Dear Friends and Members,
Today the CCPA released an analysis of the impacts of a Canada-EU free trade deal (CETA). Canada already has a large bilateral trade deficit with the EU—$15 billion in goods and close to $4 billion in services, and loses some 70,000 jobs as a result. This study finds a free trade agreement would make that imbalance worse.
Out of Equilibrium: The Impact of EU-Canada Free Trade on the Real Economy, by CCPA research associate Jim Stanford, models three scenarios to provide a range of estimates regarding the likely impacts of EU-Canada free trade. In every case, Canada's bilateral trade balance worsens significantly. The simulations suggest an incremental loss of between 28,000 and 150,000 Canadian jobs.
Click here to read the full report.
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Also, what do you think of when you hear the word “taxes”? Trish Hennessy and Stephen Dale put together an excellent outline of the benefits of taxes in a report called The Power of Taxes: The Case for Investing in Canadians.
They show how the public services that taxes pay for provide a bargain for Canadians, how a fair tax system creates more social equity, and how good public services attract business investments and create jobs.
Click here to download the report.
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Events On Friday, Ottawa will welcome the internationally-renowned economist, David Korten — an event co-sponsored by the CCPA. Click here for more information on the evening and the Saturday workshop that follows, as well as information on how to purchase tickets. Other CCPA events taking place:
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Select articles from the September and October issues of The Monitor are now on our website. The Monitor is sent to all members of the CCPA. Click here to become a member.
All the best,
Bruce Campbell, Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
205-75 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7 tel: 613-563-1341 fax: 613-233-1458 email: info@policyalternatives.ca http://www.policyalternatives.ca |
February 11, 2012
Dear CCPA Friends and Members, I have a number of new updates to share with you today: we recently hosted a thought-provoking and successful economist roundtable on Canada and the global economic crisis; our new paper on Old Age Security sheds some light on the program's affordability and the possible plan to raise the age for eligibility; the latest edition of Our Schools/Our Selves examines the changing story of information and communication technology in classrooms; and a round-up of the latest blog posts. Alternative Federal Budget Roundtable: Can Canada Escape a Lost Decade? As part of the consultations undertaken in preparation of our forthcoming Alternative Federal Budget, the CCPA hosted an economist roundtable, The Global Economic Crisis: Can Canada Escape a Lost Decade? on January 26, 2012. The event brought together several leading Canadian economists to address the appropriate fiscal policy response to Canada’s anemic economic recovery, as well as three internationally recognized authorities who shared their perspectives on the nature of the global economic crisis, how it’s likely to unfold, and obstacles to reform. Our international keynote speakers included Yanis Varoufakis, Stephanie Griffith-Jones and Thomas Palley. CCPA's Executive Director, Bruce Campbell hosted the roundtable and also wrote a timely op-ed for the Hill Times on the steps our federal government can take to weather the economic crisis. Read his commentary, here: Can Canada Escape a Lost Decade? For more about the roundtable, check out our post-event blog post and watch the keynote speeches online (via CPAC): Keynote I: Perspectives on the global crisis and what to do Keynote II: Perspective on the U.S. and the global crisis, and the way forward Old Age (In)Security and Pension Reform Old Age Security (OAS) is the basic building block of Canada’s retirement income system, providing a pension for people age 65 and over in Canada. Canadians build on that foundation, saving for their retirement with benefits from the Canada or Quebec Pension Plan, a workplace pension if they’re lucky enough to have one, and private savings. But now Prime Minster Harper says OAS is unsustainable and will not be able to accommodate the retirement of the baby boom generation over the next 20 years. Subsequently, the government is now considering controversial reforms to pension programs—including raising the age of eligibility for OAS from 65 to 67. A new CCPA report by Monica Townson, Old Age Security: Can We Afford It? sheds some light on the negative impact of cuts to Canada's pension programs and also addresses its sustainability, given government claims that OAS costs will be soon be “unaffordable.” Click here to read the full report. The CCPA has also produced several other resources on pension reform, including analysis of the possible plan to raise the age for OAS eligibility. You can find a compiled list on our website here. Our Schools/Our Selves: Every Tool Shapes the Task (Winter 2012) The common story of why we need to integrate information and communication technology into education has changed. A dozen years ago it was about changing and preparing students. Now it's about changing the schools to fit the kids. This shift generates enthusiasm about changes among many—but not everyone. The speed and breadth of technological change and how it plays out in education is creating many battles. The Winter 2012 issue of Our Schools/Our Selves -- Every Tool Shapes the Task identifies some of these areas of conflict and how they play out in schools and for students and teachers. The articles in this issue frame some of the many areas of conflict over education—conflicts that grow out of social, cultural, political and technological changes and differences. Click here for a preview or to order your copy. Blog Round-up CCPA's national blog, Behind the Numbers, delivers timely, progressive commentary on issues that affect Canadians, including the economy, poverty, inequality, climate change, budgets, taxes, public services, employment and much more. Go behind the numbers with these latest posts: Comparing two carbon bombs: LNG plants vs Enbridge pipeline, by Marc Lee Budget Cuts Could Worsen Rising Unemployment, by Erin Weir Harper vs. Kyoto: where does that leave Québec?, by Laura Handal Federal cuts could push unemployment to 8%, by David Macdonald Delaying Retirement: What does it mean for younger workers?, by Karen Foster The CCPA's Trish Hennessy has also recently written two blog posts about Electro-Motive/Caterpillar's decision to lock out its London, Ontario workers, and the crackdown on middle class work in Canada: Caterpillar: The moth flying too close to the flame shows the futility of Canada's tax cut agenda and the failure of senior governments to act to save jobs (via Behind the Numbers) Attack of the killer unionbot deconstructs the dehumanizing narrative that is pitting Canadians against unions (via Framed in Canada) All the best, Bruce Campbell, Executive Director Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives 205-75 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7 tel: 613-563-1341 fax: 613-233-1458 email: info@policyalternatives.ca http://www.policyalternatives.ca |