Dwight Duncan, who up until a few months ago was Ontario’s Minster of Finance, recently suggested that his colleagues at Queen’s Park should force the Mayor of Toronto from officeover un-proven substance abuse allegations. Soon after, the federal Minister of Finance indicated he would prevent the Government of Ontario from setting variable sales tax ratesto raise revenue for its Greater Toronto Area transit plans. While not connected, these two incidents underscore the troubled state of Canadian federalism.
Municipal Government
Municipal Amalgamation – Not a Good Idea
Given the opportunity, I would support a move back to two councils and a shared services agreement.
Mergers of RMs Ignorant
Among independent researchers who study local-government finance, however, the idea that forced mergers magically create efficiency is about as popular as climate-change denial is for climatologists. The financial consequences of this simplistic policy usually follow a predictable pattern, no matter how large or small the unwilling partners involved.
Uber Takes Flack for Increasing Rates During Flood to Lure More Drivers
“Price gouging” during crises is a sensitive issue. Comments on a recent Huffington Post piece by my colleague Peter McCaffrey illustrate just how angry some people get over the issue. As mean spirited as raising prices to “take advantage” of soaring demand may seem, the case for price increases during natural disasters is incredibly straightfoward.
Featured News
A Year of LNG Royalties/Taxes from a Single Pipeline Could Pay for …
Sitting on top of one of the world’s largest and richest natural resource warehouses is turning into quite a disconcerting distraction. While much of Canada’s population – the heavily urban part for whom “rural” means Whistler, Muskoka, or Mont Tremblant – likes to...
Medical Martial Law – Never Again
The economic upheaval now roiling over the world’s financial markets, rapidly lowering living standards, and even threatening to freeze Europeans this winter, is all directly related to the radical decision most western leaders took in March of 2020., when a new...
Saskatchewan Parties Offer Divergent Visions
The fact that Brad Wall is headed for a majority government is essentially beyond doubt. The NDP has felt the need to embrace old left policies to try to hang onto its remaining supporters. While the election may not be competitive, voters will have two very different visions to choose from.
Cabinet-making 101
Frontier’s research director has a quick look at Alison Redford’s new cabinet in Alberta and concludes that it is a cautious cabinet, and does not deliver the amount of change that many had come to expect from her leadership campaign.
Is the City Making the Grade When it Comes to Transparency?
Today’s column, as was last week’s, is in response to an article in this newspaper last week that read, in part: “City staff is fending off criticisms that it refused to disclose records on public spending, saying the municipality has made great strides to give the public access to government reports and budgets.”
Is Multi-Party Democracy Emerging Alberta
it now looks like the province will be presented with a choice of voter options
How to Get Young People to Vote
If you know a young person that isn’t likely to vote in the upcoming provincial election, show them this column — it should get them motivated. You see, there’s a big financial iceberg headed toward our province and young people are going to get the shaft unless we change course now.
How Declining Cities Can Reverse Their Fortunes
Florida economist Dean Stansel, who analyzed the growth records of the 100 most populous U.S. metropolitan cities across the past 30 years, says economic growth tracks state and municipal tax rates. The lower the rates, the greater the growth.
Three Right-Wing Parties in Alberta?!?!
Even for Alberta, three right-of-centre parties may sound like an impossibility. But not this summer.
Municipal Taxes and Services
If people realized how much their local library branch and other service cost them as individuals, would their definition of essential core services change?
Tale of Many Cities Managing Growth
I had an interesting chat the other day with my friend, Michael Zwaagstra, as we were visiting their place in Steinbach, Man. In addition to being a published author on the subject of education and a school teacher, Michael is also a second term city councillor for the City of Steinbach.