Growing Income Gap Poses a Health Risk to All

 Certain Canadian commentators are bringing forth a strange critique of public health, suggesting that physicians and public health experts, charged with caring for the health of Canadians, should not concern themselves with the root causes of illness and stick to a narrow range of health interventions. Fortunately, Canadian health experts

Ending Homelessness in Canada Receives Failing Grade

 Homelessness Remains a National Crisis Homelessness in Canada remains a national crisis despite the best efforts of social groups, housing advocates and all levels of government. In the 2014 State of Homelessness in Canada Report Card, the most startling number remains that on any given night 35,000 Canadians have no

Ontario Spends More than $11 billion a Year on Prescription Drugs

 Why an income-based drug plan would not be good for Ontario’s economy or its seniors Ontario spends $11 billion per year on prescription drugs. Nearly half of this is spent on medicines used by senior citizens, a group that receives public subsidies for nearly all of their prescription drug costs

An Era of Restraint in Health Care Spending in Canada

 The question is whether the current decline represents a permanent bending of the health care cost curve or a temporary pause In the wake of new health expenditure data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), the evidence continues to mount that Canadian public health expenditure growth is moderating.

Defending workers’ rights while advocating for a new approach

 How do we determine value in Ontario? This question typically drives the development of economic policy, but in today’s Ontario, it also frames labour relations. If one were to listen to some politicians, lobby groups and thinktanks, one would assume that workers in this province were overpaid, underworked and slacking

U.S. and China: Capping Economic and Environmental Controversy

 The United States and China, which are liable for more than one-third of global greenhouse gas-emissions, have agreed to get a handle on pollution. But concerns of potential business restrictions, tax increases, job cuts and inefficiency in planning have created political controversy. The arguments focus on longevity, healthcare costs and sustaining

Is It Time For Canadians to Demand Action on Child Care?

 After years of inaction from Stephen Harper's Conservative government, it is time for Canadian families to join together to demand high quality, affordable child care. As it stands right now, millions of parents lack access to affordable, quality day care in Canada, with one care space available for every five

Wood Construction Drives Down Cost for Mid-Rise Buildings

 Finding a way to save on major purchases without compromising on quality is a top priority for most consumers, especially on big ticket items such as a home. Enter mid-rise wood construction. Driving down the costs for homebuilders and buyers alike, wood mid-rise encompasses buildings that are five and six-storeys

Pipeline Construction – The Federal Stance

 Energy exports, particularly oil and gas, are a key pillar of the Canadian economy, support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Canada and provide great wealth to the nation. With the 2015 Federal election just around the corner, Canadians are focused now more than ever on the three major federal

Canada’s Building Trades Unions: How One Union is Fighting for Canada’s Economic Future

 Representing 15 unions and 60 different skilled trades, Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) has the job of keeping the construction industry in Canada safe, high-paying and fair. These challenges, however, are only a few of the many facing the CBTU and Canada’s construction industry. Half a million members strong, the

How a National Drug Plan Can Boost the Canadian Economy

 Canadians pay among the highest costs per capita among OECD countries for prescription drugs, with one Canadian out of 10 unable to fill their prescriptions because of financial reasons. According to the recently released study A Roadmap to a Rational Pharmacare Policy in Canada, commissioned by the Canadian Federation of Nurses

The Local Casino: Boon or Bust?

 Having a casino set up shop in one’s hometown isn’t something many of us have to confront these days, and the majority of people, if asked, would likely have a kneejerk reaction against the notion. It is a time when many are playing online casino games and to start you

Does Canada Need Bill C-290?

 Photo courtesy of Jamie In Bytown. The Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup and now the World Cup are progressing before our very eyes, but residents of Canada will know all too well they are unable to wager single stake selections on any of the sporting events this summer. This is

Kevin Page: A Hero for Our Time

 By Gary Corbett When Kevin Page, Canada’s first Parliamentary Budget Officer, steps down next month after five years on the job, he’ll do so with a respect and admiration accorded few professional public servants – not because he went above and beyond the call of duty (many do) or because

Decoding Gas Prices: Is the Gas Gouge Real? Part 1

 Gas prices. If there is one topic that gets the back up of every Canadian who owns a vehicle, it is probably that one. There seems to be a veil of secrecy surrounding the issue. Who determines the cost? How come it fluctuates from day- to-day? Why is gas more

Rail on the Rise

 GETTING PRODUCTS TO TIDEWATER AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE Energy is a key market for Canadian Pacific (CP) and the increase in traffic has been particularly strong as a result of a targeted growth strategy. Energy-related traffic represented about 45 per cent of this portfolio’s revenue in 2011. With an extensive

Canadian Apprenticeship Forum Tackles Skilled Trades Worker Shortage

 The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) is a national body that brings together all players in apprenticeship training. A national, not-for-profit organization working with stakeholders in all regions of Canada, CAF-FCA influences pan-Canadian apprenticeship strategies through research, discussion and collaboration, sharing insights across trades, across sectors and across

The European Debt Crisis Decoded

 If you’re tired of hearing about and the European sovereign debt crisis, you’re not alone. It has been hanging over the global financial markets for well over two years now and progress on developing a comprehensive solution to address it has been painfully slow. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of

Top of Investors’ Minds: The exponential rise in the price of gold.

 By Kash J. Pashootan Whether you’re an investor or on the sidelines watching the markets, Canadians want to know, seemingly more than ever, how global financial events impact their financial security. The underlying desire to understand the impact stems from the transition of our country’s demographics. Baby boomers, people born

Canadian Innovation and 21st Century Challenges

 Like other countries, Canada faces profound challenges in the decades ahead. An aging population, the need to mitigate and adjust to climate change, the transition to a low greenhouse gas emissions economy and pressures from rising economic superpowers are issues we all confront. Science, technology and innovation will be crucial

LCBO Monopoly

 Awhile back, my brother and I were talking and the topic of the LCBO came up. "How exactly does it work?" he wondered. I gave him my layman's knowledge. Imagine, if you will, that for every camera that comes into Ontario (he happens to work for a camera retailer so

The Soaring Loonie

 The rise and fall and rise again of the Canadian loonie can be confusing in its implications. When the loonie achieved parity with the American dollar early in 2008 there was a sense of euphoria among some commentators, as though Canada had finally matured as a country. Since then the

Professionals With Disabilities: Accomodating Persons With Disabilities Can Pay Big Dividends

 There has been a great deal of discussion, in recent years, about our aging baby boomer population and how this will impact our economy. As workers retire and leave large gaps in the labour market serious questions are being raised as to who will step up to fill the void.

Awakening the giant: The return of Poland

 In this issue of Ottawa Life, we begin the first of a two-part series on Poland. That is to say the new Poland – a country with a most intricate history of war and ideological conflict, but also one of sophisticated art and culture. Polish influence extends to Canada and

Citizen Cain: Claudette Cain on the campaign trail

 By Kate Heartfield Claudette Cain has been scrutinized by the media, the public and her peers for 20 years. Yet after all this time in politics, she is not an easy woman to pigeonhole. Her office at Gloucester City Hall is trimmed with flowered window treatments and a crocheted doily,