Even in the worst of times, budgets are rarely hemmed in by “economic necessity.” They are reflections of the values of the party in power. One government might look at economic data predicting low growth for the next five years (the current reality) and choose to cut program spending. Another…
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Despite the provincial government’s insistence that its budget cuts would “strike a balance” among those affected, Wednesday’s budget sure seemed to favour some over others. While the government’s budget cuts and tax increases landed disproportionately on the shoulders of the poor, it simultaneously lavished multiple tax breaks on corporations. That…
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Budget 2017 maintains the federal government’s modest momentum on climate action. The latest plan builds on the investments made in Budget 2016 with new spending on clean technology, green infrastructure and other climate change initiatives. Budget 2017 also affirms the commitments made in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and…
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Men and women are different. That shouldn’t be news, but today it is. Today, the government released the first federal budget that includes a look at the differences between men and women. Differences like the fact that women are twice as likely to work part-time, do more hours of unpaid…
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There has been plenty of discussion from the federal government, especially in the lead-up to this week’s budget, about closing tax loopholes (expenditures/breaks/preferences). The 2015 Liberal election platform proposed to raise $2 billion a year by 2018 by ending “unfair tax breaks.” The government has a panel looking at which…
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This year’s Alternative Federal Budget (AFB) was released on March 9. I was proud to be the primary author of its housing chapter (that chapter is available in English here and in French here). The first AFB exercise began in 1994, with the first AFB being published in 1995. That involved a joint effort between…
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If the leaks are true, the upcoming federal budget will include an ill-advised move to sell off Canada’s airports, which would result in both travellers and governments paying a heavy price. If the leaks are true, the upcoming federal budget will include an ill-advised move to sell off Canada’s airports,…
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The federal government’s promised Canada Infrastructure Bank is supposed to be a new government institution to fund infrastructure projects, but it’s a risky gamble. While details on the infrastructure bank are expected in the upcoming federal budget, we know it is being positioned as a new source of funds dedicated…
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On January 24, I gave a presentation to students at the University of Calgary as part of the Certificate in Working with Homeless Populations program. The goal of this presentation was to discuss emerging trends in Canada’s affordable housing and homelessness sectors. A version of my PowerPoint slides, which are chock-full of visuals…
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The following remarks are excerpted from the 2017 Alternative Federal Budget press conference, featuring Kate McInturff, David Macdonald and Peter Bleyer (March 9th, Parliament Hill).