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Michael Hatfield

Michael Hatfield is a retired senior economist from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. He also used to work for Jake Epp when he was minister of Health and Welfare (1984-1989) and Barbara MacDougall when she was minister of Employment and Immigration (1989-1991.) Prior to that, he worked as a researcher in social policy for the federal Progressive Conservative Caucus Research Office (1979-1984), worked on the 1976 leadership campaign for Flora MacDonald and worked in the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative party office during part of the term his uncle, Richard Hatfield (1974-1978).

Turning goals into results

  • In a country of many competing interests and multiple governments, getting them all to co-ordinate their activities to achieve the ambitious goals outlined at
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 2, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, centre. Canada's ambitious goals will require major initiatives by all levels of government, and by the private sector, as well as co-ordination between sectors if they are to be achieved efficiently and in a timely manner, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Turning goals into results

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 2, 2025
  • In a country of many competing interests and multiple governments, getting them all to co-ordinate their activities to achieve the ambitious goals outlined at

Turning goals into results

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 2, 2025
  • In a country of many competing interests and multiple governments, getting them all to co-ordinate their activities to achieve the ambitious goals outlined at
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, centre. Canada's ambitious goals will require major initiatives by all levels of government, and by the private sector, as well as co-ordination between sectors if they are to be achieved efficiently and in a timely manner, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Donald Trump as a George Orwell ‘nationalist’

  • Donald Trump has clearly shown whose side he is on: the powerful and the unethical, domestically, and the aggressors, internationally. We now know who
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 20, 2025
Donald Trump and his hardcore MAGA followers fit George Orwell's profile of 'nationalists' to a T. Their opinions cease to be formed based on objective facts or reasoned arguments, and reality is what the leader tells them it is, writes Michael Hatfield. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Donald Trump as a George Orwell ‘nationalist’

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 20, 2025
  • Donald Trump has clearly shown whose side he is on: the powerful and the unethical, domestically, and the aggressors, internationally. We now know who

Donald Trump as a George Orwell ‘nationalist’

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 20, 2025
  • Donald Trump has clearly shown whose side he is on: the powerful and the unethical, domestically, and the aggressors, internationally. We now know who
Donald Trump and his hardcore MAGA followers fit George Orwell's profile of 'nationalists' to a T. Their opinions cease to be formed based on objective facts or reasoned arguments, and reality is what the leader tells them it is, writes Michael Hatfield. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Looking beyond productivity stats will improve outcomes for Canadians

  • Having a bad short-term productivity performance since 2020 is a problem. Avoiding it at the cost of a continuing decline in the employment rate
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | December 14, 2023
Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan. A drop in labour productivity in return for achieving an all-time high in the prime age full-time employment rate, and a big increase in inflation-adjusted wages and salaries does not look like a bad bargain for the our economy or for Canadians, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Looking beyond productivity stats will improve outcomes for Canadians

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | December 14, 2023
  • Having a bad short-term productivity performance since 2020 is a problem. Avoiding it at the cost of a continuing decline in the employment rate

Looking beyond productivity stats will improve outcomes for Canadians

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | December 14, 2023
  • Having a bad short-term productivity performance since 2020 is a problem. Avoiding it at the cost of a continuing decline in the employment rate
Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan. A drop in labour productivity in return for achieving an all-time high in the prime age full-time employment rate, and a big increase in inflation-adjusted wages and salaries does not look like a bad bargain for the our economy or for Canadians, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A recipe for Conservative defeat

  • Not only is the party's national vote not efficiently distributed, but it has also become less efficiently distributed in the byelections since Pierre Poilievre
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 28, 2023
So far under Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, the Conservatives seem to be doubling down on rather than reversing the trends which denied them victory in 2019 and 2021, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A recipe for Conservative defeat

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 28, 2023
  • Not only is the party's national vote not efficiently distributed, but it has also become less efficiently distributed in the byelections since Pierre Poilievre

A recipe for Conservative defeat

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 28, 2023
  • Not only is the party's national vote not efficiently distributed, but it has also become less efficiently distributed in the byelections since Pierre Poilievre
So far under Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, the Conservatives seem to be doubling down on rather than reversing the trends which denied them victory in 2019 and 2021, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

