The 2018 Alberta Alternative Budget (AAB) was released yesterday—it can be downloaded here. An opinion piece I wrote about the AAB appeared yesterday in both the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal. Inspired by the Alternative Federal Budget exercise, this year’s AAB was drafted by a working group consisting of
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The Progressive Economics Forum: How to Measure and Monitor Poverty? LIM vs LICO vs MBM.
The federal government has promised to launch a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy in the coming weeks or months on the basis of now completed consultations with Canadians and the still ongoing deliberations of an advisory committee. As part of this process, there has been discussion about which poverty or low
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten proposals from the 2018 Alternative Federal Budget
I’ve written a blog post about this year’s Alternative Federal Budget (AFB). Points raised in the blog post include the following: -This year’s AFB would create 470,000 (full-time equivalent) jobs in its first year alone. By year 2 of the plan, 600,000 new (full-time equivalent) jobs will exist. -This year’s
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Panel discussion at federal NDP policy convention
Yesterday I spoke on a panel discussion on economic inequality, along with Andrew Jackson and Armine Yalnizyan. We were guests at the federal NDP’s policy convention in Ottawa. The panel was moderated by Guy Caron. Topics covered included the minimum wage, basic income, affordable housing, the future of jobs, gender
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Larry Elliott writes about the fragility of the political and economic structures which the world’s most privileged people are seeking to entrench in Davos. And Branko Milanovic discusses the importance of intra-country inequality which is getting worse around the globe. – Laurie
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Evening Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Brian Bethune interviews Joseph Stiglitz about his longstanding recognition that an international economic system biased toward capital could lay the groundwork for Trump-style demagoguery. – Kristin Annable reports on the Manitoba PCs’ steps toward for-profit health care as an alternative to properly funding
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 readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Income transfers, means testing, and universality, oh, my!
Overall, the NDP leadership race has provided a lot for progressive economists to be excited about. From progressive tax reform to fair wages and worker’s rights, poverty fighting income transfers to new universal social programs, the four leadership candidates have put substantive and laudable social democratic proposals on the table.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Second Annual Canadian Homelessness Data Sharing Initiative
I’ve just blogged about the Second Annual Canadian Homelessness Data Sharing Initiative. This is now an annual event that takes place in Calgary. It’s co-sponsored by the Calgary Homeless Foundation and the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. A summary of the inaugural event (which took place in May
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – The Star’s editorial board writes that it’s long past time for governments to stand up for people facing precarious work: (P)recarious workers, many of them millennials, have been largely left behind by legislators who say the shift is inevitable and there’s nothing much
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Five emerging trends in affordable housing and homelessness
Over at the web site of the Calgary Homeless Foundation, I’ve written a blog post titled “Five emerging trends in affordable housing and homelessness.” Points raised in the blog post include the following: -The Trudeau government has spent impressive amounts of money on affordable housing and homelessness. This is time-limited
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: How to Recognize and Manage Substance Abuse in Seniors
It is my pleasure today to host a guest post by Trevor McDonald, a blogger who is expert in the area of addictions, substance abuse and families. I read the studies cited below and they are surprising and worrying! Did you know that alcoholism is higher among widowers over
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM A Blog by Donna Thomson: How to Recognize and Manage Substance Abuse in Seniors
It is my pleasure today to host a guest post by Trevor McDonald, a blogger who is expert in the area of addictions, substance abuse and families. I read the studies cited below and they are surprising and worrying! Did you know that alcoholism is higher among widowers over
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten things to know about the CPP debate
This fall, Canada’s Parliament will debate a proposal to expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). And over at the Behind the Numbers web site, I’m co-author of a blog post titled “Ten things to know about the CPP debate.” The blog post’s other co-authors are Allan Moscovitch and Richard Lochead.
Continue readingScripturient: Wrinkles: a review
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. It’s the phrase that highlights the entrance to Hell in Dante’s Inferno. It could just as easily by carved above the entrances to many nursing and retirement homes. I recalled that phrase as we watched the 2011 animated film, Wrinkles, last night. Susan thought it the most depressing … Continue reading “Wrinkles: a review”
Continue readingLeft Over: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics (with apologies and an acknowledgement to Mark Twain..)
ttps://www.facebook.com/BCLiberalCaucus/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/08/23/Critical-Services-Suffering-in-BC/?utm_source=weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=290816 In their latest propaganda piece the BC Libs are attempting, lamely, to counter research that shows that BC has one of the lowest education budgets per student in the country..not much of … Continue reading →
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Federal Income Support for Low-Income Seniors
Over at the Behind the Numbers web site, Allan Moscovitch, David Macdonald and I have a blog post titled “Ten Things to Know About Federal Income Support for Low-Income Seniors in Canada.” The blog post argues—among other things—that if the age of eligibility for Old Age Security were to move from 65 to 67, the […]
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- Sara Mojtehedzadeh reports on a new Ontario study recommending a strong investment in child care to reduce the gender wage gap. – Allan Moscovitch, Nick Falvo and David Macdonald offer a useful primer on social suppo…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- Sara Mojtehedzadeh reports on a new Ontario study recommending a strong investment in child care to reduce the gender wage gap. – Allan Moscovitch, Nick Falvo and David Macdonald offer a useful primer on social suppo…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading.- Michael Wasser comments on the importance of unions – and the need to ensure that corporate-dominated politics don’t stand in the way of worker organization. And Ben Sichel rightly argues that Ontario’s widesprea…
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