In the first moments of last week’s speech from the throne, which outlined the priorities of the federal government for the next session of Parliament, Governor General Julie Payette laid out in stark terms the challenge before us. “Rarely … has all of humanity faced a single common insidious enemy,”…
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Contrary to what the pandemic would have us believe, public health is about much more than COVID-19. Public health is about keeping people healthy in the first place, so that they are less likely to need health care — “sick care.” Public health is about the social determinants of health,…
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As it should, the coronavirus pandemic took centre stage in the Liberal government’s speech from the throne. Getting through this global crisis, which affects us all, must take precedence. With some notable gaps and a last-minute push from the NDP to ensure workers affected by COVID do not see their incomes reduced…
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Fast Facts: Roughly 4 million Canadians were receiving Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) in August and early September. The move from a $400 to $500 weekly amount in Employment Insurance (EI) and Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) will improve benefits for 1.8 million CERB recipients. 776,000 CERB recipients will receive no…
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“We must not let the legacy of the pandemic be one of rolling back the clock on women’s participation in the workforce, nor one of backtracking on the social and political gains women and allies have fought so hard to secure.” (Speech from the Throne, September 23, 2020) This call…
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Wednesday’s throne speech offered hints of promising changes to long term care policies—something COVID-19 has exposed as urgently needed. Specifically, the federal government promises “to work with provinces and territories to set new, national standards for long term care.” There has been growing public pressure for federal leadership to address…
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Overcoming this pandemic that we’re living in requires the work and resolve of every order of government, every community, and each one of us—throne speech 2020 is a test of that resolve. It sets the stage for whether the federal government is going all in to ensure that no one…
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Picture it: You’re driving down a long straight road. Far in the distance you can see the road getting bumpier and bumpier before suddenly dropping over a cliff. Bright yellow and red warning signs punctuate the side of the roadway. “Danger!” they proclaim. “Road ends in 12 km! Uneven surface…
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Public policy in Canada remains haunted by large deficits that prevailed in the 1980s and early 1990s. With COVID-19 economic response pushing the federal deficit to an estimated $343 billion in 2020/21, some pundits are starting to beat the deficit hysteria drum again. Don’t let big numbers scare you. Here’s…
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Today the Halifax Regional Municipal Council will consider a staff report that recommends that Council approve the adoption of a Supplier Code of Conduct (including Living Wage requirements). Voting in favour of this recommendation would be one important step forward, but will not have the impact that a broader living wage policy could…
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