Social assistance: Do higher benefit levels lead to higher caseloads?
As part of my PhD thesis, I did some statistical analysis in which I asked the question: “Do higher social assistance benefit levels lead to higher caseloads?” I have recently…
Poverty
Review of Hugh Segal’s Bootstraps Need Boots
Hugh Segal has written an engaging personal and political memoir and plea for basic income. Here’s my review in Alberta Views.
Homelessness in canada could rise due to recession
I am currently writing a report for Employment and Social Development Canada looking at the long-term impact of the current recession on homelessness. It should be ready by early November.…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Thomas Christopher Lange studies (PDF) the costs and effects of two dental care options, and concludes Canada would be best served with…
Lessons We Must Learn From COVID-19 to Build a Better Society
Community is the key to the future. Those societies that are fairing best in responding to COVID 19 are those with a strong sense of community. America’s dismal response is…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Joel Blit, Chuanmo Jin and Mikal Skuterud point out the importance of thinking ahead and being strategic in determining what activities are permitted…
Trudeau government should spend more on affordable housing and homelessness
On July 21, the Alternative Federal Budget Recovery Plan was released. The document aims to provide public policy direction to Canada’s federal government, in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Allison Hanes reminds us that there is no escaping the reality of COVID-19 – and any attempt to take a vacation from the…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – T.M. Scanlon analyzes the dangerous effects of wealth inequality. And Philip Alston discusses how COVID-19 has only exposed an existing pandemic of…
Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Don Pittis writes about the emptiness of any discussion of energy options which doesn’t account for the importance of averting a climate breakdown.…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Ari Rabin-Havt argues that any available means of treating COVID-19 need to be viewed as public goods to be made available to all,…
Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Lee Stevens writes that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed longstanding weaknesses in our social safety net which have caused large amounts of avoidable…
Monday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Julia Horowitz discusses how the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated wealth inequality in the U.S. And Jason DeParle writes that the U.S.’ temporary COVID-19…
David Hulchanski class discussion
I recently participated in a panel discussion in David Hulchanski’s graduate-level social housing and homelessness course at the University of Toronto. Points raised in the blog post include the fact…
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Sheila Smith examines how private equity is hollowing out the real economy in the name of profit-taking. And Klaus Schwab suggests a “Great…
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Bryan Borzykowski recognizes that many Canadian families are weathering the COVID-19 crisis only by taking on more debt – though it’s worth questioning…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Polly Toynbee writes that the coronavirus has highlighted how poverty kills – and how a concerted fight against inequality is a precondition to…
Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Duncan Cameron writes that while the COVID-19 pandemic has been catastrophic, we shouldn’t pretend that it’s at all surprising – or that…
The Pensioner and the Pandemic and …
The Government Wants to Lock Me in My Room Well this blog post is taking somewhat of a change of direction from that planned, which was to focus on the…
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Adam Tooze writes that the coronavirus pandemic has offered a reminder that the economy (particularly defined in terms of shareholders’ interests) can’t be…