This just in: high poverty rates and inequality are not inevitable

  • Disposable income inequality peaked in 2004. And the overall relative poverty rate, using a common international definition, peaked in 2015. Between 2004-2015, little progress
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 1, 2023
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured in Ottawa. So, what is the recipe for further progress against income inequality and poverty, writes Michael Hatfield. 'Build on the success of these recent policies which have been supported by federal and provincial governments of all political stripes.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

This just in: high poverty rates and inequality are not inevitable

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 1, 2023
  • Disposable income inequality peaked in 2004. And the overall relative poverty rate, using a common international definition, peaked in 2015. Between 2004-2015, little progress

This just in: high poverty rates and inequality are not inevitable

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 1, 2023
  • Disposable income inequality peaked in 2004. And the overall relative poverty rate, using a common international definition, peaked in 2015. Between 2004-2015, little progress
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured in Ottawa. So, what is the recipe for further progress against income inequality and poverty, writes Michael Hatfield. 'Build on the success of these recent policies which have been supported by federal and provincial governments of all political stripes.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The appropriate federal fiscal policy? You be the judge

  • On balance, the government’s choice to risk a rise in inflation to protect the living standards of the most vulnerable and minimize the number
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | December 12, 2022
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Nov. 24, 2022, in Ottawa. The federal fiscal response to the unprecedented changes in the economy brought on by the COVID pandemic seems to have been—if not exactly error-free—nimble and, on balance, appropriate, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The appropriate federal fiscal policy? You be the judge

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | December 12, 2022
  • On balance, the government’s choice to risk a rise in inflation to protect the living standards of the most vulnerable and minimize the number

The appropriate federal fiscal policy? You be the judge

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | December 12, 2022
  • On balance, the government’s choice to risk a rise in inflation to protect the living standards of the most vulnerable and minimize the number
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Nov. 24, 2022, in Ottawa. The federal fiscal response to the unprecedented changes in the economy brought on by the COVID pandemic seems to have been—if not exactly error-free—nimble and, on balance, appropriate, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Choosing the party leader: should it be left to the caucus?

  • While a party's parliamentary caucus may be the best body to decide when a leader should go, its members are not necessarily the best
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 10, 2022
Former British prime minister Liz Truss, left, resigned last month after only 44 days in office after her failed attempt to reorient the government's economic agenda, and current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia and Flickr

Choosing the party leader: should it be left to the caucus?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 10, 2022
  • While a party's parliamentary caucus may be the best body to decide when a leader should go, its members are not necessarily the best

Choosing the party leader: should it be left to the caucus?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 10, 2022
  • While a party's parliamentary caucus may be the best body to decide when a leader should go, its members are not necessarily the best
Former British prime minister Liz Truss, left, resigned last month after only 44 days in office after her failed attempt to reorient the government's economic agenda, and current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia and Flickr

Charest could win the next election for the Conservatives, Poilievre can’t 

  • After remaining neutral in the past two Conservative leadership campaigns, former party leader and prime minister Stephen Harper recently announced his support for Pierre
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 4, 2022
Networking at the Calgary Stampede: Jean Charest, left, greeting a woman, and Pierre Poilievre with a supporter, both pictured at the Calgary Stampede last month. A closer analysis of a recent Angus Reid poll reveals that Charest has the support needed to return the Conservatives to power, while Poilievre would continue the legacy of defeat started by Harper in 2015 and continued under the leadership of Andrew Scheer and Erin O’Toole, writes Michael Hatfield. Photographs courtesy of Twitter

Charest could win the next election for the Conservatives, Poilievre can’t 

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 4, 2022
  • After remaining neutral in the past two Conservative leadership campaigns, former party leader and prime minister Stephen Harper recently announced his support for Pierre

