jobs plan are available in both English and French.

Budget 2010 advance warning: more government spending cuts will further slow BC’s sluggish economic recovery

Sarah Leavitt — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:12:59 +0000

In anticipation of Tuesday’s provincial budget, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives warns that further cuts to public spending will impede the economic recovery, which is already expected to be slow and jobless.

Read full news release.

Highlights from the February 2010 issue of The CCPA Monitor

tor — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:28:02 +0000

The February 2010 issue of The CCPA Monitor, a monthly research magazine free for the Centre's members, has been released.

This month's preview articles, available below, reflect some of the major themes on which the CCPA has focused its research. Click on the links to read the articles:

David Thompson and Keith Newman question if the public is benefiting fairly from Canada's oil and gas resources in Private Gain or Public Interest?
Hugh Mackenzie continues his criticism of the one-sided debate over taxes in Taxes and Public Services.
Joyce Nelson warns that Waste-to-energy Incineration is Both Noxious and Expensive.
Inveterate Canadian politician Ed Broadbent laments the backslide of equality in Canada with Equality is the Core Value of Democracy.

Become a member of the Centre today to start receiving full issues of The Monitor.

Is it time to stop worrying about the economy?

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:06:05 +0000

If you read the papers in this province, you’d think BC had long forgotten about the recession. Every bit of economic good news is trumpeted enthusiastically, from small increases in employment to the latest growth forecast released by private sector economists.

Yet economic forecasting is a notoriously difficult business. Just a year ago, we saw BC’s economic growth forecasts revised downwards after nearly every Statistics Canada news release, as the real economy indicators – unemployment rate, retail spending, housing starts – posted disappointing results monthly. You’d think that the recent economic volatility would make us more cautious as we read about the latest forecast issued by a bank or economic consultancy. Apparently not...

Read the full post by Iglika Ivanova on our blog, Policy Note.

Will the Olympics boost long-term tourism to BC?

Sarah Leavitt — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:28:08 +0000

“We’ve invited the world, they’re coming, and the place is a mess.” That was the tag line the CCPA gave to our BC Solutions Budget back in 2004. At the time, we argued as strongly as we could that if BC was to change the story the world would tell of us this month, we needed to get busy tackling poverty and building social housing. Sadly, that appeal went largely unheeded, until some frantic action on homelessness started up in 2007...

Read the rest of Seth Klein's blog post on Policy Note.

BC throne speech rather unimaginative despite talk of leading change

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:09:12 +0000

Today’s Throne speech marks a return to the optimistic tone that is typical of the start of each Parliament Session. Sure, there are the obligatory references to financial discipline and balancing the budget, but they come at the very end of the document and are a far cry from last summer’s bare cupboard metaphors. There is not even a mention of the R-word (recession).

Instead, the government seems to be trying to harness as much optimism as possible by frequently invoking the Olympic spirit and all it’s supposed to represent...

Read the whole blog post on Policy Note...

Buy American deal gives Canada short end of the stick

tor — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:07:10 +0000

A new analysis by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives finds the early praise given to the tentative Buy American deal is undeserved.

The deal gives Canada fleeting access to stimulus projects worth $US 4-5 billion, less than 2% of the $275 billion of procurement funded under the Recovery Act. Given the late hour, Canadian suppliers can expect to see very little practical benefit. In return for these meagre scraps, the provinces and municipalities have offered up temporary access to U.S. suppliers worth an estimated $CAD 25 billion. Worse, Canada has bowed to U.S. pressure to bind purchasing by Canadian provincial governments under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement, severely curtailing the use of procurement as a public policy tool.

The full study, Buy American Basics, by CCPA senior researcher Scott Sinclair, is available here.

Annual General Meeting held in Winnipeg

Jill Hudspith — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:11:08 +0000

On January 28, 2010 CCPA-Manitoba members came together for the Annual General meeting. Fletcher Baragar, our chair, presented a "sneak preview" of the upcoming report "State of the Manitoba Economy".

Five positions on the board of directors were to be filled. Jim Silver, Errol Black, Elizabeth Comack and Fletcher Baragar were re-elected and Sarah Cooper was elected for the first time.

Winter 2010 issue of Our Schools/Our Selves questions the 'Achievement Agenda' in education

tor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:20:40 +0000

In the Winter 2010 issue of Our Schools/Our Selves editors Larry Kuehn and Erika Shaker delve into the struggle between the demands for standardization and the reality of diversity in education.

Our Schools/Our Selves: The Achievement Agenda: Education or Evaluation? looks at different concepts that question "the Achievement Agenda", something that repeatedly appears to privilege narrow evaluation over broad, authentic education and learning, and standardization over diversity.

Click here to purchase the issue, or read the editorial, peruse the table of contents, and preview an article.

Corporations are people too

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:05:09 +0000

Today on Policy Note, Blair Redlin discusses the BC government's plans to give corporations the right to vote in municipal elections: "It seems corporations in B.C. feel they have inadequate influence on government decision-making, particularly about taxes. All that tax cutting and tax shifting of the last twenty years is apparently not enough." Read more on our blog...

Ottawa speaker series asks 'Will Canada be a UN Peacekeeper again?'

tor — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:59:18 +0000

The Ottawa Out Front Speaker Series asks the question, “Will Canada be a UN Peacekeeper again?"

We hope you can join us for a luncheon event featuring Professor Walter Dorn of the Canadian Forces College in conversation with Gloria Galloway of the Globe and Mail. Walter Dorn will consider whether now is the time that Canada should recommit to United Nations peacekeeping.

The Ottawa Out Front Speakers Series promotes new ideas and better government policies. It is organized by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) and the Rideau Institute, in partnership with the Hill Times and Embassy.

The event will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2010, from 12:00 until 1:45 pm, at the Sheraton Hotel, 150 Albert Street, in downtown Ottawa.

Tickets are $30.

To purchase your ticket online click here. You can also order by phone, or send your cheque to the Rideau Institute, 63 Sparks St., Suite 608, Ottawa ON K1P 5A6.

For tickets or information, call 613 565-9449 or email outfront@rideauinstitute.ca

Watch the CCPA's Senior Economist debate 'Job creation in a recession'

tor — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:03:51 +0000

On January 25th, 2010, the CCPA's Armine Yalnizyan appeared on Television Ontario's 'The Agenda' to discuss 'Job creation in a recession', part one of the show's look at the state of employment today.

Armine warns that the 'triple threat' of household debt, growing inequality, and poor job/social security is still a big challenge for Canadians.

Click here to watch the segment.

Naomi Klein to speak on climate debt in Toronto Feb. 25

tor — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:33:10 +0000

We hope you can join us on February 25th in Toronto for the inaugural David Lewis Lecture.

We’re excited that acclaimed author Naomi Klein will be the speaker. She will speak on the timely issue of climate debt.

This is the first in a series of lectures in honour of David Lewis (1909-1981), a leading labour lawyer, life long social democrat, a founder of the NDP and its national leader from 1970 to 1975.

The lecture series will focus on issues that were important to David Lewis: social democracy, organized labour, and income inequality.

Space is limited.

To book your ticket or for more details on the February 25th event, click here.

Now for some disaster relief on the homefront

Sarah Leavitt — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:18:42 +0000

Today on Policy Note, Marc Lee praises Canadians' generosity towards Haiti, and puts out a call for governments to commit to relieving our homegrown and avoidable disasters: poverty and inequality. Check out the post for a good, concrete discussion of some of the themes that we're grappling with in our Climate Justice Project and other research.

EI isn't working for Canada's unemployed

kerri — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:22:28 +0000

A new CCPA report finds Canada's Employment Insurance system is failing the recession "stress test" and many unemployed workers are falling through the cracks. Is EI Working for Canada's Unemployed? makes recommendations for improving the EI system and calls on the federal government to make EI reform a key priority in the upcoming buget. Click here to read more and download the full report.

Relevance of the Regina Manifesto Video

Simon Enoch — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:02:45 +0000

The Social Policy Research Unit at the University of Regina has posted a video of the Regina night of our "Future of Social Democracy" event held last October. For those of you that missed Armine Yalnizyan and Murray Dobbin speak on the continuing relevance of the Regina Manifesto, here is your chance to experience two great speakers and their thoughts on the future of social democracy in our country.

The video can be viewed here.

Going for gold on minimum wages: CCPA-BC editorial in the Vancouver Sun today

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:47:12 +0000

Amidst all the hype about the 2010 Olympics, Iglika Ivanova and Marjorie Griffin Cohen remind us that BC is nowhere close to a gold medal on the issues that really matter.

CCPA-BC editorial on reforestation in the Times Colonist today

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:37:59 +0000

The Truck Loggers' Association meets in Victoria today and tomorrow for their annual convention and trade show. Judging from the conference program, the mountain pine beetle has fallen off the radar. But as CCPA researcher Ben Parfitt explains in today's Times Colonist, there is still much to be done to help BC forests recover from the pine beetle disaster.

Watch videos of the Alternative Federal Budget Roundtable

kerri — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:23:21 +0000

This year's Alternative Federal Budget Roundtable, entitled Recession, Recovery and Transformation: Meeting the policy challenges of our time, was held in Ottawa on November 18. CPAC was there to tape the day's proceedings and has made the videos available on-demand on their website.

The first panel, From the Frontlines, featured presentations on the impact the recession is having on communities by:

Teresa Healy, Communities in Crisis Project, Canadian Labour Congress;
Blair Redlin, Communities in Crisis Project, Canadian Union of Public Employees;
Suzanne Doerge, City for All Women Initiative; and
John Andras, Recession Relief Coalition.

Watch this panel in English or French.

The Honourable Ed Broadbent was the lunchtime speaker at a the Roundtable. You can read the text of his speech here. You can watch his inspirational speech outlining his ten propositions for a resurgence of the progressive movement on CPAC's website in both English and French.

The second panel, What kind of recovery?, examines the recession and so-called recovery so far in both Canada and the U.S. with panelists:

Jim Stanford, Economist, Canadian Auto Workers
Larry Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute, Washington
Katherine Scott, Vice-President, Canadian Council on Social Development and Vanier Institute on the Family

Watch this panel in English or French.

