Tomorrow, September 1, officially marks the day that BC will become the province with the lowest minimum wage in the entire country ($8 per hour). This is because New Brunswick is proceeding with their plans to increase their minimum wage to $8.25. Meanwhile, BC’s government has repeatedly refused to increase the minimum wage here, claiming [...]
Entries from August 31st, 2009
BC’s minimum wage the lowest in Canada
August 31st, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · 6 Comments · Employment & labour
Tags: minimum wage
Policy Note named Blog o’ the Week by The Tyee
August 28th, 2009 · Sarah Leavitt · Comments Off · Policy Note in the news
We are delighted to have been chosen as Blog of the Week by thetyee.ca: September 1 is the other New Year’s Day: The start of a new school year, and in B.C. a sort-of new government with a new (but sadly old-fashioned) budget. Time to buckle down and get back to work, class. Whether on [...]
Tags: bragging
People don’t want cuts in government services: Ipsos-Reid
August 28th, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · 2 Comments · Economy, Provincial budget & finance
An Ipsos-Reid poll of 800 British Columbians indicates people would rather see a deficit than see public services slashed. The poll was conducted in early August for the BC Federation of Labour. It shows a solid majority of British Columbians disaprove of the way the government is handling the economic downturn. Only 45% of people [...]
Is the recent surge in housing sales good news or bad news?
August 27th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · Comments Off · Economy
This morning on the Bill Good Show, where I was discussing the new CCPA budget brief, Bill asked me whether the recent activity in BC’s housing market is a sign of strong consumer confidence and a budding recovery. After all, real estate is still very expensive in our cities (even if less so than last [...]
Tags: bubble·household debt·recession
Still reckless and unnecessary
August 27th, 2009 · Shannon Daub · 5 Comments · Economy, Provincial budget & finance
Gary Mason offers this summary of the past eight years in yesterday’s Globe: When B.C. Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell came to office in 2001 he unleashed a top-to-bottom review of all government agencies in an effort to bring finances in order. The result wasn’t pretty. It led to protests of all kinds from any number [...]
Spending cuts will spell further job losses and a longer recession
August 27th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · 1 Comment · Economy, Employment & labour, Poverty, inequality & welfare, Provincial budget & finance
Want a recipe to harm the economy and increase hardship for British Columbians in the middle of a recession? It’s easy – all you have to do is cut government spending. Unfortunately, this is exactly where our government seems to be headed judging by their ominous throne speech. A new report by yours truly, released [...]
The throne speech missed the point
August 25th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · 4 Comments · Economy, Provincial budget & finance
Today’s throne speech suggests that the BC government has finally recognized the severity of the recession and the hardship it’s causing to families across the province. Unfortunately, when it comes to policy implications or what to do about the recession, the government seems to have it all backwards. Instead of presenting an ambitious stimulus plan [...]
Policy Note is live!
August 20th, 2009 · Terra Poirier · 3 Comments · Policy Note in the news
PolicyNote.ca is up and running, though we are still in soft launch mode, so you may encounter a glitch here or there. These should all be ironed out over the next few days. New feature: new posts to Policy Note are open for commenting. The first time you post a comment, it must be approved [...]
Tags:
