The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, all by current or former police officers, triggered a second tidal wave of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in the U.S. this spring. Like the first wave in 2012, this one quickly burst the banks of international borders, spilling…
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Read part one of Michele and Chandra’s piece here. What does this mean for protecting public health? In order to have a hope of containing the virus, we need to know as quickly as possible who actually has the virus and who they in turn might have exposed. But as…
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The recent killing of unarmed Black Americans George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers sparked a new wave of Black Lives Matter protests around the world. In the seven short years since its inception, the Black Lives Matter movement has fought to protect Black lives against police brutality. This message…
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On March 16, Chandra noticed a burning sensation in her ear canals and neck. She and her family were isolating at home due to the outbreak of COVID-19, but public health officials were warning only of fever and cough so she didn’t think too much of it. It wasn’t until…
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David Macdonald appeared as an expert witness before the federal Finance Committee June 18, to discuss banking and the government’s response to COVID-19. This is a copy of his prepared remarks. Thank you Mr. Chair and I’d like to thank the Committee for their invitation to speak to you today….
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If anything is clear in this pandemic, Canada needs a wealth tax on the super rich to rein in extreme inequality and contribute to crucial public investments in the wake of COVID-19. A wealth tax is economically and technically feasible, but it requires breaking with a status quo that often…
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As several provinces have begun to loosen lockdown measures, thoughts turn to what Canada’s recovery will look like. WilI the massive disruptions we are experiencing spur a reevaluation of priorities and lead to paradigm shifts in our social and economic systems¹? Or will we embrace a ‘business as usual’ recovery…
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Five key takeaways from May’s Labour Force Survey report 1. The May jobs report hints at a recovery in employment around the corner but, as feared, job creation among women is lagging men by more than two to one. Women accounted for only 29% of the recovery in COVID-19-related job…
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Twenty-five years ago today, on June 8, 1995, the people of Ontario elected one Michael Deane Harris as premier. Harris’s program, the “Common Sense Revolution,” changed Ontario overnight. He slashed program spending. He slashed social assistance. He slashed taxes. Thousands lost their jobs. Others became homeless. Many died. It’s all…
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Labour Force Survey key facts: In May, 2.7 million people lost their jobs and another 2.2 million had most of their hours cut compared to February. Since February, 4.9 million people have lost jobs or had most of their hours cut, an improvement from April when it stood at 5.5…
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