I was reading up on poverty reduction policies and I came across a paragraph by Dalhousie University economics professor Lars Osberg that was just begging to be shared and discussed on PolicyNote:
Last summer, Gabrielle Giroday wrote an article for the Winnipeg Free Press called “Stores can’t stop carts vanishing: Shoppers wheeling thousands away.” This article raised concerns about shopping carts being removed from store property to be used for other purposes. Giroday’s article inspired me to look more closely at the…
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL REPORT 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…
With summer comes a lightening of my work load, so I’ve finally found some time to dive into a few interesting books. These are all related to my ongoing research interests (I do have some fiction sitting around waiting for a real holiday, with Barbara Kingsolver’s The Lacuna at the…
Based primarily on the creation of a carbon tax two years ago, the BC government has been propelled into the position of North American climate action leader. While there was much to applaud as first steps on climate action in BC’s 2008 “green” budget, two years later there remain some…
Under the “we told you so” category, I am filing the BC public accounts for 2009/10. The province closed the year with a deficit of $1.8 billion. As Will McMartin comments in The Tyee: … B.C.’s public accounts for the fiscal year 2009/2010 conclusively prove that the pre-election fiscal plan…
OTTAWA–Despite recently well-publicized spending commitments, the federal government will post surpluses totaling $24.1 billion over the next three years, according to the Alternative Federal Budget’s (AFB) Economic and Fiscal Update. In keeping with the Chretien-Martin Liberals’ practice of amassing significant surpluses–belying dire economic predictions from the Finance Department–the AFB forecasts…
Don’t believe claims Medicare is becoming unaffordable Total health care spending in Canada has been rising in recent years, taking larger shares of government revenues and budgets. It has been accused of “crowding out” government funding of other important public services. Some economists and pundits are now predicting that, left…
New, dirty gas drilling method threatens drinking water A technology used by the oil and gas industry to obtain natural gas is raising major concerns across the United States and is equally suspect for areas being drilled in Western Canada. Called hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking” in the trade), it allows…
Europeans should shun Paul Martin’s deficit-cutting ways Paul Martin was Canada’s Minister of Finance from 1993 to 2003, and then served a short term as Prime Minister. He spoke on Canada’s debt reduction strategy in the 1990s to a recent Public Services Summit organized by the Guardian newspaper in the…
Lessons from WestEnd Commons Stable and affordable housing is a central component in improving people’s quality of life. In light of a severe housing shortage facing low-income renters, it is clear that Manitoba has work to do to ensure that all citizens have access to a warm and secure place…
The recession won’t be over till people get back to work The next time someone says the “recession is over,” ask them exactly what they mean. Because it’s increasingly clear that it means different things to different people. And it’s equally clear it doesn’t usually mean that the unemployment crisis…