Charest could win the next election for the Conservatives, Poilievre can’t 

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 4, 2022
  • After remaining neutral in the past two Conservative leadership campaigns, former party leader and prime minister Stephen Harper recently announced his support for Pierre
Networking at the Calgary Stampede: Jean Charest, left, greeting a woman, and Pierre Poilievre with a supporter, both pictured at the Calgary Stampede last month. A closer analysis of a recent Angus Reid poll reveals that Charest has the support needed to return the Conservatives to power, while Poilievre would continue the legacy of defeat started by Harper in 2015 and continued under the leadership of Andrew Scheer and Erin O’Toole, writes Michael Hatfield. Photographs courtesy of Twitter

A Guaranteed Basic Income is tempting, but there’s got to be a better way

  • Is a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) the best way to tackle poverty? Many Canadians would answer yes. This policy is appealing because it is
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | May 12, 2022
NDP MP Leah Gazan and Independent Senator Kim Pate both have private member's bills proposing a Guaranteed Basic Income in the House and in the Senate, respectively. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

A Guaranteed Basic Income is tempting, but there’s got to be a better way

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | May 12, 2022
  • Is a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) the best way to tackle poverty? Many Canadians would answer yes. This policy is appealing because it is

A Guaranteed Basic Income is tempting, but there’s got to be a better way

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | May 12, 2022
  • Is a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) the best way to tackle poverty? Many Canadians would answer yes. This policy is appealing because it is
NDP MP Leah Gazan and Independent Senator Kim Pate both have private member's bills proposing a Guaranteed Basic Income in the House and in the Senate, respectively. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Poverty rates are falling: has anybody noticed? 

  • Just over five years ago (“It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada,” The Hill Times, Nov. 28, 2016), I made some bold
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 31, 2022
The other mystery to be solved is why this historic success in combating poverty and disposable income inequality received so little attention. It’s not as if Stats Can didn’t draw attention to the progress being made. An article accompanying the 2020 Canadian Income Survey release and a statement drawn from that article by the Department of Employment and Social Development both drew attention to significant achievements, writes Michael Hatfield. Image courtesy of Mike Chai/Pexels

Poverty rates are falling: has anybody noticed? 

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 31, 2022
  • Just over five years ago (“It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada,” The Hill Times, Nov. 28, 2016), I made some bold

Poverty rates are falling: has anybody noticed? 

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 31, 2022
  • Just over five years ago (“It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada,” The Hill Times, Nov. 28, 2016), I made some bold
The other mystery to be solved is why this historic success in combating poverty and disposable income inequality received so little attention. It’s not as if Stats Can didn’t draw attention to the progress being made. An article accompanying the 2020 Canadian Income Survey release and a statement drawn from that article by the Department of Employment and Social Development both drew attention to significant achievements, writes Michael Hatfield. Image courtesy of Mike Chai/Pexels

U.S. urgently needs full employment

  • Recently, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that if the measures in U.S. President Joe Biden’s massive relief and recovery package were not passed,
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 11, 2021
Recently, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that if the measures in U.S. President Joe Biden’s massive relief and recovery package were not passed, a return to full employment would not occur until 2025. But if his package passed, she claimed full employment could be achieved in 2022. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

U.S. urgently needs full employment

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 11, 2021
  • Recently, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that if the measures in U.S. President Joe Biden’s massive relief and recovery package were not passed,

U.S. urgently needs full employment

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | March 11, 2021
  • Recently, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that if the measures in U.S. President Joe Biden’s massive relief and recovery package were not passed,
Recently, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that if the measures in U.S. President Joe Biden’s massive relief and recovery package were not passed, a return to full employment would not occur until 2025. But if his package passed, she claimed full employment could be achieved in 2022. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Lessons from New Brunswick’s pandemic election

  • On Sept. 14, New Brunswick held the first general election in Canada since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some fears, turnout was
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | September 16, 2020
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs secured a majority on Sept. 14, in what was the country's first election since the COVID-19 pandemic. Photograph courtesy of Blaine Higgs' Twitter profile

Lessons from New Brunswick’s pandemic election

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | September 16, 2020
  • On Sept. 14, New Brunswick held the first general election in Canada since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some fears, turnout was

