Media attention may still be firmly focused on athletes and tourists today, but we’re already starting to see hints about what will dominate BC’s post-Olympics discourse.
The fear-mongering around our provincial debt and deficits is making a return
Entries Tagged as 'recession'
BC’s budget deficit third smallest in Canada
March 1st, 2010 · Iglika Ivanova · 1 Comment · Economy, Provincial budget & finance, Transparency & accountability
Is it time to stop worrying about the economy?
February 22nd, 2010 · Iglika Ivanova · 1 Comment · Economy, Provincial budget & finance
If you read the papers in this province, you’d think BC had long forgotten about the recession. Every bit of economic good news is trumpeted enthusiastically, from small increases in employment to the latest growth forecast released by private sector economists.
Yet economic forecasting is a notoriously difficult business. Just a year ago, we saw BC’s [...]
Tags: economic forecasting·economic growth·Economy·recession·recovery
New Brunswick Plans for a $10 Minimum Wage
January 6th, 2010 · Iglika Ivanova · 8 Comments · Economy, Employment & labour, Poverty, inequality & welfare
On January 5, New Brunswick’s provincial government announced plans to increase their minimum wage from the current $8.25 per hour to $10 over the next two years. The move has gotten surprisingly little coverage in the mainstream media out West so far, but I urge you to check out this excellent article on the Times [...]
Tags: minimum wage·poverty·recession
Vancouver City Budget Woes: Are the Cuts Really Necessary?
December 3rd, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · 6 Comments · Economy, Municipalities, Taxes
In this round of municipal budgeting, the city of Vancouver finds itself in exactly the same predicament as the federal and provincial governments faced earlier in the year – projected revenues would not be sufficient to meet their rising expenditures. The big difference is that municipal governments are prohibited by law from running a deficit.
This [...]
On minimum wages and talk radio
November 6th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · 4 Comments · Media, Poverty, inequality & welfare
Today marks the third time in the past four months that I get booted off a pre-arranged radio interview on minimum wages in BC. What is it about this topic that the universe doesn’t want me to say on live radio? I mean, I try not to be superstitious, but the string of coincidences is [...]
Will job creation solve our poverty problems?
September 28th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · No Comments · Economy, Employment & labour, Poverty, inequality & welfare
You may recall that during the leaders’ debate prior to last May’s election, Gordon Campbell argued that creating jobs is the best poverty reduction strategy out there. Since his re-election, the government’s attention has been focused on the economy, while social policy has taken a back seat. But is this the best approach?
A recent report [...]
Tags: Economy·employment·job creation·OECD·poverty·poverty reduction·recession·working poor
What should our government be spending money on?
September 16th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · No Comments · Economy, Education, Environment, resources & sustainability, Provincial budget & finance, Taxes
One question that is missing from the public debate on deficits and debt is whether we’re getting the best bang for the stimulus buck. Even if we accept that it’s appropriate for governments to borrow and engage in deficit-financing during a recession, as I have argued here, we need to have a discussion about the [...]
Tags: budget·child poverty·childcare·children·debt·deficit·Olympics·public investment·recession·role of government
Is the recent surge in housing sales good news or bad news?
August 27th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · No Comments · 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 of [...]
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 today [...]
