Inequality and poverty

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Today’s release of the annual Income in Canada report is Statistics Canada’s first word on the impact of the Great Recession on Canadians’ incomes. The report in The Daily was presented as a non-event, but the data reveal important stories about the winners and losers since the recession.
The Saskatchewan New Democrats have promised to reform and repeal much of Brad Wall's labour legislation in their recently released policy review "A Rooted and Growing Vision." While changes to this legislation would be most welcome to the labour movement in the province, should we be satisfied with merely returning to the status-quo if an NDP government were to return to power in the province?
The election this month of a majority Conservative government will change Canada’s political landscape in ways that will be detrimental to most Canadians.
Dear Premier Clark, Congratulations on your new job. It’s wonderful that your new government will be “putting families first.” And we were heartened to hear you say on the night of your election victory that fighting poverty will be among your top priorities. Kudos for moving quickly on two important promises –– eliminating the $6 training wage and raising the minimum wage –– and we await news on your commitment to increase the Working Income Tax Benefit.
CCPA Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan gets up close and personal in this pivotal lecture on income inequality and democracy. Watch the TVO video of the lecture, which was produced in collaboration with the Literary Review of Canada.
In March 2010 the Winnipeg Street Health Report research team came together to set in motion a plan to study the health status, housing and social service needs of people who are homeless in the city. Spearheaded by the Main Street Project, Winnipeg’s oldest emergency homeless shelter, the project is the first of its kind in Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Street Health Report has been modelled on similar reports conducted in other major cities. It presents the results of a survey on the health status of homeless people in Winnipeg conducted in the summer of 2010.
It’s odd to see Stephen Harper continuing to crow about his economic management prowess, even while almost 1.5 million Canadians remain unemployed, nearly one in ten people live in poverty, and according to one recent survey one-third of Canadians can’t afford basic expenses. Yet isn’t dealing with such issues at the heart of what we look for in economic management? 
Inside this issue: Unpacking the Housing Numbers: How Much New Social Housing is BC Building? by Seth Klein and Lorraine Copas Climate Justice, Green Jobs and Sustainable Production in BC by Marc Lee and Kenneth I. Carlaw Lack of Water Data a Cause for Public Concern by Ben Parfitt Job Creation Alone Will Not Solve BC’s Poverty Problem by Iglika Ivanova Fossil Fuel Peddling Impedes BC’s Progress Toward a Green Future by Marc Lee