U.S. fails (twice) to overthrow Venezuela’s elected president Even as the U.S. military invaded and occupied Iraq, mainly to plunder the world’s second largest oil deposits, Venezuela, the world’s fourth largest oil exporter, slipped out of Washington’s grip. On April 13, Hugo Chavez, the leftist president of Venezuela, celebrated his…
An oped based on my and Brock Ellis’ recent report, Canada’s Carbon Liabilities, was published in iPolitics (alas, behind a pay wall): Canada’s economic development model is on a collision course with the urgent need for global climate action. Worldwide, extreme weather events from drought to floods to powerful storms and record-breaking temperatures…
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE. Vancouver – BC’s provincial government received a warning today from researchers who say its package of new welfare rules is radical and unprecedented, and will cause unacceptable hardship and upheaval in communities across BC. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) and the Social Planning…
28,700 federal public service jobs to be cut by 2016 CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL REPORT OTTAWA—Despite assurances by the federal government that spending cuts would target the “back office” and avoid cuts to services, a new analysis by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives finds spending cuts have…
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL REPORT OTTAWA—Canada’s economy is experiencing a “carbon bubble” that could have significant consequences for Canada’s financial markets and pension funds, according to a new study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Between two-thirds and four-fifths of known fossil fuel reserves have…
Paper explores issues that must be addressed in anticipation of climate migrants READ THE FULL REPORT HERE. Vancouver – A paper released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives illuminates a gap in our thinking and our policies at the intersection of climate change and immigration. Preparing BC for…
One of the most amazing things about this budget is that one of its three focuses is actually the opposite of what it’s touting. You’ll likely hear that $14 billion will be spent on infrastructure over the next 10 years (actually, you may hear much bigger numbers, but they’re just…
Alternative Budget plan tackles Canadians’ real concerns CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL REPORT OTTAWA—The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) warns more austerity measures from the federal government could further stall an already stagnant economy. With the release of its annual Alternative Federal Budget (AFB), the CCPA shows how…
I’ve contended for the last two years that between 2005 and 2010, an intensive public relations campaign was undertaken with the aim of increasing tuition fees in Québec. I believe it was crucial when the proposal to hike fees was formally submitted in Raymond Bachand’s first budget, the Liberal government’s…
It’s time for Nova Scotians working for the minimum wage to get a big raise. A substantial increase in the wage will go some way to addressing poverty experienced by low income workers and households in Nova Scotia. It would stimulate the provincial economy and contribute to productivity growth at…
University of Manitoba professor Patricia Martens has one more mission as an epidemiologist as she confronts her final days with a terminal disease. She wants the government to stop aiding and abetting the lethal trade in asbestos. Martens is a prominent and distinguished research scientist in the university’s faculty of…
One of goals in my paper, The Petro-Path Not Taken, was to compare Norway and Canada-Alberta’s record in distributing petroleum wealth amongst persons and amongst provinces. Norway has been very effective in distributing oil wealth amongst it regions and its population. Its level of income inequality is one of the lowest…