The final panel, Policies for a sustainable/transformative recovery, featured presentations by:

Armine Yalnizyan, Senior Economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Sheila Block, Research Director, Ontario Federation of Labour
Marc Lee, Principal Investigator, CCPA-SSHRC Climate Justice Project

Watch this panel in English or French.

CCPA's forest management study in the news

Sarah Leavitt — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:41:28 +0000

The study we released yesterday, Managing BC's Forests for a Cooler Planet, has gotten some great media coverage. Author Ben Parfitt discussed the study's recommendations at length on the Bill Good Show, along with John Allan of the Council of Forest Industries (COFI). You can listen to the show on CKNW's audiovault.

There were also articles in papers across the province today, including the Vancouver Sun and the Prince George Citizen. Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail previewed some of our findings in a feature article on the mountain pine beetle in their Saturday edition.

We're pleased about the response to the study, not only from the media but also from COFI, and hopeful that our vision for forest management will be taken up by the provincial government.

New study released today: Managing BC's Forests for a Cooler Planet

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:25:34 +0000

Vancouver — Forest industry unions and leading environmental groups have united behind a plan that calls on the BC government to conserve more forest, halt rampant wood waste and promote wise use of forest products — all as part of a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full news release...

Read the study...

BC Ombudsperson's recommendations on seniors' care echo CCPA concerns

Sarah Leavitt — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:53:53 +0000

In December, the BC Ombudsperson released part one of a special report on seniors' care in BC: The Best of Care: Getting It Right for Seniors in British Columbia (download the pdf). The report echoes many of the concerns raised in our own report released last April, An Uncertain Future for Seniors. The provincial government has accepted most of the recommendations; if they follow through with implementing them, British Columbians could see major improvements in services for seniors — as well as much greater accountability.

2010 Winter Olympics: CCPA resources

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:49:52 +0000

As we get closer to the 2010 Winter Olympics, many people have questions about how the games will affect not only British Columbia, but Canada as a whole. You'll find a list of our Olympics-related publications here. For media inquiries related to the Olympics, please contact Sarah Leavitt, Communications Officer at the BC Office, at sarah [at] policyalternatives [dot] ca or 604-801-5121 ext 233.

Ecology and Democracy

Simon Enoch — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:04:50 +0000

Simon Enoch, Director of the Saskatchewan office, will present a public lecture on the future of environmental politics at the University of Regina on January 15th.

Simon's presentation, "Green Leviathan Reborn? Authoritarianism and the Contradictions of Ecological Crisis," will investigate the emergence of authoritarian responses to the current environmental crisis and the absolute necessity of a participatory democratic politics to any viable solution to the present crisis.

Time and location can be found here.

CCPA-BC videos on NFB website

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:56:41 +0000

In response to the recession, the National Film Board has launched a website called GDP to gather stories from across Canada about "the far-reaching effects of the crisis in our lives and communities." We encourage you to check out the site-- the stories are insightful and thought-provoking, and illustrate a lot of the themes we've explored on a broad scale in our own economic research.

The CCPA was invited to add some of our materials to the site-- interviews with welfare recipients and activists from our Poverty Amid Plenty project. You can watch and comment on the videos on the GDP website, and check out the whole Poverty Amid Plenty project here.

Top CEOs still raking it in

kerri — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Canadians may have been hit hard by a worldwide economic recession, but it appears Canada’s 100 highest paid CEOs are enjoying a soft landing.

Hugh Mackenzie's latest report on executive compensation shows the total average compensation for Canada's 100 highest paid CEOs was $7,300,884 in 2008—a stark contrast from the total average Canadian income of $42,305. They pocketed what takes Canadians earning an average income an entire year to make by 1:06 pm January 4—the first working day of the year.

Click here to read more and download the full report. Click here to use our CEO pay calculator to find out how quickly a top CEO will earn your salary.

Future of Social Democracy Part Two

Simon Enoch — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:31:32 +0000

The second part of our "Future of Social Democracy" event is now available as a podcast. Listen to Murray Dobbin as he outlines what it will take to renew social democracy in Canada.

December 2009/January 2010 CCPA Monitor

kerri — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:46:05 +0000

The recent 52-page edition of the CCPA’s journal, The CCPA Monitor, features articles and essays by Naomi Klein, Murray Dobbin, Linda McQuaig, Armine Yalnizyan, and a dozen other topnotch writers on the most current social, economic, political, and environmental issues.

The prolonged Great Recession, the climate change crisis, oil-drilling threats to our water, the “war on terror,” the disastrous consequences of airline deregulation, and key political developments in Canada, Europe, and South America – these and many other issues are explained and exposed.

All 11,000 CCPA members across the country receive their copies of The Monitor 10 times a year. It is available only to our members, and only a few sample articles from each issue are posted on our website. Click here to join the Centre today.

Here is the Table of Contents for the December-January edition:

Companies plan for the future. Why shouldn’t Governments? By Jeff Noonan
The Centre holds (editorial)
The war on “terror” (index)
Empire of Illusion “must-read” book of 2009 By Ed Finn
U.S. lawless “war on terror” violates Geneva Conventions By Dinyar Godrej
Harper gov’t is now the world’s biggest sub-prime lender By Murray Dobbin
Recession-proof bankers keep on overpaying themselves By Linda McQuaig
New, dirty gas drilling method threatens drinking water By Joyce Nelson
Canadian corporations fund Fraser Institute (a list)
Sudbury, Voisey Bay strikers want secret deal made public – www.labourstart.org
It’s easier now for other nations to copy bad U.S. policies By Naomi Klein
Global gender equality list puts Canada 25th in 2009 World Economic Forum
Rhyme & Reason: Lepanto G.K. Chesterton.
Concerned citizens must get active to avert catastrophe By Philip Symons
We must air our desire for justice, our outrage at injustice By Madeleine Bunting
Humankind shares a common fate on an overcrowded planet By Warren Allmand
The Regina Manifesto still relevant, could be written today By Armine Yalnizyan
Harper must please both friends and foes to get a majority By Ellen Russell
Buzz Hargrove analyzes our economic ills – and prescribes remedies - Book review by Roy LaBerge
Parliament is where the potential for change must be tapped By John Courtneidge
Recession poses big challenges for public sector unions By Sam Gindin
Ecological dergradation, continued much longer, will doom us By Bob Harrington
The Bolivarian Revolution gives real power to the people By Asad Ismi
Venezuelans now have high levels of health care and literacy By Julio Chavez
Post-secondary education should be made more accessible By Nick Falvo
Airline industry deregulation a disaster for travellers, workers By Sean Smith
The Buy-American sellout: Proposed procurement deal bad for provincial, local gov’ts By Scott Sinclair

Future of Social Democracy Podcast

Simon Enoch — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:57:20 +0000

Armine Yalnizyan joined us in Saskatoon in October to speak on the continuing relevance of the Regina Manifesto. To listen to Armine's powerful and entertaining talk, visit here.

Canada's military spending ranks 13th highest in the world

kerri — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:24:57 +0000

Canadians could be forgiven for thinking that they spend a mere pittance on their military: politicians and pundits constantly bombard us with the claim that Canada is a military miser. But a new CCPA report by defence analyst Bill Robinson sets the record straight.

Canadian Military Spending 2009 shows that Canada’s rising National Defence spending is $21.185 billion in 2009-2010, making Canada’s rank 13th highest in the world, and 6th highest among NATO’s 28 members, dollar for dollar. By comparison, the Department of the Environment was allocated only $1.064 billion. Click here to read more and download the full report.

2009 State of the Inner City Report released today

Jill Hudspith — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:50:18 +0000

Today CCPA-Manitoba released our 5th State of the Inner City Report - It Takes All Day To Be Poor, at Winnipeg's Circle of Life Thunderbird House. CCPA director, Shauna MacKinnon, welcomed more than 100 community members and inner city service providers and spoke about some of the progress being made in the inner city and the importance of the collaborative research relationship between CCPA and inner city organizations.

Diane Roussin from Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and Community Led Organizations United Together (CLOUT) also spoke about the importance of our research and how it is used by the community to advocate for improved policy and program support.

Sarah MacKinnon, of Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) talked about the complicated lives of the people that she deals with as an advocate for youth living in poverty.

Jim Silver, CCPA-MB board member and chair of the University of Winnipeg Inner City Studies Program, spoke of the advances which have been made in the Lord Selkirk area since the first SIC five years ago.

The report is available on this website.

What if the oil and gas industry were public instead of private?

tor — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:46:54 +0000

Canada’s oil and gas industry creates significant environmental and social problems for Canadians. This is partly because of the nature of the for-profit, private-interest business corporation, which dominates that industry.

Could some of the problems be resolved by purchasing the industry and converting it to an industry aimed at serving a broader public-interest mandate? Legally and financially, the transformation would be relatively straight-forward, and there are precedents. Read all about it the CCPA and Parkland Institute co-published report Private Gain or Public Interest? Reforming Canada's Oil and Gas Industry.

Canadian climate policies: time to lie down and cry?

Sarah Leavitt — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:13:21 +0000

In an article on the Tyee, William Rees calls the Canadian government "criminally negligent" for its (lack of) policy on climate change. Meanwhile, in the Guardian, George Monbiot says that Canada is now to climate what Japan is to whaling. Should we lie down and cry, or just reassure ourselves that we picked a great time to launch our Climate Justice Project?

Child and Family Poverty in Saskatchewan

Simon Enoch — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:10:08 +0000

The Social Policy Research Unit at the University of Regina has just released its report card on child and family poverty in the province. Paul Gingrich and Fiona Douglas - the study's authors - report some troubling findings:

• In 2007, there were 35,000 (16.7%) children under age 18 living beneath the poverty line (before-tax Low Income Cut-off) in Saskatchewan.

• Saskatchewan has the third highest provincial child poverty rate.

• 45% of Aboriginal children live in low-income families.

• More than one in three immigrant children are poor.

• 20% of children spent three or more years in poverty, exceeding the national average of 15%.

• One-third of poor children live in families with full-time, full-year employment.

For more details, view the full report here.

