Mountain Views

Chrystia Freeland, now Canada’s Minister of Global Affairs, was, in her former life, a journalist and author.  Among her published works was one titled ‘Plutocrats’ in which she recounts the growing inequality of income and discusses the factors that led to it. I enjoyed the book when I read it some years ago and wrote Read More…

Peter Russell, a political scientist, has recently published an interesting book of this title (University of Toronto Press, 2017). Russell argues that “the existence of nations or peoples preceding Britain’s imperial presence in Canada, and Britain’s decision not to attempt a complete conquest of these peoples, are the crucial facts about Canada’s founding.” Of particular Read More…

Andrew Coyne has an interesting article in the May issue of Walrus (https://thewalrus.ca/how-to-save-the-conservative-party/), arguing that, more serious than electoral defeat, Stephen Harper’s legacy: “was the atrophying of conservatism as an intellectual force that resulted from his tenure. It wasn’t only that the Harper government did so little, or that so much of what it did should Read More…

I started this little series on neoliberalism by commenting on a piece that George Monbiot wrote in the Guardian newspaper some months ago.  Readers may recall that Monbiot had argued that the key policy response to the Great Depression of the 1930’s stemmed from J.M. Keynes advocacy of a stimulative fiscal policy, but that, when Read More…

In light of recent events south of the border it may seem academic or superfluous at least to say more on this!  However, Trunp’s election can – and should – be regarded as a wakeup call to politicians and thinkers who reject the  reactionary populism that characterized his winning campaign. Bernie Sanders aside, politicians of Read More…

The government of Alberta recently released – on August 23 – an update (http://finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/quarterly/2016/2016-17-1st-Quarter-Fiscal-Update.pdf#page=11) on its financial situation.  It estimated that the deficit for the current fiscal year would be some $10.9 billion, $527 million higher than forecast at the time the province’s budget was brought down in April of this year.  Total revenue is Read More…

The Guardian published, on April 15, an excerpt from Georges Monbiot’s new book titled:  ‘How Did We Get Into this Mess’. The excerpt is worth reading in its entirety; the book may be as well!  I was struck in particular, by the following excerpt: “there is something admirable about the neoliberal project, at least in Read More…

Now that the Liberal government is contemplating a renegotiation of healthcare funding with the provinces it’s a good idea to to review where we stand and what some major issues are.  A few years ago Jeffrey Simpson wrote what I thought, and still think, is a great book reviewing the history and major issues with Read More…

The recently released Budget is notable for a number of reasons. Major proposals included:  important changes to the structure of benefits for families with children; a major ramp up in federal government spending, especially capital spending on ‘infrastructure’; a significant increase in the projected deficit. Much of the commentary on the Budget has focussed on Read More…

I’m an economist, now retired and living in the shadow of the eastern Canadian Rockies, and spent most of my working life in the employ of various departments and agencies of the Canadian federal government.  Having written reports and memos for most of that time, the urge to write has never left me.  Now, however, Read More…