Labour unions

Last month I participated in a press conference on behalf of Canadians for Tax Fairness, arguing for fairer taxes instead of service cuts. A reporter called me afterward and asked me if tax cuts weren’t necessary to ensure economic growth. “Oh no,” I assured him. “The Finance Department’s own calculations show that investing tax revenues in public services that Canadians need has a higher rate of economic return than tax cuts.”

My answer was true, but I nonetheless wondered later if I had in fact given the right answer. The reporter’s question assumed that economic growth was so important that we should do anything to achieve it – even lose valuable public services for the sake of cutting taxes if tax cuts were necessary to stimulate growth. My answer to him accepted this assumption. Read more »

As we address in our response to the budget, the government once again demonstrated its commitment to the labour force as the answer to poverty and economic insecurity this week. In fact, if you only read the budget or listened to Jim Flaherty’s speech, you’d be forgiven for thinking things are looking rosy in Canada today. After all, there are more jobs than there were before the recession and more Canadians are working today than ever before. The fact that four million people are living in poverty, many of them despite having a job, and that nearly one million Canadians are working part-time involuntarily seems to have escaped the government’s attention. Read more »

This week Joe, Karri and I attended the Parliament Hill launch of “Poor No More,” the documentary film hosted by Canadian television and film star, Mary Walsh. The film is aimed at exposing the challenges of the working poor in Canada and offering viable government solutions.

A common misconception among Canadians is that if people would just get a job and work hard, they won’t be living in poverty. But this is not the case. As the film illustrates, many low income Canadians are working for companies that pay very low wages, often keeping employees’ hour just below the full-time threshold, even after years of service to the company, where they receive little or no benefits, such as health and dental coverage, and sick or vacation days. Read more »

Last week the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) released a report Is EI working for Canada’s unemployed? Analyzing the Great Recession, by Andrew Jackson and Sylvain Schetagne. The report, part of the Alternative Federal Budget project, evaluates the state of Canada’s Employment Insurance system. In preparation for the release of Budget 2010, the CCPA is calling for an extension of benefits for EI. Read more »

On Monday, January 25 I attended an all day seminar hosted by Metropolis called “Welcoming Communities: How could Canadian communities be more welcoming?” The focus of this seminar was on efforts from a variety of sectors to welcome newcomers into Canadian communities.

An important element in making newcomers feel welcome is engaging the general population. Public education and awareness campaigns or proactive efforts to connect newcomers with Canadian residents are important. Education can help people understand one another while addressing concerns surrounding growing diversity and multiculturalism in Canada. Both government and non-government sectors need to be involved. Read more »

Canadian TV and film star Mary Walsh is just wrapping up a feature documentary on Canada’s working poor called Poor No More. Produced and directed by award-winning team Suzanne Babin and Bert Deveaux, the film focuses on the challenges of the working poor, as well as ways to significantly reduce poverty. This is especially critical now, while Canadians are beginning the slow process of economic recovery in light of the recent crisis.

On Saturday January 16 in Ottawa, join Mary Walsh and the film crew for lunch and final discussion on these issues at St. Andrew’s Church (82 Kent Street) at noon, followed by a rally on Parliament Hill at 1:30. This will be the last instalment in the film which is scheduled to be shown in various places across Canada this spring. See the official website for more details on the film and a schedule for cross country viewing opportunities. Read more »