For more details on income inequality in Saskatchewan, view the CCPA's "Boom and Bust: The Growing Income Gap in Saskatchewan," here.

Sherbrook Pool paper released

Jill Hudspith — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:40:54 +0000

The Friends of the Sherbrook Pool presented CCPA-MB’s recently released “Winnipeg’s Best-Kept Secret” monograph at their AGM this week. The report examines the important role the pool plays in the neighbourhood. It explains how recreation helps build community, and how access can be improved. You can read and/or download the report by clicking here

Ed Broadbent's ten propositions for a resurgence of the progressive movement

kerri — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:58:28 +0000

The Honourable Ed Broadbent was the lunchtime speaker at a recent CCPA Alternative Federal Budget Roundtable in Ottawa. You can read the text of his speech here. You can watch his inspirational speech outlining his ten propositions for a resurgence of the progressive movement on CPAC's website in both English and French.

CPAC will be airing more presentations from the Roundtable over the coming weeks. Click here for the full schedule.

Welcome to our new website!

kerri — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:15:42 +0000

If you're a regular visitor to the CCPA website you've probably noticed things are looking a little different around here. We've added new features and functions to our site to make it easier for you to:

find what you're looking for;
watch our multimedia videos and slideshows;
share our content to social networking sites or email pages to your contacts;
purchase CCPA books, and join or donate to the Centre; and
stay informed with our email newswire service.

Click here for a full tour.

It takes all day to be poor

Jill Hudspith — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:15:20 +0000

Release of The State of the Inner City Report 2009

When: Wednesday, December 9th

Lunch 11:30 a.m.

Presentation 12 noon

Where: Circle of Life Thunderbird House, 715 Main Street

RSVP

by December 4th

927-3200

Artwork by Laurie Green

It's time for an adult conversation about taxes

tor — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:09:39 +0000

When The Toronto Star published CCPA research associate Hugh Mackenzie's editorial Can we have an adult conversation about taxes? the CCPA received a flood of positive responses. Canadians agree: it's time to have a realistic public discussion about how we pay for the things we value.

As Mackenzie wrote: "Most 4-year-olds have figured out that when you go to the store to get something you want, you have to be prepared to pay for it. Yet Canada's political leaders and business interest lobbyists would rather spit nickels than admit this basic fact."

Mackenzie will be featured in a new Speakers Series luncheon in Ottawa to talk about tax policy. This luncheon event will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, from 12:00 until 1:45 PM, at the Sheraton Hotel, 150 Albert Street, in downtown Ottawa. Tickets are $20. Call 613 565-9449, email outfront@rideauinstitute.ca, or click here to order tickets online.

To read the full editorial, click here.

CCPA-NS turns 10

Christine Saulnier — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:02:23 +0000

The CCPA-NS’ second annual fundraising gala and 10th anniversary celebration (November 20) was a great success with good food, an excellent speaker and dancing to live music. The founding director of CCPA-NS, John Jacobs came back to Halifax to reflect on CCPA-NS’ successes, reminding us how important it is to create the needed space for democratic debate and dialogue no matter which political party is in power. Dr. Rita Deverell spoke eloquently and with a sense of humour about her experiences creating space for diverse voices in media. She challenged the crowd to think about how we can best move forward to ensure that the airwaves are inherited not by a select few. Thanks to everyone for making this gala a great event.

New reports look at pension reform

kerri — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:22:17 +0000

The current economic and financial situation has brought Canada’s retirement income system into sharp focus. Pension expert and CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson has written two policy briefs examining pension reform in Canada.

The first, What Can We Do About Pensions?, outlines some of the problems with Canada's pension system and examines some of the options that have been proposed to deal with them.

The second brief, A Stronger Foundation: Pension Reform and Old Age Security, focuses on Old Age Security and its associated programs of the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowance and discusses measures that could be taken to strengthen this part of the system.

The road to good intentions

tor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Today, something remarkable happened.

And, as remarkable as it is, it shows us how far behind Canada has fallen from its ideal self as a beacon of fairness, social justice and equality.

Today, 20 years after a unanimous federal government motion to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000, which it failed to make good on, Parliament has unanimously agreed to try again.

HUMA, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills, and Social Development and the Status of Persons With Disabilities, acknowledged the previous failed motion and committed "to develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all".

The motion is a moral victory for many who have worked tirelessly toward a federal government commitment to tackle poverty, not the least of whom is Campaign 2000, which reports today that child and family poverty remains a blight on a nation as affluent as ours.

On a day such as this, it would be easy to berate Canada's parliamentarians for failing to make good on its original promise.

It would be easy to castigate short-sighted politicians for giving away billions of dollars in tax cuts to really well-off Canadians while ignoring the poor during some of the best economic years in our nation's history.

But I'd prefer to concentrate on the task at hand.

Canada is knee-deep into recession and if any of its last two recessions are a predictor of the future, a full economic recovery is many years away.

After the 1990s recession, Canada's GDP bounced back fairly quickly but it took seven years before Canadians had access to the same level of full-time jobs that were available pre-recession.

Canada's federal and provincial governments made terrible mistakes following that last recession. They cut public services at a time when the economy was relying on public sector growth to pull the nation back into recovery. They ushered in punitive social assistance rules that deepened the experience of poverty for Canadians and made it harder for someone who falls on hard times to crawl out of the gutter.

When the economy finally started firing on all cylinders, Canada's senior levels of government, and much of the electorate, were lured by vote-getting tax cut promises and failed to use the nation's prosperity to significantly reduce poverty.

Today, Campaign 2000 released a report that shows Canada's after-tax child poverty rate was 9.5 per cent even before recession took root a year ago. In 1989, the year Parliament first committed to eliminate poverty, Canada's after-tax child poverty rate was 11.9 per cent.

In a nation as prosperous as Canada's - it is the ninth largest economy on the planet - there is no good excuse for such high rates of poverty.

One in 10 children still live in poverty in Canada. It's worse for children living in First Nation's communities: one in four grow up in poverty.

There are more working poor in Canada today: 40 per cent of low-income children live in families where at least one parent works full-time year round, up dramatically from 33 per cent in the 1990s.

Meanwhile, the gap between rich and poor has widened: On average, for every dollar families in the poorest 10 per cent had, families in the richest 10 per cent had almost 12 times as much ($11.84) in 2007.

What's heartening is that six provinces in Canada have signaled their intention to reduce poverty in their jurisdiction. It's time for the federal government to stand with them.

What we learned from the 1989 motion is that good intentions alone do not resolve the problem. Political will, backed by solid public sector investments in social programs proven to reduce poverty, is what's needed.

There is no time to waste.

-- Trish Hennessy

Parliament will try (again) to eradicate child poverty

tor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:45:52 +0000

"Twenty years after a unanimous federal government motion to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000, which it failed to make good on, Parliament has unanimously agreed to try again," writes Trish Hennessy, director of the Growing Gap project, in a recent rabble.ca blog.

Despite the federal government's failure to eliminate child poverty in Canada, the ninth wealthiest nation on the planet, Hennessy sees hope in the leadership some provinces in Canada are taking to reduce poverty. But she says it's time for the federal government to contribute to this effort too. To read her blog, click here.

Marvin Shaffer's editorial on P3s in the Vancouver Sun

Sarah Leavitt — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:25:34 +0000

Marvin Shaffer questions the BC government's process for evaluating P3s in Thursday's Vancouver Sun. Marvin is a frequent contributor to Policy Note and author of a number of CCPA-BC reports and studies, including the widely read cost-benefit analysis of the 2010 Olympics.

Canada Colombia FTA now back before Parliament

Scott Sinclair — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:56:55 +0000

Legislation to implement the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement is now back before Parliament. In the briefing paper Investor Rights Trump Human Rights, CCPA analyst Scott Sinclair demonstrates how the treaty’s investment chapter pays mere lip service to corporate social responsibility, while giving Canadian mining companies and other investors powerful new rights. Rather than addressing Colombia’s human rights crisis, inserting these new investment rights into this deeply troubled context will effectively chill democratic dissent and tilt the scales further against already disadvantaged, excluded and victimised Colombians.

BC's GHG Emissions Shell Game

Sarah Leavitt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:57:08 +0000

In a recent post on Policy Note, Marc Lee points out that the BC government's recent decision to close down one big GHG producer — Burrard Thermal plant in Vancouver — won't reduce total emissions, since the government is allowing new oil and gas facilities to be built that emit even more GHGs. Marc's bold proposition: an immediate moratorium on all new oil and gas development — unless accompanied by carbon capture and storage.

The Warrior Princess in Winnipeg

Jill Hudspith — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:38:31 +0000

Great fun was had on November 6th when Mary Walsh came to town to perform at Pantages Theatre for CCPA-Manitoba. Mary tackled the issues we care about and made us laugh, while Winnipeg’s own award-winning band - Nathan - gave a spectacular performance. They were fabulous and we are so glad that despite their success beyond the Canadian border they still want to give their talents to help organizations such as ours.

In this picture Mary was delighted to meet up with a few local Marg Delahuntys - thanks to Molly McCracken, Noelle DePape, Jess Irvine, Jackie Hogue and Kate Sjoberg for being such great sports!

The board and staff of CCPA-Manitoba want to extend a big thank you to everyone who helped make this a great fundraiser for us.

The Coming Austerity

Simon Enoch — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:55:24 +0000

Simon Enoch, Director of the Saskatchewan Office, comments on the return of debt crisis rhetoric with the current recession and what it may mean for Canada's public sector.

Check out these exciting American climate justice initiatives

Sarah Leavitt — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:33:41 +0000

As the CCPA's Climate Justice Project takes off, we're getting some great inspiration and ideas from these innovative American projects: Green for All argues that the US can solve its environmental and economic crises at the same time, with their mission of "working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty." And one of our community partners, Sightline Institute in Seattle, has created an excellen

2009 Canadian Social Watch chapter recounts an opportunity lost

tor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:36:47 +0000

Nancy Baroni & Nancy Peckford (Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action), John Foster (North-South Institute), and Armine Yalnizyan (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) wrote the Canadian chapter in Social Watch this year.

