The case for the buy-local movement defies logic

If the fertilizer, tractor and other equipment used to produce by-local carrots were made elsewhere, do the carrots still count as local?

The case for the buy-local movement defies logicIn his 1776 seminal work The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith wrote: “It always is and must be the interest of the great body of the people to buy whatever they want of those who sell it cheapest. The proposition is so very manifest that it seems ridiculous to take any pains to prove it.”…

Universal daycare anti-mother social engineering

And a slap in the face to homemakers

Universal daycare anti-mother social engineeringThere’s a new entry to Canada’s list of bad ideas promoted during the COVID-19 outbreak: a literal nanny state. Aspirant recipients and allies are seizing on panic to invoke a policy monstrosity that would be a blow to children and families. In September’s throne speech, the former governor general said: “We have long understood that…

Why we need to make room for alternative lenders

Crackdowns fail to recognize that alternative lenders are the last hope for Canadians shut out of the traditional lending market

Why we need to make room for alternative lendersThe media often portray alternative lenders as slippery, unethical loan sharks who exploit the poor. When targeting the sector and not just a few bad apples, such stories are easy, cheap hit jobs. New Brunswick Sen. Pierrette Ringuette, for example, recently described alternative loans to CBC Marketplace as “an abusive financial process that needs to…

Travel restrictions are one step too far

Enough is enough

Travel restrictions are one step too farThe COVID-19 pandemic has revealed more than ever that those who trade freedom for security can’t stand people preferring the former. By ignoring rules they force onto others, such as travel restrictions, politicians reveal the primary goal was power all along, not safety. Earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instituted additional travel restrictions…

The hidden costs of feel-good stocks

The hidden costs of feel-good stocksThe stakeholder-shareholder debate in finance has narrowed down to a false dichotomy between good capitalism and bad capitalism. Good capitalism means funding green energy to fight global warming, while bad capitalism means investing in fossil fuels, tobacco, or other “sin stocks.” However, the economic downturn should be a wake-up call to investors regarding the hidden…

Why we need to maintain performance-based education

Instead of pursuing the unattainable ideal of academic equality, we should focus on redefining our idea of educational success

Why we need to maintain performance-based educationCanadians have an unhealthy obsession with statistical parity. In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced his 50-50 cabinet, prioritizing gender over merit in the name of equality. And last summer, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced the end of academic streaming to combat “systemic racism.” Streaming refers to grouping students based on performance. Beginning in…

Why a wealth tax in Canada is a horrible idea

We can’t solve our problems by soaking the rich

Why a wealth tax in Canada is a horrible ideaEat-the-rich rhetoric is good politics but bad policy. The wealthy minority contributes precious investment and much-needed employment, but no good deed goes unpunished. The spectre of a wealth tax, which hangs over Canada, epitomizes infantile, self-defeating governance. Last autumn, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh introduced a motion in the House of Commons calling for a…

Why smart utility meters are a particularly smart idea right now

Smart meters remove the need for someone to travel to homes to read meters, enabling customers to avoid costs and maintain distance

Why smart utility meters are a particularly smart idea right nowFew practical measures have been presented to achieve the lofty goals laid out in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s green agenda or the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Gender equality, increased daycare spending and reduced fossil-fuel usage might make for pretty speeches, but they do little to boost economic growth or help struggling Canadians. Genuine,…

Cancel culture leading to an exodus of universities’ free-thinkers

Knowledge dies when starved of criticism

Cancel culture leading to an exodus of universities’ free-thinkersUniversity administrators and student unions are tearing down something more important than statues. These self-appointed censors are dismantling the dialectic method bequeathed to us by Socrates and generations of scholars, triggering a brain drain away from academia. Neither arcane nor novel, the rigorous, timeless methodology at stake means examining, discussing, and arguing opposing ideas to…