Our Addiction to Balanced Budgets May Need an Intervention
“There is always a storm. There is always rain. Some experience it. Some live through it. And others are made from it.” Author Shannon L. Alder Recently NDP candidate and…
NAFTA
Our Addiction to Balanced Budgets May Need an Intervention
“There is always a storm. There is always rain. Some experience it. Some live through it. And others are made from it.” Author Shannon L. Alder Recently NDP candidate and…
The One Question to Ask a Conservative Candidate in This Election
He did it. Stephen Harper dropped the writ and we’re heading into a 78 day election campaign. Oh joy! I’m serious. I intend to have a real conversation with my…
Pricing the priceless: Why BC’s new water prices don’t violate NAFTA
Friday, July 17, 2015 We have suggested that BC's new water rates are too low – an assessment shared by the signatories to a SumofUs.org petition signed by 225,000 people.…
Auto-Immune to Progress: Car Manufacturing Going South
Carmakers say adios to Canada as Mexico shifts into higher gear Mexico now makes more cars than Canada, a trend that’s not expected to change By Pete Evans, CBC News…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Joseph Stiglitz laments the corporate takeover of policy-making processes, including by imposing trade rules which impede democratic decision-making: The real intent of…
Primer on Investor-State Dispute Settlement
In light of the latest NAFTA Chapter 11 decision to go against Canada, I was asked to put together some background notes for our Unifor leadership on this bizarre quasi-judicial…
Free trade to blame for growing income inequality in Canada
A study recently released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that the modern free trade era has exacerbated income inequality in Canada. The post Free trade to blame…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Frances Russell writes that NAFTA and subsequent trade agreements are designed to make it difficult for democratic governments to exercise any meaningful authority.…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Scott Sinclair studies the effect of NAFTA on government policies, and finds that it’s been used primarily (and all too frequently) to…
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Hugh Segal discusses the need for an open and honest conversation about poverty and how to end it. And to better reflect…
Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Thomas Walkom discusses why politicians have thus far failed to take any meaningful action on climate change. But it’s also worth noting that…
The Conservatives sabotage NAFTA
The road to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) began under a Conservative government and has been championed by Conservatives ever since. Surprising then that they should treat it…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Rob Nixon’s review of Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything nicely sums up why the book – and the fundamental clash it documents…
Deep thought
It’s always a relief to know our governments are constantly negotiating free trade deals to make sure no possible bidders are unfairly shut out of public procurement processes. That is,…
Opposites Attract: The New Conservative Love Affair With Canada
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Canada and the US share the world’s longest undefended border, speak the same language approximately, and as is engraved on the ‘Peace Arch’ in Blaine Washington we…
Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Jenna Smialiek reports on Gabriel Zucman’s conclusion that the .1% has managed to prevent the rest of us from even approaching reasonable estimates…