In their chapter Economic stimulus 2009: opportunity lost, they lament the federal government's weak and delayed injection of stimulus funds into economy to help reverse the recession.

"Budget 2009 was an opportunity for the Government to lessen the blow of the recession by focusing on the most vulnerable citizens," they write, "but political jockeying led to a short-sighted economic stimulus plan that does not meet the needs of the thousands of citizens feeling the brunt of the crisis."

To download the chapter, click here.

The Buy American sell-out

kerri — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:07:21 +0000

A new report by CCPA trade expert Scott Sinclair warns the ongoing negotiations between Ottawa and Washington over Buy American laws may give away provincial and municipal procurement sovereignty. The deal now in the works would leave Buy American policies intact while permanently binding Canadian provinces and cities to WTO rules which could prevent them from preferring local goods or suppliers. Read more and download the report in English or French.

Benjamin Isitt on Voice of BC tonight

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:18:14 +0000

Watch for a question from Benjamin Isitt on Voice of BC tonight, as Vaughn Palmer interviews Housing and Gaming Minister Rich Coleman.

Climate Deniers: what more evidence will it take?

Sarah Leavitt — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:58:49 +0000

In a recent post on Policy Note, Seth Klein ponders the resurgence in the climate change denial movement, and wonders what will make the deniers see reason. What do you think? Join the conversation!

Ontario's education funding lags behind

kerri — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:56:52 +0000

A new CCPA report on education funding in Ontario finds the province's per-student school funding lags behind 45 U.S. sates and 8 Canadian jurisdictions. The report's author, Hugh Mackenzie, says Ontario’s shortfall is the result of a funding formula that desperately needs an overhaul. Click here to read more and download the full report.

Ontario's school funding lags behind

kerri — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:24:11 +0000

A new CCPA report on education funding in Ontario by CCPA Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie finds the province lags far behind most peer jurisdictions in North America. Forty-five U.S. states and eight Canadian jurisdictions spend more per-student than Ontario. The study calls for a major overhaul in Ontario's education funding formula. Click here to read more and download the full report.

The long road to economic recovery

kerri — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:07:16 +0000

A new Alternative Federal Budget Technical Paper by Jim Stanford and David Macdonald examines key economic indicators and finds Canada's economy is still a long way from recovery. The paper looks at Ottawa's stimulus initiatives to date and concludes that more public investment will be key to Canada's recovery. Click here to read more and download the full report.

Ontario’s recession looking eerily like the Great Depression

kerri — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

A new Ontario Alternative Budget Technical Paper, Close Encounters of the Thirties Kind, by social policy expert John Stapleton, provides a blow-by-blow account of the similarities between Ontario circa 1930s and today. Stapleton finds 11 similarities between the Great Depression and the Crash of 2008 and calls on senior governments to take the lessons of the 1930s and act swiftly to minimize Ontario’s current recession. Click here to read more.

We need to get tough on poverty if we want to get tough on crime

kerri — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Winnipeg's infamous North End has the media repeatedly calling for a "get tough on crime" strategy, one that is often supported by local police and politicians. In If You Want to Change Violence in the ‘Hood, You Have to Change the ‘Hood, six inner-city gang members, interviewed by Manitoba Research Alliance researchers, explain why such an approach will only cause the prison population to swell: we need to get tough on poverty if we want to get rid of crime. Click here to download the full report.

Neighbourhood renewal corporations in Winnipeg's inner city

kerri — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Community-based organizations play a crucial role in Winnipeg's inner city. They provide much-needed services for those struggling with poverty, addictions, racism and colonialism. Neighbourhood Renewal Corporations in Winnipeg’s Inner City authors Sjoberg, McCracken and Silver explain that running a neighbourhood renewal corporation is also an exercise in politics, and why government support is needed. Click here to download the full report.

Recession watch: May's job losses

tor — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:56:00 +0000

In the past few weeks there has been lots of talk that the worst of of Canada's recession is over; that some "green shoot" indicators hint recovery may be on the way.

It's hard to tell what the future will bring but it is easy to compare Canada's experiences with those of the past.

So far, the worst recessions since the Great Depression happened in 1981-82 and 1990-91.

In 1981-82, Canada's GDP dropped by 0.7% in the first quarter of the recession and 0.5% in the second quarter. The recession went on for four quarters, and the economy shrank by 4.9% from peak to trough.

In 1990-91, Canada's GDP dropped by 0.4% and 0.6% in the opening two quarters of a recession that went on for eight quarters, with GDP contracting by 3.4% from peak to trough.

This time around, Canada's GDP dropped by 0.8% in the first quarter of downturn and the rate of decline accelerated to a stunning 1.4% in the second quarter of this recession.

The number of job losses so far has been the most dramatic of any recession, though as a proportion of the overall job market it is unfolding on roughly the same scale as the 1981-82 recession.

Without doubt there is much more job loss to come, given the dramatic decline in the economic last quarter and the ongoing retrenchment of demand.

In every recession, the highest toll is on full-time jobs. (There are always some part-time jobs created, offsetting the decline in total employment.)

So far in this recession, there are 406,000 fewer full-time jobs to be had, a 2.9% shrinkage in the full-time job market.

Over the opening seven months of the last two recessions, there was a loss of 271,000 full-time jobs in the 1980s recession (2.8%), and 214,000 fewer full-time jobs in the 1990s recession (2.0%).

This time round, there have been proportionately fewer part-time jobs created to offset these declines (about 43,600 new part-time jobs in the past seven months, compared to 46,700 in the 1980s).

The job losses in the opening seven months of the recession accounted for 38% (1980s recession) and 35% (1990s recession) of the total loss of paid work, peak to trough. Despite the stimulus packages that were announced, there will likely be many tens of thousands more jobs lost in the coming months.

This month's Labour Force Statistics also brought news of a further 9.4% decline in the number of manufacturing jobs since October. This dramatically deepens the decline that started in the summer of 2002.

Since then Canada has lost over three quarters of a million manufacturing jobs, or 30% of all manufacturing jobs. Now at 1,788,400 jobs, manufacturing employment in Canada is lower than at any time since the data started being collected in 1976.

The struggling American economy is pushing up the relative value of the Canadian loonie, adding to the difficulties faced by Canadian manufacturers and exporters and squeezing household budgets further.

Together, these trends raise the question: will the kind of jobs that remain when we get through this mess sustain a middle class?

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Excess CEO pay hits home

tor — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:53:00 +0000

A story in the Financial Post reports the CEO of Canada's TD Bank is donating his $3 million dollar bonus to charity this year, leaving him with $8 million in compensation this year.

It's a trend that's growing popular in the U.S. but TD Bank CEO Ed Clark became the first to announce such a move in Canada.

No word yet on whether he'll dedicate some of his bonus to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, to acknowledge our ongoing work on tracking CEO pay in Canada.

Our latest study, released on January 2, shows the pay for Canada's highest paid 50 CEOs leapt from about 85 times the wage for the average Canadian worker in the mid-1990s to 398 times the average wage.

The study found the 100 highest paid CEOs of public companies received an average of $10-million in annual compensation, a 22% increase compared with a 3.2% raise for average Canadians in 2007.

-- Trish Hennessy

CCPA-MB and Canadian Mental Health Association release report

kerri — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0000

The CCPA Manitoba and the Canadian Mental Health Association have released a new study entitled We got evicted... did I leave that out? The study explores the ways of supporting community transformation through enhancing housing supports for people living with mental illness. The report deals with factors that mediate between individuals living with mental illness and the broader societal environment. Click here to download the full report.

The quiet limits of greed

tor — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:49:00 +0000

Thinking about Canada's economic crisis, I frequently find myself wondering: "What would Obama do?"

Today, I got his answer to the problem of self-absorbed CEOs who stick one hand out for bailouts (and tax cuts) and use the other to line their pockets with compensation packages that seemingly have no limit.
We know it as a distinctly American problem, but the same trends exist here in Canada.

President Barack Obama's answer: The White House will set a maximum wage for CEOs whose companies are being subsidized by U.S. taxpayers.
"This is America," Obama said. "We don't disparage wealth. But what gets people upset, and rightfully so, is executives being awarded for failure. Especially when those rewards are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers, many of whom are having a tough time themselves."

More than $18 billion in bonuses were paid out to U.S. CEOs in 2008 - yes the very year greed and shortsighted decision-making helped fuel a global market meltdown.

Now that American taxpayers are on the hook for trillion dollar deficits that their grandchildren will still be paying down many years from now, the myth of the Super CEO deserving of grandiose self-reward has come crashing down on Wall Street and may soon make its way to Canada's own Bay Street.

"For top executives to award themselves these kinds of compensation packages in the midst of this economic crisis isn't just bad taste; it's bad strategy, and I will not tolerate it as president," Obama said.

For those whose tendency is to bring out the violins for the embattled CEO, their compensation is capped at healthy $500,000 U.S. To borrow a line from Evita, don't cry for me, Argentina.

Companies receiving U.S. federal aid will also have to publicly disclose all of their perks and luxuries - which is ruffling a few well-preened feathers.
Wells Fargo & Co. received a $25 billion bailout from taxpayers yet had still planned on a lavish Vegas junket for its top employees until the public got wind of it.

"Let's get this straight: These guys are going to Vegas to roll the dice on the taxpayer dime?" said Republican Shelley Moore Capito. "They're tone-deaf. It's outrageous."

This represents a sea change in how we view CEO corporate excess. We are witnessing the beginning of a new era.

As U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner put it: "There is a deep sense across this country that those who are not responsible for this crisis are bearing a greater burden than those who were."

It's only a matter of time before we start making the same connections in Canada.

-- Trish Hennessy

New resources on income inequality

tor — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:29:00 +0000

Several reports have been released recently that continue to expose the persistent problem of income inequality in Canada.

The latest Vanier Institute report on the state of families in Canada predicts "the effects of the current economic downturn will be felt around the kitchen table for years to come".

It warns that household spending and debt are rising faster than incomes; that debt loads are "in the danger zone"; and that unattached adults are the country's "forgotten poor".

