OTTAWA—If the federal government wants to get serious about spending controls, it needs to look critically at its ballooning outsourcing costs, says a new study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).
According to the study, by CCPA Research Associate David Macdonald, the growing and concentrated nature of outsourcing has created a shadow public service that works alongside the real public service—but without the same hiring practices or transparency requirements.
Government finance
The Irish people go to the polls on February 25. The governing Fianna Fail party—that created the fallen Celtic Tiger economic model and is now the object of widespread public outrage—will almost certainly be banished to political wilderness, much like the conservative regime casualties of economic crisis in Greece and Iceland.
The Celtic Tiger went from boom to bust with breathtaking speed. In the wake of (in part because of) four austerity budgets—seen as the toughest in Europe—Ireland is locked in depression with ten successive quarters of economic contraction.
Hennessy's Index is a monthly listing of numbers, written by the CCPA's Trish Hennessy, about Canada and its place in the world. Scroll down for a PDF version. For other months, visit: http://policyalternatives.ca/index
$6.6 million
As it prepares its budget for 2011 — an election year — the Ontario government faces a strategic choice between two general paths.
One path would be responsive to the government’s apparent short-term election year political needs. The other would be consistent with the economic health of the province, both short- and long-term.
The mantra of the Harper government is that the Canada's banking sector is a bright star in the banking heavens. No public opportunity is lost to take credit for the resilience of Canadian banks during the 2008 financial crisis: "Without wanting to appear arrogant or vain, which would be quite un-Canadian," claimed our finance minster, Jim Flaherty. "While our system is not perfect, it has worked during this difficult time."
Over the past several months, there has been a divisive public debate over a proposal to build a new convention centre in Halifax. Some contend the convention centre will bring substantial economic benefits to the city and province. Others contend it is destined to become an economic albatross hung round the neck of the hapless taxpayer.
HALIFAX, NS – The proposed new convention centre has the potential to be a bottomless money pit, cautions a new report being released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives–Nova Scotia. Entitled Convention Centre in Nova Scotia: Economic Wellspring or Bottomless Pit, report author, Christopher Majka, has dug deep into the business case for the proposed new convention centre for Halifax.
How will the next financial crisis erupt? (Or perhaps we should say a further chapter of the ongoing financial crisis). It’s like figuring out which piece of tinder will ignite after a sizzling heat wave. We know it’s bad out there, but just where will the next spark hit? What follows is one – of many- potential financial crisis scenarios that Canada could face.
This generation of rich canadians is staking claim to a larger share of economic growth than any generation that has preceded it in recorded history. An examination of income trends over the past 90 years reveals that incomes are as concentrated in the hands of the richest 1% today as they were in the Roaring Twenties.
The recent unilateral decision by the federal government to spend up to $16 billion on the purchase and maintenance of new fighter jets is both wasteful and dangerous. It’s wasteful because our military doesn’t need such extravagant and costly equipment. The arguments for such military aircraft became obsolete with the end of the Cold War over twenty years ago.