Critical tax theory argues that tax fairness should take into account race, gender, and sexual orientation Imagine if, in her recent budget, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced higher taxes on capital gains – except for women, visible minorities and Black, LGBTQ+ and Indigenous Canadians. Most people would be appalled. But woking up the tax
Opinion/Comment
Blessing Mother’s
Dear Mama, Chere Mere Since your birth in the cosmos your star has been a brighter light in the universe You quickly understand your purpose on this planet You shine day and night illuminating life for those around you, a true hero’s radiance You walk in the valley of uncertainty with confidence and pride Hearing you whisper to yourself often even those words we can
Food Insecurity in Canada at a Crisis Stage
The poorest Canadians spend more than twice the national average of their income on food There are various metrics to assess a nation’s wealth, and one telling indicator is the proportion of disposable income that its citizens spend on food. While the Trudeau government has expressed a commitment to aid the impoverished and disadvantaged, new
How Tax Rates Impact the Cost of Food
Is it a mere coincidence that provinces with high tax rates see a greater share of income going towards food? As Canadians sit at their dining tables, the burden of what lies on their plates extends beyond mere calories. Recent data from Statistics Canada paints a stark picture of household disposable income consumed by food
Supporting the Prosperity and Success of Black Entrepreneurs
When I arrived in Quebec from my native Cameroon in 1986, I sensed early on that entrepreneurship would be my path. Eager to start my own business, I naturally turned to financial institutions for initial funding. However, I quickly realized that bringing my ideas to fruition would not be as easy as I had imagined.
Canada’s Banks Investing in Climate Disaster
The second iteration of the Bloomberg New Energy Finance report, released last December, highlighted how, for the second year in a row, Canadian banks rank amongst the worst in the world when measured on how much funding is directed to fossil fuels versus renewable energy. Last December, while testifying at the Senate banking committee studying Bill S-243 — the Climate-Aligned Finance Act — Superintendent of
Legislating for Fairness often Results in Unforeseen Consequences
Be careful what you wish for. Often, seeking solutions through laws and legal action only makes the problem worse In democracies such as Canada and the United States, leaders and governments have to be responsive to the needs and wants of the people who elect them if they are to stay in power. This is
Canadians are Getting Poorer at an Alarming Rate
The High Cost of Living is Affecting Canadians’ Ability to Access Healthy Food Canada appears to be a “trading-down” market, a trend that may persist for some time. Recent data from Statistics Canada on the food retail and service industries and fresh GDP figures paint a dismal picture, especially for those looking to attract more
Canada’s Premiers Have Failed the Basic Needs Test
The people are hungry and sleeping outside. Where are Canada’s premiers? In days of old, kings and queens were often judged by some pretty basic criteria: Did the people have enough to eat? Did they have a safe, warm place to lay their heads at night?. Looking around Canada today, it’s pretty clear that
Taxing Capital Gains Doesn’t Hurt Productivity, But Inequality Certainly Does
Canada’s productivity was higher during periods when capital gains taxes were higher The recent furor over the federal government’s capital gains tax increase has shone a light on the fact that, since 2000, the wealthiest Canadians have enjoyed a tax holiday on half of their income made through selling investments like stock and property while