The report, written by Roger Sauve, is available at: http://www.vifamily.ca/library/work/sauve/worklife.pdf

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released its Alternative Federal Budget (AFB), which provides a comprehensive approach to reducing poverty and income inequality in Canada. It calls on the federal government to take leadership by committing to reduce poverty in Canada by 25% in the next five years.

A new Quebec report examines income inequality in that province and in Canada:

http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/publications/conditions/pdf2008/inegalite_faible_revenu.pdf

-- Trish Hennessy

Canada out of step with rest of world

tor — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:36:00 +0000

The federal government has leaked its 2009 deficit figures: Canada faces a $34 billion deficit this year with more to come.

These deficit numbers imply the federal government’s stimulus package on January 27 may not be big enough and fast enough to adequate protect Canadians from recession.

“The numbers leaked yesterday point to the fact that the government has already failed the test of delivering an adequate stimulus” says Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Senior Economist Marc Lee. “Now Canadians will suffer higher unemployment and more hardship than need be the case.”

Canada is expected to run a $14 billion dollar deficit in 2009 without stimulus. Yesterday’s leak of a $34 billion deficit suggests a stimulus package of approximately $20 billion or slightly more than 1% of GDP.

While a $34 billion deficit in 2009/10 sounds large, Canada’s economy is also twice the size it was in the early 1990s.

Once again, Canada is out of step with the rest of the world.

The Canadian stimulus package of 1% of GDP is only half of the 2% that is being called for by the IMF, the OECD and already tabled by many European governments. Both the United States and China have significantly exceeded this target.

Of all the countries in the G7, Canada has the lowest debt burden and is the most able to utilize deficit spending. Unfortunately, while we’re the best positioned, our government seems the least inclined to act aggressively to protect its citizens from coming job losses.

The CCPA has released its Alternative Federal Budget (www.policyalternatives.ca), proposing a stimulus approximately twice the size of the implied government one. It would leave Canada with the lowest debt burden (debt to GDP) ratio in the G7. It would also create 470,000 jobs and buffer Canadians from the worst of the coming recession.

-- David Macdonald, Alternative Federal Budget coordinator for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Pockets lined with gold

tor — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:19:00 +0000

New, from the St. John's Telegram

Jeers: to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. A recent study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has determined that by the time you got back into the swing of things at work on Jan. 2, the average Canadian CEO will already have made more money this year than you will earn in the next 12 months. According to the report, the top 100 execs in the country raked in more than $10 million apiece in 2007, which is the last full year for which data was available. It seems the economic meltdown only affects those whose pockets aren't lined with gold.

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=206982&sc=80

CEO Pay: The party keeps on going

tor — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:20:00 +0000

By 9:04 a.m. January 2nd Canada's best paid 100 CEOs will have already pocketed what will take Canadians earning the average wage an entire year to earn.

That's right, by the time you boot up your computer and start another new year of work, the top 100 CEOs will have already pocketed the average Canadian wage.

And the party keeps on going, because the top 100 now average a little more than $10 million each in earnings. Some of these CEOs include those who head Canada's big banks - the very banks that received federal government bailout assistance in late 2008.

In 2007, the most recent year of data available for CEO pay, Canada's best paid 100 CEOs broke their own record. They pocketed just over $1 billion in pay, representing a 22% increase over the previous year's pay.

Average Canadian earnings rose by only 3.2% -- the best increase in the past five years, but a small fraction of the CEOs' pay hike; one that barely keeps up with inflation.
Every year, when the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives releases these numbers, media pundits write columns crowing about the importance of CEOs.
They expound on how highly paid CEOs are like a gift that keeps on giving; that their innovative leadership keeps Canada's economy thriving.

Curiously, there is no mention of Canadian workers' rising productivity levels and education credentials, no reporting of the increase in Canadians' working hours, or of the stagnant wages of Canada's middle class.

It is all about the CEO.

The tides are beginning to change. After a year of massive profit losses and dramatic company collapses south of the border, the wisdom of high paid CEOs has finally come under heavy public criticism.

In the U.S. especially, the conversation has shifted from revering CEOs for their own sake to being critical of a system of pay that gives CEOs incentive to take big risks without worrying about the fallout. In 2008 we saw the results of that kind of risk taking in the U.S. - it's affecting economies across the globe.

The question is, will we take this moment to find a better balance between what CEOs are paid compared to the rest of us?

That's the real challenge, because the current system of CEO compensation is not only distorting the way our economy works, and it's also becoming a major driver of income inequality in Canada.

Read the full report at http://www.growinggap.ca/research

-- Trish Hennessy

Gajillion dollar bailouts

tor — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:15:00 +0000

As the US government continues to figure out just how much it will take to bail out financial markets, up to the tune of $1 trillion dollars, the sound of Dr. Evil's voice creeps into in my head - "Okay then. We will hold the world ransom..for One..Hundred..BILLION DOLLARS"

What's unfolding south of the border is like a crazy Hollywood action movie. Except it's not funny.

The scale of the thing eclipses any other government intervention in recent history and represents a damning indictment of the cries for a ‘free market' and ‘less government' that we've been hearing in the U.S. and in Canada for the past 20 years.

If this story was unfolding in Canada, the equivalent amount would be a $100 billion - about half the size of every other thing the federal government does.

It is the sheer size of this disaster that helps put a few things into focus.

First, and most striking: What a stupid way to spend such huge amounts of money.

Think how much further $1 trillion would have gone if even a fraction of it had been invested in creating more affordable housing options, the problem that triggered this mess in the first place.

Or imagine if it had been invested in public supports to help stretch Americans' paycheques and improve their lives. Think of the public health care and education opportunities a trillion dollar investment could have given Americans.

It's dumb economics to spend such obscene amounts of money to offset a crisis created by investors, with no clear and direct advantage to the average person on the street other than to say we kept the banks from completely fouling our nest today.

The second striking thing is how risk got shifted from the titans of Wall Street - the big players who get paid fortunes to take risks, gambling with America's future and the entire global economy - to hard-working families who could never get away with ducking the price for acting irresponsibly.

Of course, the bailouts are spun as benefiting everyone - and that's true to a point. But a nation of primarily low-paid workers is paying for a handful of loaded losers who made bad bets. In what other type of crap shoot does that happen? The CEO of Lehman's, which folded under his guidance, earned $40 million last year, including "performance" bonuses. Pardon the pun, but that's rich.

Not only are average working stiffs paying for these bad boys' mistakes, they are paying twice, if you count interest. Since the U.S. government is already in deficit, U.S. taxpayers have to borrow the money from someone who has it. Average Americans will be paying for the big risk-takers for a long time to come.

The third thing worth paying attention to is the scary amount of consolidation that these events are triggering. The credit crunch is paving the way for corporate concentration of power and market share in the U.S. and globally.

It's a world that Dr. Evil would fit right into.

The numbers of players in the financial market are shrinking, making the market share of those left standing players even bigger.

Three of the five largest investments banks in the US have disappeared in the past 6 months.

Bank of America has just "steadied" the market by buying up small fry Merrill Lynch (valued at $50 billion), making it now the world's largest brokerage with client assets of $2.5 trillion.

Last week Lloyd's of London swallowed a shaky Scottish based mortgage lender that had lost half its market value. Now Lloyds dominates about 40% of the market.

This kind of corporate concentration should be sending shivers down the global spine.

What does any of this mean to Canada? Conventional wisdom holds that Canadians needn't worry, the same things are not going to happen here.

But here's the fourth thing. It's true that the exposure of Canada's financial institutions to this contagion has not been enough to warrant bailouts. Major writedowns have led to corrections in the stock market - so the value of your RRSP may just have taken a big hit, but there's no wave of mergers, and our politicians are not on the hook for tough decisions. Yet.

But things are not looking good, as financial meltdown translates to economic slowdown, putting more jobs on the line on both sides of the border. And if lenders become more skittish about lending and hang on tighter to their money, interest rates will inch up.

All those credit card and mortgage payments that already are so hard to make at month's end may lead to record personal bankruptcies, if things continue to sour in the labour market, or if the price of borrowing goes up. Canada is not immune to widespread trouble.

So here's the fifth thing. In the middle of this fiasco, in the middle of an election, one politician has stood strong, focused and clear about the way ahead. Our Prime Minister has stated that governments don't guarantee jobs, and that "Canadian consumer spending has been a rock that has sustained the economy and we anticipate that that will continue".

That way of thinking - governments can't do anything for you, let the market decide, you're on your own - may have worked last year or even last month. But given the events of last week, the Harper line is starting to sound dated.

We're learning from south of the border that governments do have a strong and vital role in keeping the market in check. It's time Canadians start having that conversation - before the meltdown comes to a bank account near you.

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Have you checked your RRSPs lately?

tor — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:28:00 +0000

I had dinner with a friend last night.

One of those apolitical friends - the kind that notice when something big happens, like Barack Obama and the politics of hope, but doesn't monitor online news and blogs (like me) throughout the day for shocking political developments (which this election is readily providing).

My friend hadn't heard about the Conservative ad featuring a puffin pooping on the Liberal leader's shoulder. But she certainly did notice the $12,000 she lost in ‘safe' RRSP investments that are supposed to guarantee her secure retirement 20 years from now.

My friend is a single mom who has made many financial sacrifices to raise her son but always found ways to save money each year, unlike the majority of Canadians, who struggle with record levels of household debt.

Her RRSP investments represent a major sacrifice. And she's counting on them to get her through when she's old and frail. But with $12,000 disappearing into a very liquid market this summer, she is beginning to worry about her future.

Which, after checking on my own RRSP investments to make sure they're safe, got me thinking about the federal election.

We have a Prime Minister who tells the media over breakfast that he is not in politics for the ‘celebrity' but that he has a very clear vision of government.

Since his very first budget, Stephen Harper has indeed been very clear: He believes government doesn't have much of a role to play in the lives of most Canadians. Just last winter, when his government tabled its third budget, it acknowledged dark economic clouds may be on the horizon. Harper's answer to the people? Start saving, and fast.

The Harper government introduced a very expensive new tax savings vehicle, one that ostensibly allows Canadians to save up to $5,000 a year. In practice, it rewards Stephen Harper's wealthiest friends - not the majority of Canadians - because the richest taxpayers are the only ones who will find themselves with $5,000 in extra change lying around to take advantage of this tax break.

