The data on provincial debt indicates that Alberta has plenty of room to borrow more money. Alberta’s March 2011 net debt is in a negative position, indicating that its low level of debt is outweighed by its financial assets. But without better policies and practices, Alberta’s public debt can become an unruly beast.
Taxation
Selinger’s Broken Tax Promise is the Least of it
The Selinger government is amending provincial balanced budget legislation to enable its surprise PST increase. More troublingly, it is taking clear measures to exempt itself from the legislation in the event of foreseeable financial challenges the government refuses to prepare for.
Conflicted, Inept: Manitoba’s Government and Budget Fails
Manitoba's beleaguered NDP government has tabled its budget for 2013-14, a tale long on failure, excuses and self-serving platitudes, while short on self-criticism, forthcoming reportage and analysis. The government projects another annual deficit, despite an...
Someone Will Eventually Have to Clean Up the Conservatives’ Tax Code
Some day, likely many years from now, a federal government will clean up the mess the Harper Conservatives have made of the tax code. For entirely political reasons, the Conservatives have offended two core principles of good tax policy, and they did nothing about either offence in this week’s budget.
Featured News
Why University?
In this essay, I explain that young people should come to university to be educated, and not to become credentialed; the public should support universities because universities educate young people, not because they produce credentialled workers. Why should a...
A Lamentable Tale of Two Colonies
During the whole of recorded history, the empire has been the most constant and common form of political organization. A basic, self-evident feature of all empire-building has been the successful occupation of the lands of the local, Indigenous inhabitants by outside...
Safe Spending Plan Could Cost Tories
It’s hard not to read between the lines of Finance Minister Lloyd Snelgrove’s comments about the provincial budget he delivers Thursday. Snelgrove describes the financial blueprint as “practical,” and “not too flashy.”
Big Business Wants Higher Sales Taxes
....the Business Council of Manitoba asks the city to pursue a one-point increase in Manitoba's seven per cent provincial sales tax to raise additional revenue for infrastructure. It also urged the province to hold a referendum to make that possible. The business...
Reaganomics: What We Learned: From December 1982 to June 1990, Reaganomics created over 21 million jobs. The right policies can do it again
For 16 years prior to Ronald Reagan’s presidency, the U.S. economy was in a tailspin—a result of bipartisan ignorance that resulted in tax increases, dollar devaluations, wage and price controls, minimum-wage hikes, misguided spending, pandering to unions, protectionist measures and other policy mistakes.
Watchdogs or Poodles? (Part 6 of 8): Independent Agencies in the Supplicant Society
There is a conflict of interest when a government must decide if it will call an inquiry into its own conduct. The solution is to introduce a major role for an independent official. That person would be a preliminary investigator examining the need for an inquiry, considering carefully its scope and the protections to be given to those under scrutiny, and would make a decision or a public recommendation to the government of the day.
Greece’s Cosseted Classes Fight Red Tape Reform
After a year full of strikes protesting reforms and budget cuts, Greece is bracing for more unrest. The Socialist government’s efforts to liberalize the country’s hidebound service industries is threatening to provoke a storm of protests from groups ranging from taxi drivers to bakers.
Media Release – Public Administration Wage Growth: Comparing rates of wage growth in industries across the Canadian economy (1998-2009)
Between 1998 and 2009, wage growth for federal government public administration workers grew by 59%. This compares to an average rate of wage growth of just 30% across the rest of the economy.
Public Administration Wage Growth: Comparing rates of wage growth in industries across the Canadian economy (1998-2009)
Between 1998 and 2009, wage growth for federal government public administration workers grew by 59%. This compares to an average rate of wage growth of just 30% across the rest of the economy.
Accountability Framework: Have we arrived there yet?
A few weeks ago I made reference to the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. It has come up with a national Municipality Transparency Index. Saint John was rated last on a list of 133 cities. Armed with awareness I decided to spend a bit of time digging through the City of Saint John’s website in an effort to become more enlightened.
The Trouble with Taxing Top Earners: Postwar economic growth does not demonstrate high top rates are harmless
Drastically higher taxes on the rich are not the right response to growing income inequality in Canada.