The federal government's announcement last week of possible reforms to the retirement income system highlights the fact that financial decisions are never just that. We must consider the social implications behind the numbers and how they reflect our values as a nation. The 2012 federal budget will soon be tabled, and Canadians have the opportunity to make their voice heard. Read more »
On February 14, CPJ and the Dignity for All campaign for a poverty-free Canada are hosting "What’s Next: How do we Address Poverty in Canada?” in Ottawa. The event will feature a panel discussion and Q & A session with MPs, social policy & advocacy groups, and members of the public, including those living in poverty, with an aim to promote non-partisan dialogue and to identify concrete and achievable goals for reducing poverty in Canada. Read more »
By now, the average Canadian household has at least heard of Occupy Wall Street. This global movement has some excited, some irritated and many baffled. While the protests represent diverse concerns, the movement takes a courageous stand against a common problem: growing social inequality. Read more »
Heading into Election 2011, nobody could have predicted the vastly different political landscape that Canadians would wake to on Tuesday morning. Some were jubilant and others deflated. There was the historic rise of the NDP and the election of the first ever Green MP, the demise of the Liberal Party, and of course, Stephen Harper’s previously elusive majority government.
While it will be some time before we know for certain how this new government will play out, it is clear that things have changed and we are now working within a new context. However, one important factor has not changed: CPJ’s commitment to offer our faithful response to God’s call for love, justice and stewardship. Read more »
My cousin is a teacher in Egypt. Recently, following the referendum on constitutional changes there, she shared a photo of a school employee proudly displaying a pink finger. This pink finger indicated that the woman had voted for the first time ever in her life.
I was thinking about that pink finger during the first week of our federal election campaign. The right to vote is such a privilege and responsibility – one not shared by every country around the globe. It’s a sign and symbol of the health and vitality of our democracy. And while millions have been clamouring for democracy recently in the Middle East and Northern Africa, our election provides a window into the state of our own democracy. Read more »
By Chandra Pasma | Thursday, March 17th, 2011 - 1:38PM
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The Globe and Mail has an excellent op-ed today by Peter Shawn Taylor and Ben Sand highlighting the conclusions of a Frontier Centre for Public Policy study on tax expenditures. They argue that tackling the deficit requires a good, hard look at tax expenditures.
Tax expenditures are a different form of government spending. Rather than writing a cheque, the government chooses not to collect certain tax income. The RRSP tax deduction or the Charitable Donations credit are two examples. Taylor and Sand report that “Ottawa annually gives away more than $100 billion worth of tax expenditures on personal taxes through various deductions and credits.” Read more »
On the afternoon of November 16th, I found myself waiting to meet Senator Grant Mitchell, sponsor of a climate change bill. But then the bells started ringing, calling members into the Chamber for a vote. All at once, my meeting was cancelled and the Climate Change Accountability Act went down to defeat by a tally of 43 to 32. The Senate had dealt the global environment a massive blow – without even debating the legislation before it.
It was not surprising, then, that there was little expectation of a positive outcome from the conference in Cancun, Mexico, November 29 - December 10, 2010. Read more »
The recent tabling of Bill C-49, Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act, ignited a fervent outcry against its punitive measures against refugees. However, the Act also raises bigger questions about politics in Canada and the measures used to get things accomplished. Is cooperation towards the common good possible? Read more »
By Jenny Prosser | Friday, November 26th, 2010 - 11:08AM
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If you asked the average Canadian if they would rather reduce child poverty or have a new soccer field in their home town, what would they say? I would like to think that most would choose the former. However, this is not the choice politicians seem to think we would make. Read more »
The federal government's announcement last week of possible reforms to the retirement income system highlights the fact that financial decisions are never just that. We must consider the social implications behind the numbers and how they reflect our values as a nation. The 2012 federal budget will soon be tabled, and Canadians have the opportunity to make their voice heard. 
On February 14, CPJ and the Dignity for All campaign for a poverty-free Canada are hosting "What’s Next: How do we Address Poverty in Canada?” in Ottawa. The event will feature a panel discussion and Q & A session with MPs, social policy & advocacy groups, and members of the public, including those living in poverty, with an aim to promote non-partisan dialogue and to identify concrete and achievable goals for reducing poverty in Canada. 
By now, the average Canadian household has at least heard of Occupy Wall Street. This global movement has some excited, some irritated and many baffled. While the protests represent diverse concerns, the movement takes a courageous stand against a common problem: growing social inequality. 
The recent tabling of Bill C-49, Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act, ignited a fervent outcry against its punitive measures against refugees. However, the Act also raises bigger questions about politics in Canada and the measures used to get things accomplished. Is cooperation towards the common good possible? 