The rest of us, during hard economic times, find ourselves drawing on our personal savings (not bolstering them).

And that's if we're lucky to have savings. Canadian household savings are at an all-time low and that trend doesn't look like it's going to change in a hurry.

Oh, and here's the kicker: The program costs the public coffers $900 million over five years and is estimated to rise to $3 billion a year within a decade.

So, in practice, Harper's program does not lift a finger for middle- and low-income Canadians like my frugal friend who dined with me last night.

Instead, his program forces the majority of struggling Canadians to subsidize the savings plans of the very richest among us, further exacerbating the growing gap between the rich and the rest of us.

-- Trish Hennessy

Remember when elections were about jobs, jobs, jobs?

tor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Given the collapse of the manufacturing sector in Ontario and the trend toward low-wage, temporary jobs that come without prescription drug and dental benefits or pension plans, you would think jobs would be a political lightning rod of an issue.

To date, only one of the federal leaders seeking the ultimate job -- that of Prime Minister -- has ventured to make jobs an issue.

NDP Leader Jack Layton says he wants to renew Canadian manufacturing, investing $8.2 billion over four years to create 40,000 new manufacturing jobs.

Saving manufacturing jobs, and creating new ones, is important. In fact, it's desperately needed. The average earnings of Canadian families in the middle class have been stagnant for an incredible 30 long years. You could argue the middle class in Canada would have completely collapsed if it weren't for two factors: Women are working in larger numbers than ever (because it takes two income earners for middle class families to make it anymore) and everyone but the richest 10% of Canadian families are clocking more hours at work. In fact, families are working, on average, 200 hours more a year compared to just 10 years ago.

Canadians have been pulling out all the stops, doing whatever it takes to keep from falling behind.

But if Canada continues to lose good paying jobs, no amount of extra working hours will cut it for the struggling middle class.

And those families in the bottom 20 percent of the income spectrum -- poor families looking for a way out but often trapped in the cycle of low-wage, temporary work -- will be in even greater trouble.

I know there is a lot of debate about what it means to say 'middle class', but when you ask Canadians how they would identify themselves, most will say they are middle class and it's a notional concept for them. It means a comfortable lifestyle. Not rich, not free and easy, but enough to make ends meet, have a good quality of life and make sure your children have access to good opportunities.

Most Canadians understand that manufacturing jobs are middle-class jobs that help hard-working families own homes and keep up with the rising cost of living.

They talk about this in America all the time. In Canada? Not so much.

It's time that changes, because Canadians are looking for political leadership, not crass politics.

Political leaders who advance concrete, do-able solutions to help keep and grow more middle class jobs will find a receptive audience among Canadian voters.

The question is: Are the other political leaders listening? Or will the next five weeks be mired in puffin poop and other inanities?

-- Trish Hennessy

Richest 10% leave the biggest ecological footprint

tor — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:42:00 +0000

A study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, with Environmental Defence, talks about yet another inconvenient truth of our time. (See this Globe and Mail story).

Canadians leave a bigger ecological footprint than the majority of nations on the planet. Within Canada, the richest 10% of households leave a substantially bigger ecological footprint -- 66% bigger than the average Canadian household.

The study, which is the first of its kind in Canada, raises uncomfortable truths about how much Canadians are contributing to climate change. We're among the worst in terms of ecological footprints.

The study also serves as a warning flag to governments seeking policy solutions to climate change: taking into account consumer behaviour and differences in greenhouse gas emissions by household income will be important to effectively tackle climate change in the future.

Inconvenient truths present themselves for a reason. It's time Canadians engage in a public debate about how we're going to reduce our ecological footprint as individuals, and collectively through government actions to protect our planet and our people.

-- Trish Hennessy

Canada's income gap is worse than recession-plagued 1980s

tor — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:30:00 +0000

A Census report from Statistics Canada today shows a booming economy did nothing to reverse the gap between the rich and the rest of us - in fact the gap is worse now than in the 1980s.

Census data show the richest 20 per cent of Canadians enjoyed median earnings increases of 16.4 per cent but the poorest 20 per cent had a 20.6 per cent drop in earnings since 1980.

Median earnings for middle-income Canadians stagnated.

If anything, this is a wake-up call for Canadians, and for our governments to have long ignored persistent poverty and deepening income inequality.

Today's Census report should have been a good news story. It should have been telling us everyone is better off. Instead, we are seeing a growing and deepening divide between the rich and the rest of us.

The labour market is rewarding the richest 20 per cent but a stunning majority of Canadians didn't get ahead in the last 25 years even though our economy is doing better than it has in 40 years.

The Census report also shows young Canadians are struggling to get ahead and things are worse for newcomers and children living in poor families.

Canadians and their governments can't keep ignoring this problem because it isn't going away - in fact it's only going to get worse.

There is an economic downturn on the horizon, and when that happens, fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride for a lot of Canadians.

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Why income inequality matters

tor — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:49:00 +0000

For over a year, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has been producing report after report showing Canada's income and wealth gaps are growing at a time when they should be sinking.

They are growing despite a healthy economy, high unemployment figures, better worker productivity, better educated workers and workers putting in longer hours.

But why does income inequality matter?

Just a week before Statistics Canada releases its Census analysis of income inequality in Canada, the CCPA is releasing a new and powerful essay series by some of Canada's leading thinkers on income inequality.

The contributors to this essay series come from all kinds of academic backgrounds.

Though all the contributors are distinguished and well-respected for their academic work, they are not of like mind. They have differing ideological starting points and differing intellectual approaches.

But they agree on this: Income inequality is a problem that should be addressed, right here in Canada.

They warn that income inequality and persistent poverty could have serious and adverse effects on our nation.

In this series we present the opinions of four economists-Lars Osberg, Charles Beach, Jon Kesselman and David Green; a political scientist- Michael Orsini; a sociologist-John Myles; a philosopher-Frank Cunningham.

The series, in its entirety, is featured on the Globe and Mail website at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080426.wincomes26/BNStory/census2006/

On the Globe and Mail website you will see a story on income inequality by Michael Valpy. To the right, you'll see a button to click on links -- that's our essay series.

So why, you ask, does inequality matter? Inequality affects democracy. It affects our sense that we can get ahead, do better than the next generation. It pulls us apart and leaves people behind. But don't take my word for it, read the series.

-- Trish Hennessy

Groundbreaking study raises questions about welfare rules

tor — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0000

A groundbreaking study released by the B.C. office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives raises important new questions about the validity of harsh welfare rules.

The study follows real-life people on welfare in B.C. for two years, tracking them through periods of homelessness and desperation.

And it found that harsh rules forced welfare recipients into a day-to-day struggle for survival, scrambling for food, shelter, the basics -- simply because welfare rates push them into such deep poverty.

The study shows the political promise to get people off welfare and into jobs is empty: Many were cut off welfare even though they weren’t job-ready (some were too sick to work but got cut off anyway). Some found jobs but remained below the poverty line (the working poor). And some, especially women, turned to prostitution to get by.

Many remain inappropriately categorized in the basic “Expected to Work” welfare category for far too long – two years or more.

The study also makes a vital link between welfare and homelessness: Throughout the study, almost one third of participants reported having no fixed address at some point in the previous six months.

We live in an era where governments still trump reduced welfare caseloads – but we never really hear about the fate of those who left (or were push off) welfare.

This study forges new territory by asking that question and following real people during their very troubling struggles.

As Seth Klein, director of the B.C. CCPA, tells the Vancouver Sun: "It's all so stupid and pointless. None of these people are being served by being cut off nor is society served."

-- Trish Hennessy

Consumer confidence an oxymoron?

tor — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:15:00 +0000

They’re saying it again. Those two mystical words: Consumer confidence.

This story in today’s Toronto Star references a Conference Board of Canada report that predicts Canadians like you and I will pull our nation out of the depths of economic despair by opening our wallets and spending. The euphemism for this heroic behaviour is ‘consumer confidence’.

The thing is, we’ve done it before. Shortly after 9/11 the North American economy started to slump but average shoppers like you and I pulled out our credit cards and opened lines of credit in a mass movement to buy new cars, renovate our homes, mortgage ourselves to the hilt by buying houses in a rapidly inflated market.

In short, we rescued ourselves from recession.

Governments awash in fiscal surpluses didn’t do it. They used to torque things up in bad economic times by investing in infrastructure and public services. Not last time, and our current Prime Minister suggests no ‘bailouts’ can be expected this time either.

Corporations, rolling in 40-year record profit highs, didn’t do it either.

Ordinary Canadians did it.

Since we are so trigger-happy to pull out the plastic, who can blame industry analysts for predicting citizens will spend once more? A little retail therapy is good for what ails us, right?

Consider this dirty little secret: Many Canadians really can’t afford to pretend we are our very own personal Bank of Canada.

Truth be told, Canadians didn’t fund the last economic turnaround by pulling rainy day savings out from underneath the mattress.

Stagnant incomes and rising costs have squeezed savings out of many Canadians’ budgets. Average Canadian household savings have practically dried up, plummeting from $7,500 in 1990 to $1,000 today.

In place of savings, Canadians have been steadily, systematically racking up record-high household debt.

At least 60% of Canadians under 45 are mired in debt.

Some leave university so far behind the eight-ball -- with average student debt levels of $40,000 -- it’s hard to get ahead.

Others hawk themselves up to their eyeballs just for a chance to ‘own’ a home – that symbol of security in these insecure times – they may never be able to pay off.

No wonder 49% of Canadians tell Environics Research they are one or two paycheques away from being poor. Canadians are sick with financial worry.

And yet, their governments, their corporate leaders, their industry analysts are telling them to keep on charging it. In other words, they are encouraging average citizens like you and I to privatize the risk of a tumultuous global economic market. To work harder, to get smarter, to take our tax cuts and spend like mad.

And we will – undoubtedly we will.

But let’s not confuse consumer spending with confidence.

-- Trish Hennessy

(PS: For a more technical take on all this see this Progressive Economics Forum blog.)

