Government should focus on cultivating competition in the financial sector
Unless policy is actively designed to foster a robust credit union sector, only the very largest will be able to bear the costs of technology and ever-increasing regulation, resulting in more concentration, fewer choices, and higher costs for Canadian consumers.
Revving up Canada’s energy independence: why biofuels incentives are vital
Canada has enormous potential to be global leader in biofuels production, but it has to compete with the tax credits being offered south of the border by the U.S.’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Maintaining relationship with NDP of ‘utmost importance’ as struggling Liberals prep fall economic statement, say observers
‘The government’s numbers—even when they’ve got good things to say—don’t seem to really benefit from what they’re saying or doing,’ said pollster Darrell Bricker.
Federal revenue, property, money losses spike to $534.2-million in 2022-23
An inverse of the previous year’s trends, lost public property cases were down in 2022-23, but the associated costs were higher, with 17,400 cases valued at $236.6-million.
Liberals look to press committee colleagues on Alberta’s pension proposal
After two unsuccessful attempts were met with a filibuster, Liberal MPs say a Finance Committee motion to celebrate the CPP will return.
Canada’s trying to fight inflation and restore economic growth through rear-view mirror policies
From geopolitical tensions to rising debt levels and aging, the effect of these trends is a reduction in the capacity of the supply side to respond to increases in aggregate demand. Supply cannot keep up, so this gap is taken up by price increase that are driving inflation. New approaches are needed.
Alberta’s threat to leave CPP presents political opportunity for feds, observers say, as Grits accuse Tories of filibuster at Finance Committee
Former Alberta NDP staffer Leah Ward said Chrystia Freeland has made a mistake offering to provide the federal government’s calculations on how much money the Alberta government would receive if it left the Canada Pension Plan as this plays ‘massively’ playing into the strategy of Danielle Smith.
Frustration grows as federal report reveals broad support for school food program, but no funding timeline
‘If the federal government wanted to do one thing quickly to address the key issue facing Canadians, which is the affordability of food, they will act on this,’ says the Coalition for Healthy School Food’s Debbie Field.
Federal spending dropped four per cent in 2022-23 as public debt charges continue climb
Finance Canada was the highest-spending department for the second year in a row at $117.8-billion, and ministerial office expenditures rose by $18.2-million in 2022-23.
Canada urgently needs more capital here at home
If we could get an extra five percentage points of the Canadian Pension Plan and other institutional pools of capital currently flowing into foreign markets diverted to the future Canadian economy, that could mean billions more dollars each year for investment in domestic enterprise, jobs, and high-value exports.
