Month: September 2014

With teachers and students now going back to school, much of the province seems to be breathing a sigh of relief. But I’m not convinced we’ve made any substantial ground when it comes to understanding the important role education and other public services play towards both social and economic wellbeing in this province. The Premier’s… View Article

It is all too easy to get lost in “today’s issue” when we look at things without realizing they are part of a larger pattern that affects our lives. Desperately needed public transit in the Lower Mainland becomes a political football with competing interests and imposed referendums. In the Capital Regional District plans for sewage… View Article

I’ve submitted the following Letter to the Editor to the Vancouver Sun. Hoping they publish it in the next couple days: Enough with the pleas of a bare cupboard from the Premier, Finance Minister and Education Minister. If the political will is there, there is plenty of money to settle the teachers’ dispute, hire more… View Article

Speech to the Langley Teachers Association’s Public Forum on Education Delivered July 16, 2014. Check against delivery. I have a slightly different take because I don’t come from the labour movement or from the education sector – I come as an economist, so I’m going to talk a little bit about numbers. But before I… View Article

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance reported results from the first quarter of 2014/15. While the news release stated “B.C.’s budget remains balanced in spite of extra costs,” there is a projected surplus of $266 million for the current fiscal year. In reality it will likely be much higher, due to the usual practice of using conservative planning… View Article