For those with fetal alcohol disorders, budget isn’t quite as inclusive as it claims
Inclusivity appears to be the mandate of the 2021 budget, as the federal government claims it to be an “inclusive plan” that will support “full economic participation for all Canadians.” How is it then, that four per cent of Canadians, once again, find themselves left out of this year’s budget? Not one cent of that […]
Budget 2021 missed opportunity to unleash economic growth across cannabis sector
When Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland rose in the House of Commons to present her government’s budget, it was the eve of 4/20, the unofficial international day of celebration for many in the cannabis community. We took it as a positive omen that Minister Freeland had heard our call and accepted our offer to contribute more […]
Liberals’ budget falls immensely short on preparing Canada for future pandemics
Last week’s Liberal budget called for finishing the fight against COVID-19 and ensuring a resilient economic recovery amidst Canada’s worst week of cases. The government intends to invest $2.2-billion in the life sciences and bio-manufacturing sector. It’s about time to boost Canada’s domestic biomanufacturing capability, as frequent vaccine delays reveal supply-chain risks poised to disrupt […]
Mixed reviews on budget supports for hard-hit tourism industry, amid calls for a national recovery strategy
The tourism sector has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, and while some were satisfied with the new budget’s announcements in the tourism sector, others were less enthused, with problems with current support being brought to the forefront. According to a March report from Destination Canada, the federal government’s tourism marketing arm, nine per […]
Scratching the surface: more needed to address northern housing, say MPs, experts
New funding allotted for the North in the recent federal budget won’t make a dent in the housing problems that plague these communities, and more needs to be done in a multitude of areas, experts say. Housing conditions in the North came under a spotlight following the release of NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq’s (Nunavut) report, […]
In combatting climate change, the more ambition the better
On Earth Day on April 22, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new, steeper reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions for Canada: to reduce them by up to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. It raises the stakes of its previous target, set in Paris at the end of 2015, to reduce emissions […]
With an ambitious domestic policy budget, Liberals leave little for foreign affairs
While the Trudeau Liberal government focused on a domestic recovery from the public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it left foreign policy largely ignored in its first budget in two years. Ambitious plans for childcare and Indigenous spending were unveiled in the April 19 budget, but that same ambition wasn’t […]
Here’s the hard-to-swallow truth about hunger
Community, camaraderie, and “care-mongering”– an almost obsessive tendency toward being helpful— were emblematic of Canada’s first pandemic wave. We were all in this together. The fear and anxiety felt by everyone was powerfully unifying. Now, as the third wave drags on, our spirits have been dulled by the painful truth of structural and unjust inequality. […]
Ottawa’s historic, forward-looking budget hinges on real partnership
With Budget 2021, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have put all their chips down on the proposition that more than $100-billion in strategic investments will set the stage for a 21st-century era of inclusive, sustainable Canadian prosperity. If they are right, concerns about eye-popping deficits and the doubling of the national […]
Our challenge is to create a new normal
TORONTO—In her budget speech last week, an optimistic Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland promised that, “the Canadian economy is poised to come roaring back.” And she has a good chance of being right. At least for the short-term. But the longer term is another question. There’s little doubt that keeping our $2.4-trillion economy on life support […]
