Tag: COVID-19

Positive post-pandemic recovery needs a fiscal plan

Positive post-pandemic recovery needs a fiscal plan

Posted by | Oct 7, 2020 | |

Back near the end of World War II, federal cabinet heavyweight C.D. Howe found himself in hot water when he brushed off complaints about overspending on the war with a remark that the opposition twisted into “What’s a Million?” The phrase, allegedly uttered during House of Commons debate, became synonymous with Liberal government arrogance and fiscal imprudence. Seventy-five years on the dollar figure was inflated several orders of magnitude as the House spent all of 4.5 hours last Monday debating a Liberal bill that, according to the Opposition Conservatives, will add $57 billion (that’s nine zeroes) to the federal...

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While public attention is elsewhere oil and gas industry takes advantage

While public attention is elsewhere oil and gas industry takes advantage

Posted by | Sep 16, 2020 | |

As the saying goes, it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good. So the winds that have been blowing smoke from the terrifying infernos in California and the Pacific Northwest may have a positive impact of putting climate change back on the agenda in Canada after months during which the news cycle has been dominated by COVID-19, the WE fiasco and the Black Lives Matter movement. It will be recalled that just a bit over a year ago Canada’s House of Commons joined many other institutions in declaring a climate emergency. And climate change figured large in last...

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Starr’s Point Index #3

Starr’s Point Index #3

Posted by | Sep 5, 2020 | |

Percentage increase in reported COVID-19 deaths July 31-Aug. 31 Canada: 2.19% In the United States: 20.53% Worldwide: 26.42%[i] ******************* Countries reporting more than 100% increase in COVID-19 cases for August: Seven Country with greatest increase: Ethiopia 204.1% Country with second greatest increase: Philippines 150.9%[ii] ############### Percentage increase in reported COVID-19 cases in Canada July 31-Aug. 31: 11.7% Province with greatest increase July 31-Aug.31: Manitoba 196.8% Second largest: British Columbia 61.2% Nova Scotia increase: 1.68%[iii] %%%%%%%%%%%%%% Percentage increase in U.S. COVID-19 cases in August: 34.6% Number of countries in 37-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with case increases...

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CERB’s under scrutiny but CEWS needs a long hard look

CERB’s under scrutiny but CEWS needs a long hard look

Posted by | Aug 23, 2020 | |

Almost from the time it was introduced to provide Canadians with some economic protection from the COVID-19 pandemic there has been hand wringing in some conservative and business circles about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). The claim that the CERB is holding back economic recovery by discouraging people from going back to work was heard again last week when the federal government announced a one-month extension of CERB to September 26, to be followed by a suite of assistance programs extending into 2021. The predictable response to that $37 billion aid package from the head of the Canadian...

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Federal deficit projection grows but no new help for child care, seniors or disabled

Federal deficit projection grows but no new help for child care, seniors or disabled

Posted by | Jul 13, 2020 | |

The federal Liberal government last week tabled its much-anticipated fiscal update – dubbed the Economic and Fiscal Snapshot 2020. Like many summertime photos, it was a bit blurry and unfocused. But what it lacked in definition it made up for with shock value. The federal deficit for this year is now estimated at $343 billion, pushing the country’s net debt well above a trillion dollars – $1.060 trillion to be exact. Both numbers are considerably larger than those estimated by the Parliamentary Budget Office in a scenario presented last month. The PBO estimated the deficit for this year at...

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Richard Starr, The man behind the Point

About Richard

RICHARD STARR has had careers as a journalist, public servant, broadcaster, political staffer and freelance policy adviser. He is author of numerous newspaper and magazine articles, a former radio and TV producer and weekly newspaper editor, and the author of three non-fiction books. Starr has lived in Dartmouth for more than 30 years.

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