“The opposite of poverty is enough”
Conventional wisdom says that economic disparities lead to political violence, or mildly violent collective actions. Yet few politicians anywhere are willing to address root causes of social difficulties. It is…
Income Inequality
Economic inequality by design
For as long as I can remember, we’ve been told that putting more wealth in the hands of the already wealthy will benefit everyone through greater economic growth, more jobs,…
Happiness is… (2024 edition)
Overall, Canada ranks 15th in the World Happiness Report, although it is first among nations with populations of more than 30 million. However, when the happiness of citizens under age…
Sick society
Ultra-wealthy elites…Political corruption…Vast inequality… These problems aren’t new — in the late 1800s they dominated the country during America’s first Gilded Age. We overcame these abuses back then, and we…
Priorities
A tweet written by Jeffrey Levin made sense to me. So, I produced a Canadian version.
Money Cannot Buy Happiness But …
They say money cannot buy happiness but it certainly can buy food and shelter and education that can make the difference between misery and happiness, not to mention that health…
Vulnerable societies
Compounding the economic risk factors that are manifesting is a widespread domestic discontent with current economic systems, perceived to be rigged and unfair. Concern about inequality underlies recent social unrest…
Democratic delusion
“Politics has become so expensive that it takes a lot of money even to be defeated.” Even with contribution limits, generous as they are, government remains biased toward serving interests…
On Inequality, Democracy and Taxing the Rich – A Modest Proposal
No doubt many raised in our capitalist society, where inequality rules and excessive incomes and wealth are seen as a right (and where even the NDP only proposes a measly…
Taxes buy civilization
Neoliberalism has brought us extreme concentrations of wealth and power and a society governed by and for the rich. The Guardian reports America’s three wealthiest billionaires—Bezos, Gates and Buffett—have as…
For the times they are a-changin’
Today, British Columbia is far richer than fifty years ago but that wealth is distributed much differently. As a result, despair is widespread, homelessness grows, thousands die each year from…
Bitter old man
A person shilling for the pension funds management business complained about my recent article revealing extravagant salaries at the BC Investment Management Corporation (BMI). He wrote that I was a…
Civilized people pay for civilization
Maclean’s produced a ranking of the most dangerous places in Canada by examining communities with populations as small as 10,000. They explain the methodology: The report ranks communities according to…
Labour Day – Canadian heritage moment – Rerun
First published here in 2009 Flipping the radio dial on Labour Day I noticed CKNW’s Christy Clark featured a guest who seemed a strange choice on that day. It was…
Federal budget must take action on inequality and boost economy
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ latest annual Alternative Federal Budget urges the federal government to table a budget that makes good on its promises to reduce income inequality and…
The Haves Certainly Have It
This from today’s Letters To The Editor, to which I have nothing to add: Re: Two richest men as wealthy as poorest 30 per cent, Jan. 16 It is telling…
WHAT BREXIT MEANS TO UK CAREGIVERS AND WHY POLICY MATTERS EVERYWHERE
News feeds are awash in stories of the BREXIT referendum debacle in the UK. Weak and deceitful campaigns on both sides of the argument about whether to leave the European…
WHAT BREXIT MEANS TO UK CAREGIVERS AND WHY POLICY MATTERS EVERYWHERE
News feeds are awash in stories of the BREXIT referendum debacle in the UK. Weak and deceitful campaigns on both sides of the argument about whether to leave the European…
"A strong message…"
Canadian bank fined $1.1M for failing to report suspicious dealings, CTV News, April 5, 2016The federal anti-money laundering agency has levied a $1.1-million penalty against an unnamed Canadian bank for…
"A strong message…"
Canadian bank fined $1.1M for failing to report suspicious dealings, CTV News, April 5, 2016 The federal anti-money laundering agency has levied a $1.1-million penalty against an unnamed Canadian bank…