Behind the Numbers

History tells us that the Bank of Canada has a 0% success rate in fighting inflation by quickly raising interest rates. If a pilot told me that they’d only ever attempted a particular landing three times in the past 60 years with a 0% success rate, that’s not a plane I’d want to be on. Unfortunately, that looks likes the plane all Canadians are on now.

Throughout the pandemic, many small- and medium-sized businesses have weathered the storm, thanks to federal government help. In his deputation to Canada's federal Industry Committee, David Macdonald says it's time to give those businesses an "off-ramp".

This isn’t a workers’ wage-led recovery; in fact, inflation is eating into workers’ wages, diminishing their ability to recover from the pandemic recession. Corporate profits are capturing more economic growth than in any previous recession recovery period over the past 50 years.

Provincial underfunding of health care has consequences for all Ontarians

The Ontario government has tabled its election budget. Public services got short shrift.

A strong public education system that allows all children to recover from these difficult years is possible

Government custodians of wealth and power have been unwilling to address the income and wealth pyramid in Canada. They neglect this at our peril.

The pandemic, through the eyes of our researchers

Ontario has lagged behind other provinces for a long time

Canada needs to take the profit motive out of the long-term care system

The solution to high gasoline prices is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels altogether

As we head into budget season, the question we should be asking is: recovery for whom?

If new revenues go to tax cuts, not public services, we will all pay the price

We must ensure high oil prices today translate into green jobs and a clean economy tomorrow

If the provincial government needs more money—and it certainly does—then why has it been giving so much away?

Tackling inflation can be part of a public-led recovery—it only requires government to reduce or maintain prices in areas they control.