I was a strong proponent of the Harm Reduction strategy until more data has come out about its effectiveness and benefits for society versus other methods. There might be a case for Harm Reduction, but as currently implemented in BC it is a like a 4 legged stool that is
Continue readingTag: bc
Saskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Bad Driver or Hate Crime? RCMP says “impatient”
"[The driver] was shouting stuff out. He was being racist, using some racial slurs," said Garrett Dan. "We have a whole bunch of witnesses to what happened to my brothers." Please read this story, that probably should have published yesterday:https://t.co/nYF3dwaj0K — Akshay Kulkarni (@kul_akshay_) June 5, 2022 The RCMP put
Continue readingThings Are Good: BC Decriminalizes Hard Drugs
British Columbia has learned that punishing drug users doesn’t stop drug use or the negative impact drugs have on our society. The province decided to shift from a punishment approach to drug control to a health focussed approach, as in they will help people get off of drugs instead of
Continue readingThings Are Good: In Canada Your Doctor May Tell You to Walk it Off
Doctors in Canada may soon be prescribing the oldest medicine in the world: walking it off. Thanks to the work of family doctor Dr. Melissa Lem in British Columbia the province will allow a walk in nature to be prescribed by doctors. It’s been proven time and time again that
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Social assistance: Do higher benefit levels lead to higher caseloads?
As part of my PhD thesis, I did some statistical analysis in which I asked the question: “Do higher social assistance benefit levels lead to higher caseloads?” I have recently updated the data and had it published in a journal. Here’s a short summary of the journal article’s main findings.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten things to know about subsidized rental housing in Alberta
In anticipation of next week’s Alberta budget, I’ve written a ‘top 10’ overview of subsidized rental housing in the province. Points raised in the blog post in include the following: -On a per capita basis, Alberta has far fewer subsidized housing units than the rest of Canada. -In 2017, BC’s
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Trudeau’s proposed speculation tax
I’ve written a blog post about the Trudeau Liberals’ recently-proposed speculation tax on residential real estate owned by non-resident, non-Canadians. The full blog post can be accessed here.
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Canadian Transactivism- Reducing Biological Females to “Mythical Creatures”.
Dr.Jane Clare Jones clearly describes the problem. Here is the link to the twitter thread as the screen captures won’t have active links. And also the quote of the day from Dr. Jane Clare Jones: “That Morgane Oger, and the movement she represents[transactivism], gives not one flying fuck about the
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Accepting, Avoiding, and Talking About Collapse
Our best hope for survival is ‘too drastic‘. “The climate system is not stopping you [hitting the Paris talks target], global society is stopping you.” That’s why the Alberta Premier gets away with saying the right thing here, but does the exact opposite in practice. $23M spent badmouthing BC environmentalists
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Homelessness in BC
In anticipation of tomorrow’s provincial budget in British Columbia (BC), I’ve written a blog post about the state of homelessness in that province. Points raised in the blog post include the following: -Public operating spending by BC’s provincial government has decreased over the past 20 years. -Even after controlling for
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Layin’ Pipe
Wanda's having relationship troubles…because she's just not that into #pipelines:https://t.co/V8ppUMFnTd RT if you can identify with Wanda. #StopKM #NotPipelines#cdnpoli #bcpoli #WaterIsLife #NoMeansNo pic.twitter.com/1zCvBAA1Sf — Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) February 15, 2018 From reality:Are you sure this wasn't speaking to the #WaterProtectors, and a CC to your email?A pipeline is expedient, and
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Book review: Social policy in Canada (second edition)
Oxford University Press has recently released the second edition of Social Policy in Canada, co-authored by the father-daughter duo of Ernie Lightman and Naomi Lightman. I recommend this book as an excellent resource for students of social policy. It will be useful for classroom instruction, while also being a handy
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: NDP Brings Greens Most Pinecones
Title in honour of a Beaverton joke. Andrew Weaver brings up the issue of Kinder Morgan as something he couldn't overlook when negotiating. — Chandler Grieve (@CTVNewsChandler) May 29, 2017 BREAKING: Andrew Weaver announces @BCGreens party will support John Horgan and the @bcndp https://t.co/31K6KRulSm #BCpoli pic.twitter.com/M9SiwleYDh — The Vancouver Sun
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Nathan Cullen’s Electoral Reform tour stop in Regina
@gtlem @pau1234la @Erin_Weir @nathancullen Here's the good one he took, and got @Carla4Lakeview in the background. pic.twitter.com/o9q29JLDA4 — Saskboy (@saskboy) May 26, 2017 Room filling up at Knox-Met for @nathancullen #ERRE #KeepYourPromise tour#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/tM3a5IWgBa — Saskboy (@saskboy) May 26, 2017
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten things to know about social assistance in Canada
I’ve just written a blog post about social assistance in Canada. Points raised in the blog post include the following: -Social assistance has two contradictory objectives: 1) to give people enough money to live on; and 2) to not give people enough money to live on. -Very few immigrants receive
Continue readingWe Pivot: Countdown to Impeachment
As we pivot to a new world where political lies and corruption get the boot, let’s begin the countdown. T$$$p must go, Trudeau’s lies and family foundation apparent conflict of interest must go, Clark’s electoral finance corruption and just plain … [Read more]
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: The Alternative Federal Budget 2017
This year’s Alternative Federal Budget (AFB) was released on March 9. I was proud to be the primary author of its housing chapter (that chapter is available in English here and in French here). The first AFB exercise began in 1994, with the first AFB being published in 1995. That
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: When Identity Politics Trumps Reality; Women Lose – Females Kicked out of B.C. Okanagan Women’s Shelter.
The politics of gender identity hurt women. And now sadly, I have to qualify what I mean when I write the word ‘woman’ because males, with subjective, indescribable feelings have decided that they are also women. So, ‘women’ defined here and in reality refers to adult human females. Obvious
Continue readingWe Pivot: Of Impeachment, Conflicts of Interest and T***p
T***p said he’s ceased to operate business while in the White House. Beyond being a liar and someone who makes things up, even if he were being honest about this, it’s pretty gosh darn impossible. Don’t click on this link; … [Read more]
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Social Housing in BC, AB and QC (1975-2015)
Over at the web site of the Calgary Homeless Foundation is a transcript of a recent discussion I had with Dr. Maroine Bendaoud. His recently-defended PhD thesis looks at social housing in BC, Alberta and Quebec from 1975 until 2015. Points raised in his thesis include he following: -After Canada’s
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