First the party, next the hangover

Jan 12, 2010
It’s shocking to think that the 2010 Winter Games are now exactly one month away. Yes, the banners are dropping down the side of downtown buildings; huge tents are being erected anywhere there is open space; advertising from any but the Olympic sponsors has all but disappeared (I hereby challenge any Olympic athlete to eat… View Article

Bankers and cleaners

Jan 11, 2010
So who is worth more to society: someone who cleans hospitals for a living or someone who runs a bank? The answer to that question might seem subjective.  Someone flat on their back in a hospital room might have pretty strong opinions. But Britain’s New Economics Forum (NEF) has produced some pretty thought provoking work… View Article

The business elite’s parking tax backlash

Jan 8, 2010
The media is reporting a “backlash” against the new parking tax in Vancouver.  The Vancouver Sun reports it is a “slickly organized” backlash being run by Vancouver’s business elite.  This is apparently a 30 member business coalition including the Board of Trade. This is not the first time Vancouver’s business elite has gotten organized around… View Article

New Brunswick Plans for a $10 Minimum Wage

Jan 6, 2010
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… View Article

Housing Solutions

Jan 2, 2010
Just wanted to give our blog readers a plug for an excellent collection on housing solutions. Some of you have likely been following the Tyee’s excellent series of articles on housing and homelessness, written by Monte Paulsen. Now the Tyee has put that whole series together in a single pdf collection. You can find it… View Article