When opportunities to engage in economic activity are open to all, not just the privileged classes, prosperity and opportunity abound
By Miguel Cervantes and Tanja Porčnik The Fraser Institute While tensions in the Middle East rise daily, there’s still hope for the region to liberalize and grow more prosperous. Economic liberalism in the Persian Gulf region would help unleash the effort and creativity of the whole population – not just a few at the top.…
The story of Mary John is one of perseverance and resilience, and should serve as an example to all who read it
One of the benefits of teaching is that I get to make the final choice with regard to the books we study in class. With a greater emphasis on Indigenous content in the new British Columbia curriculum, I was drawn to Stoney Creek Woman, the story of Mary John. The Stoney Creek Reserve, today called…
The number of displaced, marginalized and impoverished people continues to grow. How we handle this will determine mankind’s future
At any given time, there are about 20 million people on the move in the world. When there’s war, terrorism, extreme weather events or other disruptions, this can grow to 80 million people trying to get to safety. We hear of illegal immigrants crossing borders and thousands of people walking north through Central America to…
Not only does work help financially but it empowers people to take control of their lives and rise above poverty
Homelessness is increasingly a problem in cities big and small across North America. Yet as business leaders we tend think the issue isn’t our problem – unless, of course, we have a business affected by a homeless camp, squatters in our doorsteps or addicts in our alleyways. We can’t comprehend why people aren’t working like…
Almost half of the people visiting food banks live alone. The single-household economy is clearly not doing so well. It's time for some social retooling
We’re reminded every year how many Canadians are left behind in our society, without enough food. Hunger Count 2019 has just been released. The report says that despite a strong economy and living in one of the richest countries in the world, many Canadians still don’t have enough food. The report says food banks have…
ATCO Village, a Homes for Heroes initiative, features 15 tiny homes, a resource centre, counsellor’s office, family suite and community gardens
The first Homes For Heroes village, a housing initiative for homeless Canadian Forces veterans, has launched in Calgary. ATCO Village, in southeast Calgary, features 15 tiny homes, a resource centre, counsellor’s office, family suite and community gardens. Officials say a tiny home provides veterans with privacy, a sense of security, peer-to-peer support and the ability…
Lloyd Cenaiko talks about the work his organization HART does in Eastern Europe and why each small act makes a difference
Lloyd Cenaiko is president of HART. What is HART and what does it do? Cenaiko: HART is a relief, aid and missions agency, dedicated to alleviating poverty and injustice in Eastern Europe. For the past 20 years, HART has been on the cutting edge of a movement focused on empowering and equipping local leaders, agencies…
The rise in economic inequality is one of the most potent 21st century memes. You could even call it pervasive. It dominates the debate in the Democratic presidential contest and has a material echo in our current federal election. The rich – particularly the notorious one per cent – must be made to “pay their…
It’s right for Canadians to value a just society that leaves no one behind. But relying on ever-increasing spending to do so is driving us toward bankruptcy
I know what it means to live in poverty. I grew up in a large family in a small village in Cape Breton, the fourth of eight children. My father was a wonderful man who struggled with alcoholism his whole life. We had no running water and only a coal stove to heat the house.…
When a dollar earned triggers higher taxes and simultaneously reduces benefits, what’s left to spend or save?
A look at effective tax rates across provinces shows that many low-income families in Canada take home 40 cents or less on the additional dollars they earn. The marginal effective tax rate – which accounts for how much you pay in additional income taxes and lose in federal and provincial transfer benefits when you earn…
By Miguel Cervantes and Tanja Porčnik The Fraser Institute While tensions in the Middle East rise daily, there’s still hope for the region to liberalize and grow more prosperous. Economic liberalism in the Persian Gulf region would help unleash the effort and creativity of the whole population – not just a few at the top.…