Lessons from New Brunswick’s pandemic election

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | September 16, 2020
  • On Sept. 14, New Brunswick held the first general election in Canada since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some fears, turnout was
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs secured a majority on Sept. 14, in what was the country's first election since the COVID-19 pandemic. Photograph courtesy of Blaine Higgs' Twitter profile

The Conservative dilemma

  • OTTAWA—When a party loses an election it had expected to win, those agitating for a change in leadership are sure to find a receptive
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 4, 2019
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, pictured on Oct. 7, 2019, arriving at the televised leadership debate in Gatineau, Que. The current rumblings about dumping Andrew Scheer as leader mask a deeper and more painful choice for the Conservative Party, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Conservative dilemma

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When a party loses an election it had expected to win, those agitating for a change in leadership are sure to find a receptive

The Conservative dilemma

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When a party loses an election it had expected to win, those agitating for a change in leadership are sure to find a receptive
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, pictured on Oct. 7, 2019, arriving at the televised leadership debate in Gatineau, Que. The current rumblings about dumping Andrew Scheer as leader mask a deeper and more painful choice for the Conservative Party, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is the federal government still running a deficit? It depends

  • OTTAWA—During the 2015 election campaign, the Liberals announced that, if elected, they would temporarily run a deficit of approximately $10-billion to stimulate the economy
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | October 16, 2019
Pointing to Public Accounts data, the Conservative Party and business journalists agree that the Liberals broke their promise to run deficits of no more than $10-billion and to return quickly to a surplus. But Statistics Canada’s National Accounts data leads to a very different conclusion. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Is the federal government still running a deficit? It depends

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | October 16, 2019
  • OTTAWA—During the 2015 election campaign, the Liberals announced that, if elected, they would temporarily run a deficit of approximately $10-billion to stimulate the economy

Is the federal government still running a deficit? It depends

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | October 16, 2019
  • OTTAWA—During the 2015 election campaign, the Liberals announced that, if elected, they would temporarily run a deficit of approximately $10-billion to stimulate the economy
Pointing to Public Accounts data, the Conservative Party and business journalists agree that the Liberals broke their promise to run deficits of no more than $10-billion and to return quickly to a surplus. But Statistics Canada’s National Accounts data leads to a very different conclusion. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Liberals’ 2015 economic and fiscal plan: did they deliver? Yep

  • OTTAWA—In August 2015, the federal Liberals presented a bold and ambitious fiscal and economic platform. At a time when even the federal NDP was
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 1, 2019
Prime minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on June 17, 2019, in Ottawa with his chief of staff, Katie Telford, centre, and his director of communications, Kate Purchase, left. They also delivered on the promise that the increase in the net debt to GDP ratio would be reversed after the 2016-17 fiscal year, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Liberals’ 2015 economic and fiscal plan: did they deliver? Yep

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—In August 2015, the federal Liberals presented a bold and ambitious fiscal and economic platform. At a time when even the federal NDP was

Liberals’ 2015 economic and fiscal plan: did they deliver? Yep

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—In August 2015, the federal Liberals presented a bold and ambitious fiscal and economic platform. At a time when even the federal NDP was
Prime minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on June 17, 2019, in Ottawa with his chief of staff, Katie Telford, centre, and his director of communications, Kate Purchase, left. They also delivered on the promise that the increase in the net debt to GDP ratio would be reversed after the 2016-17 fiscal year, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Eliminating poverty with a universal basic income: the devil is in the details

  • OTTAWA—Why hasn’t every government in the world adopted a universal basic income (UBI)? The Ontario government was testing a form of UBI at five
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 13, 2018
Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured. Why hasn’t every government in the world adopted a universal basic income, asks Michael Hatfield. The Ontario government is currently testing a form of UBI at five sites throughout Ontario and its advocates claim it would end poverty. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Eliminating poverty with a universal basic income: the devil is in the details

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 13, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Why hasn’t every government in the world adopted a universal basic income (UBI)? The Ontario government was testing a form of UBI at five