OECD study fingers Canada for its tax cut agenda

tor — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:23:00 +0000

The Financial Post reported today on a new OECD study that shows Canada's legacy of tax cuts only deepens the gap between the rich and the rest of Canadians.

The OECD study, Taxing Wages 07, shows Canada is out of step with many other countries. Of 30 OECD nations, 13 raised taxes and 15 lowered them between 2000 and 2006.

Canada is among the 15 nations that lowered taxes -- but here's the thing: Canada, the U.S. and Australia didn't just lower taxes; they implemented the type of tax cuts that worsen income inequality.

This report is just one more document that shows the folly of Canada's tax cut agenda.

We know that tax cuts don't reach 31% of Canadian taxfilers at all, because their incomes are too low to be taxable.

These Canadians -- one-third of the population -- would get more benefit from governments that invest in public services such as child care, affordable housing, postsecondary education, and public transit. Fittingly, the OECD report also notes that Canadian employers' social security contributions are "far below" the average for industrial countries.

Let's be clear about Canada's history with the tax cut agenda. Tax cutting isn't just about cutting personal income taxes. It's about shifting responsibility for the public into private, individual hands. It's a twisted perversion of the line "ask not what your government can do for you" and instead, leaves Canadians to fend for themselves.

The OECD report gives yet another reason to reflect on the relentless tax cut campaign in Canada. It begs the important and telling question: who benefits from this one-dimensional kind of economic fundamentalism? And who doesn't?

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Women are missing from Canada's federal budget

tor — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:44:00 +0000

The Toronto Star's Carol Goar writes about CCPA Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan's recent testimony to a Senate committee asking for an analysis of this year's federal budget from a woman's perspective.

As Goar reports, Yalnizyan concludes: "Regrettably, women appear as an afterthought in this year's budget."

Goar writes: "[Yalnizyan] pointed out that there were six references to women in the entire document. She enumerated some of opportunity costs of the $200 billion in cumulative tax cuts that Flaherty flagged proudly in his budget speech: lost child-care spaces, unbuilt social housing, inadequate immigrant services and underfinanced job training programs. And she reminded parliamentarians that women have been waiting 11 years for the improvements in public services that the post-deficit era was supposed to bring.

"But her central argument was that women have lost out badly in the tax cuts the Tories have distributed. Using figures from Statistics Canada, she showed that every $1 in tax relief that has gone to Canadians in the lowest tax bracket (those with taxable incomes below $37,885) has been matched by a $12 tax break to Canadians in the three higher tax brackets.

"Two-thirds of women fall into the lowest tax bracket."

Yalnizyan's submission to the committee is available on this website, in Research and Publications.

RESPs: They're not about the middle class

tor — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:32:00 +0000

In the ongoing debate about what makes for a good “middle class” tax cut, here’s an eye-popper of a fact, provided by those who support raising the amounts you can contribute to the Registered Education Savings Plans, and making them tax deductible: 55% of Canadians who contribute to RESPs are in the top income bracket, those earning $123,185 or more. (Taken from a 2003 Human Resource and Skills Development report)

Tax statistics don’t tell us how many tax-filers are in the top bracket, but they tell us how many people have incomes over $100,000. The answer is 5% of taxable Canadians. 7.5% of these are men, and 2.6% are women.

And, because they are well-positioned to make the biggest contributions, those in the top income bracket get the lion’s share of what this program offers.

In 2007 the RESP program cost taxpayers about $200 million in foregone revenues and about another $500 million for government top-ups that automatically go along with the contributions, through the sister program Canada Education Savings Grants.

We’re spending $700 million on a program, more than half of which goes to 5% of taxpayers, who just happen to be the richest 5% of Canadians.

That’s hundreds of millions of dollars lining the pockets of the most affluent instead of hiring nurses, or buying buses for public transit, or opening up child care spaces – the kind of things the rest of us would like to see.

Tax cuts for us all? This era of tax cuts has taken the redistributive role of government and stood it on its head, by giving the most to those who have already have the most – and need the least help.

-- Armine Yalnizyan

RESP Bill is just another gift to Canada's affluent

tor — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:34:00 +0000

Our federal Parliament is considering a Bill that should be tossed right out the window.

The private member's Bill, by Liberal Dan McTeague, would help the most affluent of Canadians take even better advantage of the deeply flawed RESP program.

The RESP program is supposed to help Canadians save for their children's post-secondary education but, like the RRSP, it is yet another tax policy that widens the gap between the rich and the rest of us.

Savings through RESPs have grown from $4 billion in 1998 to $22 billion in 2006. But only a third of Canadian children have an RESP account in their name. At last count it supported 190,000 students currently engaged in post-secondary studies.

Put this in context: There are about 1.3 million full-time students currently studying at the post-secondary level.

The RESP is a tightly targeted incentive for those who can afford to tuck money away -- the most affluent among us.

The McTeague Bill would make RESP contributions tax deductible and raise the amount that can be contributed annually to $5K. The bill would mean those contributing to RESPs won't pay taxes on money going in or coming out of these accounts.

On top of that, the bill doesn't reference existing tax deductions for tuition. That leads to double-dipping tax breaks - deduct taxes as you save for education, deduct taxes when you pay the tuition.

Of course it's the parents that are getting the tax break, not the kids. And most of those parents are getting the tax break on the highest tax bracket. On an annual tuition of $5,000 that means up to $2,300 tax savings.

Here's the injustice of it: Say a high income earner contributed to an RESP only four years at $5,000, and then claimed the tax deduction on a $5,000 annual tuition for a four-year program. On the $20,000 that is put aside for post-secondary studies, that high income earner could get as much as $18,400 back in taxes by sending one kid to post-secondary for an undergraduate degree ($2,300 for four years going in, and $2,300 for four years for tuition expense deductions).

Somebody who couldn't put aside money in an RESP but came up with the $5,000 a year for tuition for four years and was in the lowest tax bracket would also get money back from the government for the $20,000 they spent for their degree, but they would receive no more than $5,000 over the course of their program, and as little as $3,750, depending on what province they lived in.

In this system, the richest Canadian families could have tax breaks offset 92% of their child's education, while the poorest students could get as little as 19% in tax-subsidized assistance.

As Canadians committed to making sure everyone has a fair shot at an education in life, this raises some serious questions:

Why does the child of a high-income earner deserve more help from the public purse to get post-secondary education than the child of a low-income earner, or a student struggling to put themselves through?

If you're going to give money back to people for sending their kids to college or university or trade school, shouldn't it be at least the same amount for everyone?

Some estimate the McTeague program could cost between $600 million to $2 billion every year. Most of these vast amounts of money will go to those who least need the financial help. And that is why this Bill should be stopped in its tracks.

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Canadians most educated in OECD

tor — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:49:00 +0000

There are some eye-popping new factoids about Canadians coming out of today's release of labour census data by Statistics Canada.

Did you know that Canada has the fastest job growth in the entire G7?

Did you know Canada has the highest proportion of workers with a university or college degree among OECD nations? (60% of Canadians aged 25 to 64 have some form of post-secondary education).

Canadian women are also way more educated than Canadian men today: a third of women have a degree now, compared to quarter of men. A generation ago 16% of women in Canada held a degree, compared to 21% of men.

More than half of recent immigrants to Canada (those who arrived between 2001 and 2006) have a university degree. Compare that to 20% of Canadian born.

To sum up: Canada is attracting major job growth and Canadian workers are better educated than ever before. So why, given all this good news, is Canada's gap between the rich and the rest of us continuing to grow?

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Canada's Household Debt: A nation of nailbiters

tor — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:19:00 +0000

There is a hidden, "crouching tiger" dimension to Canada's income inequality problem.

It is called household debt, and as a nation, we are rolling in it.

In his latest report released today, Vanier Institute's Roger Sauve warns a perfect storm may be brewing:

Canadian household incomes have been flatlined for decades (CCPA research shows average real wages have been stagnant for 30 long years) but the cost of living keeps rising. In fact, the cost of owning a home (and everything else) is putting a lot of Canadians into hawk up to their eyeballs.

Add a looming recession, and it could spell trouble. Sauve says: "... a lot of households couldn't keep up."

We used to be a nation of savers. Now we are a nation of nailbiters.
A mountain of debt has a funny way of doing that to you. See the CCPA's upcoming Alternative Federal Budget (released later this month) for suggested solutions to income inequality and poverty reduction.

-- Trish Hennessy

New Year’s party still going for top CEOs

tor — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:54:00 +0000

By the time most Canadians roll up their sleeves to begin a new year of work, Canada's best paid 100 CEOs will already be having a good year: They'll pocket the national average wage of $38,998 by 10:33 am January 2nd.

And they will continue to earn the average Canadian wage every nine hours and 33 minutes for the rest of the year, according to a new report on CEO pay by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie.

"Most Canadians are heading back into work with a mound of Christmas bills and financial worries but for Canada's best paid 100 CEOs it's like Santa Claus delivers every nine hours," says Mackenzie.

"That's what happens when you make an average of $8,528,304 - which is the average of what Canada's 100 best paid CEOs made in 2006."

On average, the best-paid 100 CEOs make more than 218 times as much as a Canadian working full-time for a full year at the average of weekly employment earnings.

"That represents a significant gap between the rich and the rest of us - especially the working poor who earn the minimum wage," Mackenzie says.

By 1:04 p.m. New Years' Day, the best paid 100 CEOs pocketed what will take a minimum wage worker all of 2008 to earn. Every four hours and four minutes, they will keep pocketing the annual income of a full-time full-year minimum wage worker.

"We have to ask ourselves, are those at the top of the income heap really worth so much? And are those at the bottom really worth so little?"

-- Trish Hennessy

The problem with tax cuts

tor — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:22:00 +0000

I am trying to imagine the conversation I may one day have with my grandchildren about how my generation squandered $60 billion in tax cuts within the space of a single federal budget without investing a cent of it in something that will last for future generations.

We are living in very surreal times in Canada.

We have a minority federal government that has once again ‘stumbled' upon a ‘surprise' budget surplus of hallucinogenic proportions -- $13.8 billion, with projections of billions more to come - but we have a finance minister who is hellbent on frittering it away.

