News and notes from Canada’s federal election campaign. – Alex Hemingway writes about the need to tax the rich far beyond even the “unlimited zeal” reflected in the NDP’s modest plans to secure additional revenue. And David Moscrop makes the case for far more discussion of systemic change in who owns and makes decisions
Continue readingTag: economy
Accidental Deliberations: #Elxn44 Roundup
The latest from Canada’s federal election campaign. – Jim Stanford writes that the direction of our rebuilding from and after the COVID pandemic is one of the core issues at stake. Anna Desmarais highlights how people are suffering from the arbitrary rules the Trudeau Libs attached to CERB with unmanageable
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #Elxn44 Roundup
News and notes from Canada’s federal election campaign. – Doug Nesbitt calls out Erin O’Toole’s bait-and-switch scheme toward the working class. And PressProgress highlights how the Cons’ policy planks for gig workers were actually written by Uber lobbyists to entrench permanent underclass status in law. – Meanwhile, D.T. Cochrane examines
Continue readingThings Are Good: Converting to Co-Ops will Save Small Businesses
The pandemic clearly caused chaos in the business world from lockdowns to supply chain issues, and this has caused many small businesses to face closure. Small businesses closing isn’t good for local economies and there are solutions to support these small operations. The best option is to convert to a
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – John Paul Tasker writes that Canada needs to push hard to increase the number of vaccinated people to prevent a fourth wave of COVID-19. An anonymous COVID ward worker in the UK expresses well-justified anger that health care workers and vulnerable people will
Continue readingThings Are Good: Explaining Degrowth and Why it Matters
The way the economy runs leads to environmental destruction and it doesn’t have to be that way. The industrial revolution accelerated consumption of non-renewable resources and governments allowed corporations to profit at the expense of health and wellbeing. This is untenable. It’s time to shift our economy from one that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Roni Caryn Rabin, Apoorva Mandervilli and Shawn Hubler discuss the U.S.’ reconsideration of plans to lift COVID-19 recommendations and restrictions in the face of the Delta variant, while Mike Hager points out the expert response to the push by some Canadian premiers to
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – The Canadian Press reports on new Leger polling showing that over two-thirds of Canadians want to see COVID-19 protections remain in place – even as Scott Moe and Jason Kenney barge ahead in slashing public health measures. Mark Lautens warns against treating
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to start your week. – Josh Taylor reports on contact tracing which has revealed that “fleeting contact” can be enough to result in the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. And Chris MacIntyre reports on some of the Yukon’s largest outbreaks yet even in the face of widespread
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – As Jason Kenney and Scott Moe rush to slash public health protections including mask mandates, Gavin Leech et al. study how important masking has been in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Sarah Bridge, Ioanna Roumeliotis and Joseph Loiero highlight how rules which
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Jenna Gettings et al. study the massive effect masking and improved ventilation have in reducing the spread of the coronavirus in elementary schools. But Sheila Wang reports on the outdated assumptions still being used to inform public health advice about COVID-19. And Michael
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Kenney vs Freeland: National Child Care
“…this is going to be the most powerful step change in the Canadian economy since we did the NAFTA deal. It will really drive our economic productivity, our growth.” – Chrystia Freeland describing the Feds $10/day child care plan.* You’d think Jason Kenney, the premier who says the economy is
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: A Man of Half-Measures
“The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.”—Winston Churchill. Lives and… When he’s not on the front line fighting covid, Dr Joe Vipond is busy analyzing the data and
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Ontario’s COVID-19 Disaster in Five Words
The Ontario government would like to blame the behaviour of Ontario’s citizens for this disaster implying somehow we are so much worse than the citizens of other countries, and even other provinces, that are at the end of this crisis as we enter the worst of it. The fact is
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Alex Hemingway writes about the massive concentration of wealth among the richest few Canadians while most people have struggled through the pandemic. And Derrick O’Keefe follows up by pointing out how that accumulation highlights the need for a wealth tax, while Linda McQuaig
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Robyn Urback criticizes the Ford PCs’ habit (matched by other conservative governments) of responding to COVID-19 with continued cycles of procrastination followed by panic. And Rachel McLay highlights how political will has been the key factor in Atlantic Canada’s success in suppressing
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Does Mr Kenney Lie Awake at Night?
“With respect to MLAs who have stated their position, in this province we believe in freedom of speech. We believe in democracy.” – Jason Kenney after 16 UCP MLAs challenged his public health measures. Does Premier Kenney lie awake at night wondering how he got here? He should, because
Continue readingThings Are Good: A Net-Zero Economy will Save $30 Trillion a Year
Economist argue that efficiency produces profits, which is why we see mass layoffs and (bizarrely) large payouts for executives. 20th century economists ignored a lot of opportunities for more efficient operations because the costs weren’t put on corporations themselves. The costs of running the business were covered by the governments.
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Easter in Alberta
Whether you observe Easter, Passover, or the rising of the first full moon after the spring equinox, this is the time of year when we emerge from the gloom of winter with renewed hope for the spring. Sadly, some of us are crawling out of a pit that is darker
Continue reading