John Lester – ‘Pay-as-You-Go’ is a Far Better Policy than ‘Axe the Tax’
To: Canadians Concerned About Federal Spending From: John Lester Date: October 7, 2024 Re: ‘Pay-as-You-Go’ is a Far Better Policy than ‘Axe the Tax’ Pierre Poilievre has a slogan for fixing the budget: “Pay as you go.” It’s less catchy than “axe the tax,” but more likely to make Canadians better off. The Conservatives are pledging to balance the […] John Stapleton – There are Better Ways to Spend $3 Billion on Seniors than Boosting OAS
From: John Stapleton To: Anti-poverty observers Date: October 4, 2024 Re: There are Better Ways to Spend $3 Billion on Seniors than Boosting OAS The Bloc Québécois push to expand Old Age Security payments to younger seniors has dominated much of the policy discussion in the House of Commons. Bill C-319 would increase OAS to 65–74-year-olds by 10 percent […] Brian Lewis – Fully Indexing Ontario Social Assistance is Long Overdue
From: Brian LewisTo: Ontario poverty watchersDate: October 3, 2024 Re: Fully Indexing Ontario Social Assistance is Long Overdue October 1 was the six-year anniversary of the last inflation adjustment for Ontario’s social assistance payments. Their real value has steadily eroded ever since, made worse by inflation’s recent return. This leaves Ontario’s most financially vulnerable citizens in […] Duncan Munn – Referendum Alert: It’s Time for Federalists to Saddle Up Again
From: Duncan MunnTo: Canadian FederalistsDate: October 1, 2024Re: Referendum Alert: It’s Time for Federalists to Saddle Up Again As if productivity, growth, housing and health care weren’t challenges enough for Canada, an old threat is quietly re-emerging: Quebec separatism. The Parti Québécois (PQ), headed for government, is promising another referendum. The gathering storm demands attention. […] David Jones – There’s Method to the Dynamic Pricing Madness
From: David Jones To: François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada Date: September 27, 2024 Re: There’s Method to the Dynamic Pricing Madness Earlier this month, in response to huge demand, ticket prices surged for the 1990s Britpop band Oasis’s long-awaited reunion tour across Britain and Ireland. Dynamic pricing –allowing prices to […] Mahboubi, Robson – Demography is Destiny, and Canada’s Picture Isn’t Pretty
From: Parisa Mahboubi and William B.P. RobsonTo: Canadians, young and oldDate: September 26, 2024Re: Demography is Destiny, and Canada’s Picture Isn’t Pretty Canada is facing a demographic shift that will put immense strain on our healthcare system and public finances. We currently have about three working-age (18-64) adults for every senior (65+). By 2067, we […] Jon Johnson – Canada’s Digital Services Tax is in US Crosshairs
From: Jon JohnsonTo: Global Affairs Canada Date: September 25, 2024 Re: Canada’s Digital Services Tax is in US Crosshairs On August 30, the US requested consultations respecting Canada’s Digital Services Tax Act under the dispute settlement procedure set out in the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). The US maintains that by imposing the tax, Canada has failed to provide […] Eyquem, van Dijk and Stewart – A Clear and Overdue Path to Accounting for Natural Assets in Canada
From: Joanna Eyquem, Peter van Dijk and James K. StewartTo: Canadians Concerned about Recognizing and Valuing Natural AssetsDate: September 24, 2024Re: A Clear and Overdue Path to Accounting for Natural Assets in Canada Devastating wildfires and floods this year have highlighted the risks arising from the lack of public accountability for natural assets in Canada. […] Duncan Munn – It’s b-a-a-ck. Quebec separatism rears its head again
Published in the Financial Post
As if productivity, growth, housing and health care weren’t challenges enough for Canada, an old threat is quietly re-emerging: Quebec separatism. The Parti Québécois (PQ), headed for government, is promising another referendum. The gathering storm demands attention.
In the 2018 Quebec provincial election the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) handed the PQ an historic defeat, reducing it to just 10 seats. The decades-long debate over Quebec’s place in Canada was widely assumed to have been settled, at least for this generation. But six years later the PQ is ahead in polls and its charismatic young leader promises to hold a referendum on sovereignty if elected. If an election were held today, the…
Laurin, Dahir – An Election Platform Suggestion for All Parties: A Revenue-Neutral Tax Reform
From: Alexandre Laurin and Nick DahirTo: Canada’s political partiesDate: September 23, 2024Re: An Election Platform Suggestion for All Parties: A Revenue-Neutral Tax Reform A change in Canada’s tax mix is a perennial idea from tax policy experts. This country is an average-tax nation overall but it relies far more on income taxes and less on consumption levies, as a share […] Don Drummond – Let’s Hope for Solid Hit from the PBO’s Third Swing at Carbon Tax Analysis
From: Don DrummondTo: Carbon tax watchersDate: September 18, 2024Re: Let’s Hope for Solid Hit from the PBO’s Third Swing at Carbon Tax Analysis The “corrected” analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office of the carbon tax and rebates is due soon. One hopes it will get more things right in this third crack at evaluating the […] Jon Johnson – TC Energy Loses its Keystone XL Claim Against US
From: Jon Johnson To: Keystone Saga Watchers Date: September 12, 2024 Re: TC Energy Loses its Keystone XL Claim Against US The Keystone pipeline saga ended for TC Energy over the summer, when a World Bank tribunal issued its award finding for the US. The US had initiated a jurisdictional challenge in this proceeding based […]