Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Jillian Berman reports on research showing that the predictable effect of decreased unionization is a transfer of wealth from workers to shareholders: The…
budget
“Campus Alberta”: Soviet Style Research and Development Comes to Alberta
Sigh…where to start? The barrage of bad news spewing out of the Premier’s office has been so intense that the government’s Machiavellian takeover of post secondary institutions and research and…
And all these years…
… We’ve been told that conservatives are better money managers… So. Um. Why is $3 billion or so, um, missing? Money managers? Methinks Harper is over his head. (5) Trashy,…
Thursday Evening Links
Assorted content to end your day. – Carol Goar discusses how the Cons’ latest attacks on Employment Insurance add just one burden to the backs of workers who have already…
Alberta Health Services Executive Bonuses: The joy of friends in high places
Ogden Nash To paraphrase Ogden Nash (actually Mr Nash did not utter this famous phrase, but for some reason we all think he did), “Spring has sprung, the grass is…
Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – While there’s room to question whether we should accept spending as self-definition in the first place, Zoe Williams is right to make the…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Edward Greenspon discusses the importance of a public service whose focus extends beyond the narrow interests of the government of the day:…
Canada World Youth Concerned About The Amalgamation of CIDA and DFAIT
By: Canada World Youth | Press Release: MONTREAL – Minister Flaherty announced, on March 21st, the amalgamation of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) with the Department of Foreign Affairs…
FinAnts Minister to forego usual budget tour for Asia trip
Inspired by these headlines: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/03/ministers-hit-the-hometown-good-news-circuit-as-house-kicks-off-budget-debate.html http://www.globalnews.ca/flaherty+to+forego+usual+budget+tour+for+asia+trip/6442832954/story.html
Caucus told budget to focus on skills training, infrastructure and manufacturing support
Inspired by this headline: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/19/pol-flaherty-budget-letter.html
Budget 2013 (If you want to play with the Big Boys, you play by Big Boy Rules)
“Opening new markets across Canada and around the world has become job one for this government.”—Finance Minister Horner on the 2013 Budget priorities, Alberta Hansard p1440. That simple sentence tells…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Lawrence Martin discusses how the B.C. Libs, Harper Cons and other governments have responded to transparency requirements by deliberately refusing to record…
Budget 2013: Petty Politics in the PCs
The Conservatives, in a grand act of pettiness, have punted the Canadian Taxpayers Federation from the budget lockup on the 7th. It is likely in response to the organization holding…
And Now…A Message from your Premier-In-Waiting: Mr Lukaszuk
We interrupt our regular programming—the PC spin on the cause of the $4 billion budget shortfall—to bring you an important public service announcement from the Premier-In-Waiting, Mr Lukaszuk. Mr Lukaszuk…
Hudak wants a $300 million election, vows to vote against a budget that hasn’t been written yet
Yesterday, Finance Minister Charles Sousa started his first round of pre-Budget consultations in Mississauga, listening to the concerns of everyday Ontario families as he works to prepare a budget focused…
Some Thoughts on the BC Budget
Five months ago, I predicted that the Liberal government of British Columbia would fail in its effort to balance the 2013 budget. Notwithstanding this week’s boastful headlines to the contrary,…
Juxtaposition
Unintentional setup… Ultimately, any evaluation of a government’s fiscal responsibility should include its willingness to make effective investments that carry a short-term cost and its prudence in avoiding unnecessary long-term…
New column day
Here, on how a narrow focus on balancing budgets misses the more important story as to how our elected officials manage public money. For further reading…– Paul Krugman makes a…
On predetermination
Shorter Brent Rathgeber: What government backbencher would dare consider asking the Parliamentary Budget Officer for information if he can’t suppress any inconvenient findings? I’d rather stay ignorant, thank you very…