Eliminating poverty with a universal basic income: the devil is in the details

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | August 13, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Why hasn’t every government in the world adopted a universal basic income (UBI)? The Ontario government was testing a form of UBI at five
Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured. Why hasn’t every government in the world adopted a universal basic income, asks Michael Hatfield. The Ontario government is currently testing a form of UBI at five sites throughout Ontario and its advocates claim it would end poverty. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Louis Riel: tragic Father of Confederation

  • No other Father of Confederation fits the model of tragic hero so well as Louis Riel. Drawing on youthful audacity and precocious political skills,
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | June 11, 2018
No other Father of Confederation fits the model of tragic hero so well as Louis Riel, pictured centre, writes Michael Hatfield. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

Louis Riel: tragic Father of Confederation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | June 11, 2018
  • No other Father of Confederation fits the model of tragic hero so well as Louis Riel. Drawing on youthful audacity and precocious political skills,

Louis Riel: tragic Father of Confederation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | June 11, 2018
  • No other Father of Confederation fits the model of tragic hero so well as Louis Riel. Drawing on youthful audacity and precocious political skills,
No other Father of Confederation fits the model of tragic hero so well as Louis Riel, pictured centre, writes Michael Hatfield. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

Charles Tupper: Tenacious champion of Confederation

  • Of all the original Fathers of Confederation, Charles Tupper of Nova Scotia was its most tenacious champion in one of its most inhospitable environments.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | April 2, 2018
Sir Charles Tupper, a Canadian father of Confederation as premier of Nova Scotia from 1864 to 1867, he led Nova Scotia into Confederation and later served as the sixth prime minister of Canada from May 1, 1896 until July 8, 1896. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Charles Tupper: Tenacious champion of Confederation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | April 2, 2018
  • Of all the original Fathers of Confederation, Charles Tupper of Nova Scotia was its most tenacious champion in one of its most inhospitable environments.

Charles Tupper: Tenacious champion of Confederation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | April 2, 2018
  • Of all the original Fathers of Confederation, Charles Tupper of Nova Scotia was its most tenacious champion in one of its most inhospitable environments.
Sir Charles Tupper, a Canadian father of Confederation as premier of Nova Scotia from 1864 to 1867, he led Nova Scotia into Confederation and later served as the sixth prime minister of Canada from May 1, 1896 until July 8, 1896. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Leonard Tilley: unlikely saviour of Confederation, ‘rare example of a politician who knew when not to talk’

  • OTTAWA—When British North American colonial leaders gathered at Québec City in 1864 to shape the details of the Confederation project, one man stood out,
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | October 30, 2017
Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley was one of the Fathers of Confederation and the lieutenant governor of New Brunswick. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Leonard Tilley: unlikely saviour of Confederation, ‘rare example of a politician who knew when not to talk’

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | October 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—When British North American colonial leaders gathered at Québec City in 1864 to shape the details of the Confederation project, one man stood out,

Leonard Tilley: unlikely saviour of Confederation, ‘rare example of a politician who knew when not to talk’

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | October 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—When British North American colonial leaders gathered at Québec City in 1864 to shape the details of the Confederation project, one man stood out,
Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley was one of the Fathers of Confederation and the lieutenant governor of New Brunswick. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Alexander Galt and Confederation as an economic union

  • OTTAWA—Originally, Confederation was meant to be not just a political but an economic union. The purpose of this economic union was the creation of
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 24, 2017
CPR railroad financier Donald Smith, pictured at Craigellachie, B.C. at 9:22 a.m. on Nov. 7, 1885, driving the ceremonial final spike driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), marking the end of a saga of natural disasters, financial crises, and even rebellion that plagued Canada's first transcontinental railroad from its beginning. Photograph courtesy of Canadian Encyclopedia

Alexander Galt and Confederation as an economic union

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 24, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Originally, Confederation was meant to be not just a political but an economic union. The purpose of this economic union was the creation of

Alexander Galt and Confederation as an economic union

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 24, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Originally, Confederation was meant to be not just a political but an economic union. The purpose of this economic union was the creation of
CPR railroad financier Donald Smith, pictured at Craigellachie, B.C. at 9:22 a.m. on Nov. 7, 1885, driving the ceremonial final spike driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), marking the end of a saga of natural disasters, financial crises, and even rebellion that plagued Canada's first transcontinental railroad from its beginning. Photograph courtesy of Canadian Encyclopedia

