Co-authored with Brian Foster “Is the EI system making it more attractive to not work?” That’s the (attempt at) thought-provoking (or fire-stoking) title of a recent National Post piece, written in the aftermath of Jim Flaherty’s intellectually lazy and socially irresponsible public musings on the psychological, voluntaristic reasons for Canada’s unemployment…
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The Conservative government is making changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) regime. While previous changes to EI have tightened eligibility requirements, making it more difficult for workers to collect EI if they lose their job, the current proposals focus on making it harder for unemployed workers to turn down work…
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As students in Quebec continue their 14 week strike, students in Nova Scotia continue to be reminded that post-secondary education is not a priority for the Nova Scotia government. Students and faculty at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), in particular, are bracing for severe funding cuts…
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Inequality has become a problem for all Canadians. Nationwide, 3.8% of households control about 67% of total financial wealth. The Conference Board of Canada recently addressed the issue, finding that, “High inequality can diminish economic growth if it means that the country is not fully using the skills and capabilities…
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Many sectors of Canadian society are still in shock, reeling from the recent budget cutbacks announced by the Harper Conservatives. The CBC, the National Film Board, Elections Canada, Canadian Border Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Veterans Affairs, and Fisheries and Oceans have all been slashed. While the government has said…
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The Nova Scotia government has just announced that it will cut the HST by 1% next year and 1% the following year. This cut will reverse the 2% increase the government imposed in order to assist it to achieve a balanced budget. Increasing the HST was part of a four…
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Last week, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS) released its flagship annual publication, the Nova Scotia Alternative Budget (NSAB). This report brings together a wide range of experts, including economists, social scientists, community representatives and social advocates who propose a more inclusive, long-term and forward-thinking approach to the…
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Amid the current climate of cutbacks and austerity, there is some good news. The Government of Nova Scotia, pursuant with the recommendations of the Minimum Wage Review Committee, will be increasing the province’s minimum wage as of April 1st. The 1.5 percent increase, from $10.00 to $10.15 per hour, is…
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On March 12, despite months of protest across the country, the federal government’s Omnibus Crime Bill (euphemistically known as the “the safe streets and communities act”), cleared its final Parliamentary hurdle when the Harper Conservatives voted 154–129 in the House of Commons to pass the legislation. Now the bill goes to the…
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“Workers in Nova Scotia are worse off economically than they were a quarter century ago. For the most part, this deterioration in wages happened at the same time that the economy of the province vigorously increased the wealth it generated.” Now, Nova Scotia has the second-lowest average weekly earnings of…
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