Let's put this windfall into perspective, if only for the sake of our grandchildren.
The surplus comes on the heels of a 10-year economic hot streak, where our nation's economy has grown to become the ninth largest economy on the planet.
These are prosperous, heady days. But what are we doing with our prosperity?
The federal government has decided, against mainstream economic wisdom, to cut the GST by another percentage point. This will yield the average family enough extra cash to order in a pizza once a month. Money well spent?

Taking all of the income tax changes announced in the pre-Halloween mini-budget, it is easy to conclude that Canadians have been handed a trick in the guise of a treat.

For all the bluster, a single parent will save up to $298 this year, $184 in 2008, and $94 in 2009. And that is the maximum possible gain.

These gains will be lower for anyone making less than $38,000 a year - and considering that's the average wage in Canada, we're talking about a lot of working families who have very little to gain from $60 billion in tax cuts.

By 2009, a single individual will get back 39 cents a day and a single parent will get back a measly 25 cents a day from these tax cut announcements.
It's time we start asking ourselves whether all the pomp and pageantry around tax cuts is really worth it.

Do we think our public health care system came from a tax cut? How about clean water, safe borders, and childhood education - do these things come from tax cuts?

When, not if, our economy takes a turn for the worse and we look back at the billions of dollars this government squandered on tax cuts, our children and their children may rightly ask: what did our parents' generation leave behind for us?
Crumbling infrastructure. A polluted planet. Housing, tuition, and child care that's unaffordable to the majority. An ever-growing gap between the rich and the rest of us. Abject poverty and utter despair among our neglected First Nations.

Think of what that $60 billion could buy that could benefit the majority of Canadians for years and decades to come. Opportunity lost, squandered.

As consumer citizens, we could all decide to take our tax cut money and run, but as caring, civic-minded citizens there is much to learn from the generations that came before us.

They took the fruits of economic growth and invested it in public health care, education, social programs, roads and railways that benefited the majority and served as an investment in future generations.

They could have just worried about themselves, but they had bigger dreams, a longer-term vision that helped fuel the growth of the middle class, affluent nation my generation enjoys today.

Instead of planning ahead 10, 20, 100 years from now, we have a federal government that is spending our money like drunken sailors giddy with shore leave, thinking only in terms of the next election.

I suspect our children and grandchildren will wish dearly that our generation demanded more, not less, of our government.
Theirs will be a far more sobering reality.

-- Bruce Campbell is the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Rich getting richer: It's not a cliche

tor — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 23:53:00 +0000

An op-ed in the October 11, 2007 Saskatoon Star Phoenix suggests studies showing the rich are getting richer make "misleading" claims and are merely "cliche".

The opinion, by the Fraser Institute's Herbert Grubel, is clearly written with the hope that Canadians will overlook the inconvenient truth that the majority of Canadians are not benefiting from economic growth -- growth they are helping create.

The author draws on Canadian and American studies that tell the story going up to the late-1990s to make his point, dismissing more recent findings from Statistics Canada and others.

The newer research converges on disturbing facts: long-term trends in income distribution have changed markedly since the late-1990s.

The rich are indeed getting richer, but what's new is that the vast majority of Canadians' incomes are stagnating despite the fact that they are better educated and working more than their predecessors.

This is occurring in a period of strong sustained economic growth unlike any time in the past 40 years.

Mr. Grubel says the system works just fine, and points to mobility in individual earnings over the life cycle.

He omits the fact that about 80 percent of Canadians have seen no improvement in their wages since 1982, which is astounding, since 1982 was a recession year.

Mr. Grubel thinks the story is about individual pathways to success. The statistics tell a cautionary tale about class polarization.

Though there are more rich people, and those people are increasingly richer, most Canadians are running harder just to stay in place.

Which leads to this question: Why has more than a decade of red-hot economic growth failed to trickle down to the majority of Canadians?

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Empty Promises: The Hard Truth About Getting Rich

tor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 04:07:00 +0000

Broken promises are something we normally associate with politicians at election time.

But what about the broken promise of economic growth?

For years we've been urged to work smarter and harder, repeatedly reminded that a strong and growing economy is the fastest route to prosperity for all.

But the most recent Statistics Canada report on incomes puts the lie to that promise.

In a study that opens the vault on information that we rarely get to see - incomes of the richest Canadians - it's clear the spoils of economic growth have gone to those at the top of the heap.

Shockingly, up to 90% of Canadians are taking home a smaller share of the economic pie they helped bake - a little detail that might get lost in the news that the rich are getting richer.

It's official: there are more millionaires in our midst. Those at the very top have seen their incomes double in the past two decades. The share of incomes going to the top 1% has soared - rising from 8.5% in 1982 to 12.2% in 2004 (a 43% increase in their piece of the pie). The higher up the income spectrum you go, the better the story gets.

But what about the rest of us?

It's constantly dangled out there, that you and I can get rich. But the stats show a more sobering reality. They say only the rich are getting richer.

About 80% of Canadians have seen no improvement in their incomes since 1982. That's astounding, because 1982 was during the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Since the mid-1990s, the economy has been firing on all cylinders. After a decade of strong and sustained growth, our time should have arrived.

All the markers of economic success - low inflation, low unemployment, low interest rates, strong currency, no deficit budgets - are better than they've been for over 30 years. Our real output, as measured by inflation-adjusted GDP, is twice as big as it was in 1981. On the global stage, Canada's economic performance over the past decade has been the envy of the richest industrialized nations (the G7). This is as good as it gets.

All factors would lead us to assume that the majority of Canadians should be doing better than ever financially. That was, after all, the promise.

Instead, the inverse is happening: a surging economy has coincided with a process of redistributing incomes from the less affluent to the richest.

This is disconcerting, given that Canadians are playing by all the rules.

This generation of workers is better educated than the labour market of the early 1980s. People are working more. The average family raising children is clocking in 200 hours more a year than a decade ago.

Still, as the numbers show, the vast majority of people are just pedaling faster to stay put.

Few would begrudge the rich. But it's hard to argue the system is working when only the richest 5% enjoy the spoils of economic progress.....and this is in the best of economic times.

Something significant is shifting in Canada. A generation ago, the gains from economic growth were more widespread, and the taxes generated by that era of prosperity financed investments across the country, in every neighbourhood, that enhanced the quality of life of all citizens.

Not only did more Canadians find their paycheques improved in good economic times, our governments made sure we all benefited from prosperity by investing in things that help us get on with our day: decent housing options, quality child care, affordable university tuition, and good public transit.

Today, the majority of Canadians are losing on all counts. Their incomes aren't rising to match their increased work effort, and they're facing affordability problems for more of the basics in life.

So what does this mean for Canada? The findings in this statistical portrait aren't merely a product of the economy. They are a product of our culture. They reflect what is socially sanctioned, and what is considered worrisome for our future.

Do these arguments sound familiar? The rich should get more because they deserve it. The middle - particularly those represented by unions - shouldn't ask for too much because that is inflationary. And if we raise the minimum wage it will kill jobs.

As in all relationships, we get what we expect.

The Statistics Canada study has lifted the veil on where we are headed as a society. That gives us the chance to ask ourselves if we are expecting the right things from economic prosperity, and ourselves. The promise of prosperity for all need not be an empty one.

-- Armine Yalnizyan

Tackling Canada's poverty problem

tor — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:29:00 +0000

When people hear that Canada's after-tax income gap between rich and poor families is at a 30-year high, they ask: what can we do about it?

There is no magic bullet solution, but Campaign 2000 is offering a thoughtful way forward to tackle Canada's persistent poverty problem.

If you don't think Canada has a poverty problem, think again. As Campaign 2000 writes in an op-ed published today in the Toronto Star:

"In Canada, child and family poverty are not receding; the child poverty rate in Canada was higher in 2005 than it was in 1989. Child poverty rates are disproportionately high among aboriginals, visible minorities, those with disabilities and recent immigrants. This is not the Canada that most
Canadians want."

So what do we do? Campaign 2000 is urging Canada's Premiers to commit to a poverty reduction strategy now. They write:

"A comprehensive poverty reduction strategy would include indicators for measuring poverty; measurable targets and timelines; a co-ordinated plan of action, including budget commitments; and a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating progress to ensure accountability."

Other countries are doing it, with great success. Canada has the resources to tackle its poverty problem -- all we're waiting for now is the political will to make it happen.

-- Trish Hennessy

Are we fiddling while Rome rebuilds?

tor — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 21:39:00 +0000

In a compelling read today, Toronto Star columnist Christopher Hume makes the case that North Americans are complacently letting their society crumble while other nations are rebuilding to meet today's challenges.

He writes, "Empires don't collapse overnight and certainly for many North Americans, everything's just fine, thank you very much. But the signs are there. In ways big and small, local and global, we are falling behind. It's not just that we have let the environment go ... or that we live in a culture of reruns, it's more that we have lost the capacity to deal with these issues. We are paralyzed, inert."

For the better part of a year, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has been bringing to light the many and varied aspects of Canada's growing gap between the rich and the rest of us.

We have shown how exorbitant CEO pay is climbing in tandem with stagnant workers' wages and poverty-level minimum wages.

In fact, workers' wages have been in a holding pattern for 30 long years while corporations are banking 40-year high profit shares.

The richest 10% of families in Canada now make 82 times more than the poorest 10% -- in 1976 they earned only 31 times more.

And it's not just a problem for the poor. The middle class is feeling it too. When 80% of Canadian families are taking home a smaller share of Canada's economic pie than families did a generation ago, it's time to sit up and take note.

We could fiddle while North America burns. Or we could do something about it. What can we do? For starters, see our poll showing what Canadians think our governments should do about rising income inequality. They want to see our governments raise the minimum wage so that a full-time, full-year worker isn't living in poverty. They want affordable housing, child care and university tuition.

These are just for starters.

Why does it matter if we do something about income inequality? A growing gap between rich and poor is a sign of societal decline. It is a red flag in an otherwise red-hot economy. The sooner we act to address this inconvenient truth, the better off all Canadians will be.

-- Trish Hennessy