Anne and George Brown: parents of Canadian federalism

  • OTTAWA—The metaphor of a marriage is often used to describe the union of the British North American provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | May 29, 2017
John A. Macdonald, George-Étienne Cartier, and John G. Irvine, pictured in 1860. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Anne and George Brown: parents of Canadian federalism

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | May 29, 2017
  • OTTAWA—The metaphor of a marriage is often used to describe the union of the British North American provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova

Anne and George Brown: parents of Canadian federalism

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | May 29, 2017
  • OTTAWA—The metaphor of a marriage is often used to describe the union of the British North American provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova
John A. Macdonald, George-Étienne Cartier, and John G. Irvine, pictured in 1860. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canadian diversity, M-103, and Cartier’s vision

  • OTTAWA—The year 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation, should be more than an occasion for “feel good” celebrations and parties. It should also be
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | April 17, 2017
In February 1865, during the debate on Confederation in the legislature of the Province of Canada, George-Étienne Cartier, pictured, also wrestled with the issue of diversity and Canadian nationality. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canadian diversity, M-103, and Cartier’s vision

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | April 17, 2017
  • OTTAWA—The year 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation, should be more than an occasion for “feel good” celebrations and parties. It should also be

Canadian diversity, M-103, and Cartier’s vision

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | April 17, 2017
  • OTTAWA—The year 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation, should be more than an occasion for “feel good” celebrations and parties. It should also be
In February 1865, during the debate on Confederation in the legislature of the Province of Canada, George-Étienne Cartier, pictured, also wrestled with the issue of diversity and Canadian nationality. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

After the international Women’s Marches, what next?

  • OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it’s estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | January 30, 2017

After the international Women’s Marches, what next?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | January 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it’s estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of

After the international Women’s Marches, what next?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | January 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it’s estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of

After the Women’s Marches, what next?

  • OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it’s estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | January 30, 2017
Women pictured in Ottawa on Jan. 21, 2017, taking part in the Women's March in protest to Donald Trump's presidency. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

After the Women’s Marches, what next?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | January 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it’s estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of

After the Women’s Marches, what next?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | January 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it’s estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of
Women pictured in Ottawa on Jan. 21, 2017, taking part in the Women's March in protest to Donald Trump's presidency. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada

  • The first two articles in this series made the following points: Between 1990 and 2000, market and disposable income inequality in Canada rose significantly,
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 28, 2016
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Canada Child Benefit is much more generous than its predecessor, the National Child Benefit, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

How to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 28, 2016
  • The first two articles in this series made the following points: Between 1990 and 2000, market and disposable income inequality in Canada rose significantly,

How to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 28, 2016
  • The first two articles in this series made the following points: Between 1990 and 2000, market and disposable income inequality in Canada rose significantly,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Canada Child Benefit is much more generous than its predecessor, the National Child Benefit, writes Michael Hatfield. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Why inequality and poverty fell after 2000

  • OTTAWA—My column in last Monday’s issue, “It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada,” pointed out that between 2000 and 2014, market and
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 21, 2016
Unlike increased welfare payments, these present no disincentive to earn and, in the case of the WITB, actually provide an incentive to take low-paying jobs. The incentive to take entry-level jobs was further buttressed by substantial real increases in minimum wages in almost every province. The result was lower income inequality, lower poverty rates, particularly for children and substantial real increases in disposable incomes in the bottom half of the income distribution. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Why inequality and poverty fell after 2000

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 21, 2016
  • OTTAWA—My column in last Monday’s issue, “It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada,” pointed out that between 2000 and 2014, market and

Why inequality and poverty fell after 2000

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 21, 2016
  • OTTAWA—My column in last Monday’s issue, “It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada,” pointed out that between 2000 and 2014, market and
Unlike increased welfare payments, these present no disincentive to earn and, in the case of the WITB, actually provide an incentive to take low-paying jobs. The incentive to take entry-level jobs was further buttressed by substantial real increases in minimum wages in almost every province. The result was lower income inequality, lower poverty rates, particularly for children and substantial real increases in disposable incomes in the bottom half of the income distribution. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada

