While recognizing the danger of increasing inequality in Western societies, I have not been a fan of a wealth tax, one of the more commonly offered solutions. I have been inclined to accept the usual criticism that it’s simply too hard to implement. I have now had my mind changed.
Continue readingTag: World Bank
Alberta Politics: Why did China’s government pluck the Two Michaels from among 300,000 Canadians in China?
Soon after Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver two years ago at the behest of U.S. authorities, Chinese state security officers arrested two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. It was clear from the get-go the arrest on Dec.
Continue readingThings Are Good: Gender Inclusive Design for our Built Environment
Architects generally want people to feel comfortable around their buildings or interior spaces; however, architects aren’t perfect and may overlook some simple design solutions that can put people at ease. The World Bank Group has released a handbook for urban planners, architects, and anybody shaping our physical environment to use
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Move Over SNC-L. It’s Bombardier’s Turn in the Corruption Spotlight.
The World Bank is fingering Bombardier for bribery to win a $339 (US) railway contract with Azerbaijan. The project was 85 per cent financed by the World Bank and it seems the bank is now hopping mad – again Bombardier Inc. allegedly used corruption and collusion to win a contract
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Evening Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Howard Mann discusses the World Bank’s new model for public-private partnerships which deliberately avoids placing any real risk with the profiteers who participate only to make money off of necessary infrastructure. – The New York Times takes an in-depth look at the
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Calgary-Lougheed by-election report reveals $885,206.29 in NDP donations not reported in regular quarterly reports
Elections Alberta has released the initial campaign finance reports from political parties during the Calgary-Lougheed by-election held on December 14, 2017. Due to a strange quirk in Alberta’s election finance laws, all or most donations collected by political parties during the official by-election period between November 16, 2017 and February 14, 2018
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Evening Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Aditya Chakrabortty comments on the stunning turnaround experienced by the UK city of Preston after it started making a concerted effort to use public money to benefit citizens and local development. – Meanwhile, CNN Wires notes that in contrast, massize Amazon warehouses
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Marco Chown Oved, Toby Heaps and Michael Yow discuss the long-term transition away from meaningful corporate tax contributions to Canada’s public purse: For every dollar corporations pay to the Canadian government in income tax, people pay $3.50. The proportion of the public budget
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: A tale book-ended by 2 Trudeaus: Canada’s foreign aid since 1970
Soon after the 2015 federal election, Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau affirmed that Canada was “back” as a “compassionate and constructive voice in the world” after a decade of Conservative governments. One of the most important means by which any industrialized country interacts with the developing world is via the amount,
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Maroc–We Just Moved Several Meters Closer to the Edge of a Cosmic Abyss
Don Maroc We just moved several meters closer to the edge of a cosmic abyss and no one is calling for a time out. Last year the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) quietly established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a counterweight to the US/UK controlled International Monetary
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: India Doing Its Bit to Burn the Planet
Forget about China. The greatest driver of runaway global warming may be India. While the EU, the US and China are gearing up for major cuts in CO2 emissions, India is heading in the other direction and fast. “India’s development imperatives cannot be sacrificed at the altar of potential climate
Continue readingThings Are Good: Morocco Leads in Cutting Subsidies to Oil and Gas Industries
Oil and gas companies get a ton of subsidies from governments which holds back the adoption of renewable energy. In most countries, the gas industry is supported by policies encourage car use and other related infrastructure decisions. Sometimes, like in Morocco, fuel is directly subsidized and recently the country found
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Flaherty’s Legacy: Ideological, reckless and just plain lucky
This piece was originally published at the Globe and Mail’s online Report on Business feature, EconomyLab. There are two reasons why it is difficult to comment on the legacy of a finance minister. 1) It is a tremendously challenging job, anywhere, any time. Stewarding one of the largest economies
Continue readingthe reeves report: Ontario to roll out Green Bonds in 2014
GO workers wait ahead of announcement from Ontario government about green bonds (Oct. 30, 2013) Ontario made a small splash in the financial world at the end of October when Premier Kathleen Wynne and two top cabinet ministers announced the province was set to become the first Canadian jurisdiction to
Continue reading350 or bust: Cost of Extreme Weather Up 300% Since 1980s
“If you think mitigated climate change is expensive, try unmitigated climate change.” Dr. Richard Gammon, University of Washington, speaking to the US Congress, June 28, 1999 * * Economic losses from extreme weather events have risen from an annual global average of about $50 billion in the 1980s to close
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Global Warming and Coal: The Man who might save the Earth
Jim Yong Kim and Obama In a stunning move, the newly-elected President of the World Bank has launched one of the most significant steps in human history to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Supported by President Obama, Jim Yong Kim has persuaded the World Bank to move away from funding one
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Paul Krugman writes that the only real difference between the latest global crisis and past depressions is that we’ve moved further and further toward a rent-based economy – meaning that aggregated growth doesn’t necessarily result in any benefit for the vast majority
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: World Bank – Says What Everybody Knows, We’re in Trouble
A World Bank report released today warns the world is heading for 4C of warming this century and that means trouble for everybody but especially if you’re one of the nobodies from the poorest and most vulnerable countries.There it is, the whole report …
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Austerity Kills: Conservative cure worst thing for what ails the economy says Stiglitz
Governments around the world are heading down a path to economic suicide. So said Nobel Prize-winning former chief economist of the World Bank, Joseph Stiglitz, to hundreds of well-heeled financiers and decision-makers who paid a bundle to hear him in Toronto. With a voice as gruff as gravel, and an energy bristling with urgency, he […]
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Global Financial Leaders Recommend Cutting Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Oil_Money.jpg
Global financial institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have released a new set of recommendations for G20 countries to meet their goal of providi…
Continue reading