February 2014

The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and progressive change in British Columbia

Geoff Meggs and Rod Mickleburgh. The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power, 1972-1975. Harbour Publishing. 2012.

This impressive and readable book by two well-known and respected British Columbia authors sheds light on a now largely forgotten episode in Canadian politics and is a welcome reminder of the very real gains that can be made by a determined and genuinely progressive government.

Geoff Meggs is a journalist and current Vancouver City Councillor, and Rod Mickleburgh writes from Vancouver for the Globe and Mail.

Famously dubbed “the...

New StatsCan wealth data points to persistent economic inequality

Statistics Canada released today the Survey of Financial Security (SFS), providing Canadians with the first comprehensive snapshot of wealth and wealth distribution in the country since 2005.

While Canadian’s net worth has increased significantly since 2005, mostly due to increases in housing prices, the real story is one of persistent economic inequality and rising debt.

The top twenty percent of Canaidans have over 67% of the net wealth. The bottom 60%, in contrast, have...

Questionable motives drive changes to Citizenship Act

The long list of changes in the Conservative’s newly introduced “Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act” seem like a solution in search of a problem.

Thus far, media reports have primarily focused in on how the changes will affect wait times.  For example, those applying for citizenship will have to reside in Canada for 4 out of 6 years before they apply, rather than 3 out of 4 years.  Applicants will also be required to prove that they have spent 183 days per year residing in Canada and they will have to...