  • Many people believe that income and wealth inequality and poverty are serious and growing problems in Canada. But the perception that the situation has
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 14, 2016
There is no official measure of poverty for Canada, as a whole. The measure of low income with the longest history of data collection is the 1992 base post-income tax low income cut-offs. Using this measure, the low income rate for children under age 18 living changed little between 1990 and 2000, dipping from 14.0 per cent to 13.9 per cent. The rate for all persons 18-64 rose from 11.2 per cent to 12.9 per cent. Between 2000 and 2014, the rate for children fell sharply from 13.9 per cent to an all-time low of 8.5 per cent. The rate for persons aged 18-64 fell from 12.9 per cent to 10.0 per cent. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 14, 2016
  • Many people believe that income and wealth inequality and poverty are serious and growing problems in Canada. But the perception that the situation has

It’s time to tackle inequality and poverty in Canada

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | November 14, 2016
  • Many people believe that income and wealth inequality and poverty are serious and growing problems in Canada. But the perception that the situation has
There is no official measure of poverty for Canada, as a whole. The measure of low income with the longest history of data collection is the 1992 base post-income tax low income cut-offs. Using this measure, the low income rate for children under age 18 living changed little between 1990 and 2000, dipping from 14.0 per cent to 13.9 per cent. The rate for all persons 18-64 rose from 11.2 per cent to 12.9 per cent. Between 2000 and 2014, the rate for children fell sharply from 13.9 per cent to an all-time low of 8.5 per cent. The rate for persons aged 18-64 fell from 12.9 per cent to 10.0 per cent. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
More Stories

There’s a Canadian precedent for U.K. government’s Brexit decision

  • OTTAWA—A national vote is held on a controversial issue. The overall result is close with the winning side’s margin under four per cent. One
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 4, 2016
One of the main Leave supporters, United Kingdom Independence Party Leader Nigel Farage, has already admitted that their popular promise to voters during the campaign that all the money currently paid to the EU by the U.K. would be redirected into increased funding for the National Health Service was 'a mistake.' Photograph courtesy of YouTube

There’s a Canadian precedent for U.K. government’s Brexit decision

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 4, 2016
  • OTTAWA—A national vote is held on a controversial issue. The overall result is close with the winning side’s margin under four per cent. One

There’s a Canadian precedent for U.K. government’s Brexit decision

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | July 4, 2016
  • OTTAWA—A national vote is held on a controversial issue. The overall result is close with the winning side’s margin under four per cent. One
One of the main Leave supporters, United Kingdom Independence Party Leader Nigel Farage, has already admitted that their popular promise to voters during the campaign that all the money currently paid to the EU by the U.K. would be redirected into increased funding for the National Health Service was 'a mistake.' Photograph courtesy of YouTube

Orwell’s anticipation of the ‘nationalism’ of Donald Trump

  • OTTAWA—Donald Trump has now passed the threshold where he has enough delegate support to assure him the Republican nomination for president. This development has
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | June 6, 2016
The endorsement of Donald Trump is a sad commentary on how much the Republican Party's hatred and fear of Hillary Clinton and the Democrats has unhinged their ability to see where the true danger to the Republic lies in the coming election. Photograph courtesy of YouTube

Orwell’s anticipation of the ‘nationalism’ of Donald Trump

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | June 6, 2016
  • OTTAWA—Donald Trump has now passed the threshold where he has enough delegate support to assure him the Republican nomination for president. This development has

Orwell’s anticipation of the ‘nationalism’ of Donald Trump

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HATFIELD | June 6, 2016
  • OTTAWA—Donald Trump has now passed the threshold where he has enough delegate support to assure him the Republican nomination for president. This development has
The endorsement of Donald Trump is a sad commentary on how much the Republican Party's hatred and fear of Hillary Clinton and the Democrats has unhinged their ability to see where the true danger to the Republic lies in the coming election. Photograph courtesy of YouTube

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