Picking through the wreckage of the global recession, former Privy Council Clerk Alex Himelfarb takes stock of what happened and points to two trends he predicts might shape politics and policy in 2011: the "extraordinary resilience of neoliberal ideology" and the "reemergence of inequality as a defining public issue". Read his sweeping, thoughtful blog here.
Lorsque vous entendez le mot « impôts », ça vous fait penser à quoi ? Aux hôpitaux où vous pouvez vous rendre au milieu de la nuit si vos enfants tombent malades ou si vous l’êtes vous-même? Aux 10 000 $ que coûterait un accouchement si vous viviez aux États-Unis savoir avoir d’assurance-maladie ?
Au système d’éducation qui permet même aux enfants de familles pauvres de devenir médecins, enseignants ou ingénieurs ?
Aux inspecteurs du gouvernement qui veillent à ce que les passages supérieurs soient réparés avant qu’ils s’effondrent, à ce que les usines n’empoisonnent pas leurs clients et à ce que ’eau d’une ville soit potable ?
Aux pensions publiques qui aident à soulager la pauvreté chez les personnes âgées?
Ces services qui font du Canada un endroit extraordinaire où vivre sont payés depuis des générations par les contributions fiscales des Canadiens qui fournissent à nos gouvernements l’argent dont ils ont besoin pour investir dans les services publics qui importent.
A week after we released our review of CEO pay in Canada, the Ontario Securities Commission says it's time to review how executives get paid. Read the story here.
A new study by CCPA Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie shows Canada's best paid 100 CEOs appear to be recession-proof.
The study looks at 2009 compensation levels for Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs and finds they pocketed an average of $6.6 million during the darkest period of the recession – a stark contrast from the total average Canadian income of $42,988.
At this rate of reward, this handful of elite CEOs pocket the equivalent of the average Canadian wage by 2:30 pm on January 3 – the first working day of the year. Read the report here.
In the last few weeks The Globe and Mail has been examining the problem of income inequality in Canada. Our own Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan was the special guest in The Globe and Mail's online discussion about income inequality. Read that lively discussion here.
The Globe also looks at the link between income inequality, real estate prices and the creation of super wealthy enclaves. Read that story here.
The always insightful Alex Himelfarb asks in his latest must-read blog: "What would you think if someone could show that they knew just what it would take to improve our physical and mental health, reduce crime and violence, increase civic trust and participation, reduce teenage pregnancy and drug abuse? What if they could show you that this was also the recipe for greater upward mobility based on merit – and even for enhanced productivity and sustainability?" Read the answer here.
The CCPA Monitor is the only place I know that one can go to for accurate and honest reporting on the state of the world. I would hate like hell to ever be without The CCPA Monitor; it would be like losing my sight and my hearing. I heartily recommend it to anybody who gives a damn about the condition of the world.
— Farley Mowat
