David Moscrop is a writer and political commentator. He hosts the podcast Open to Debate and is the author of Too Dumb For Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones.
Canada’s housing crisis is off the charts, and half the country lives paycheck to paycheck. In a classic show of disconnect, some Trudeau Liberals think the party’s greatest problem is that people don’t understand how fabulous a job they’re actually doing.
The housing crisis will never end without levying forceful taxes against real estate speculators and investors. A recent report outlines the necessary actions to impose taxes that can actually narrow the wealth gap and alleviate the housing emergency.
In Canada, surging house prices, the G7’s highest household debt, nationwide climate-driven disasters, and punishing interest rates have turned the crisis knob to 11. Amid all this, the Trudeau Liberals are eyeing cuts, adding potential austerity to the mix.
As Canadians struggle with impossible housing costs, political rhetoric must align with concrete actions. This entails moving beyond vague appeals for “affordable housing” and focusing on the fundamental goal: securing housing for everyone.
Meta’s blocking of Canadian news is a direct response to Canada’s Online News Act, which mandates major tech firms pay local news organizations for using their media links. But the “link tax” furor underscores a deeper issue: media ownership and control.
As temperatures soar, tenants in British Columbia are facing eviction threats for installing AC units.
Recent experiences with public-private partnerships in Canadian cities, like Ottawa’s light-rail disaster, reveal how the model prioritizes profit over quality, leaving citizens with higher costs and worse services.
Sure, it can be a good thing if the Right is fractured and fighting among itself. But the Left can’t win simply by letting reactionaries fight among themselves — we need to fight for a vision of greater freedoms through improving the welfare of all.
The Bank of Canada’s incoherent stance on inflation and interest rates underscores the class conflict at play in shaping its decisions. As with previous hikes, the bank’s new rate increase will have terrible repercussions for workers.
To amplify their impact, two Canadian left-wing publications, Passage and the Maple, have recently merged. We spoke with Alex Cosh, news editor of the Maple, about the merger, their mission, and the state of both mainstream and left-wing media.
WestJet pilots just secured a deal from the airline, averting a strike at the 11th hour. It’s a win that reinforces the truth that taking proactive labor actions delivers results — a noteworthy fact for an industry currently witnessing a labor-rights push.
Just because not all jobs can be done at home does not mean that no jobs should be done at home. Working from home won’t end exploitation, but it’s nonetheless an important front on which labor can strive to secure improved working arrangements.
The internet is increasingly a miserable place to be. As Cory Doctorow explains, Silicon Valley CEOs and grifters are working hard to keep it that way.
A new report confirms that insecure and precarious work is widespread across the economy. To respond meaningfully to the needs of workers, the labor movement must grapple with the harmful impacts of precarity.
Canada’s public servants have experienced effective pay cuts as higher prices erode their purchasing power. To fight for higher wages to cope with the affordability crisis, they are now readying to strike.
Canada has a long history of ignoring its class divide. In recent years, the divide has become a chasm and can no longer be ignored. Accepting that class division is central to the national makeup is the first step in bridging it.
Going all in on the rental market won’t solve Canada’s housing crisis. As corporate landlords gain a bigger stake in the market and small landlords drive class divide, we need public housing more than ever.
Canada’s soccer body has bullied the women’s team into dropping their proposed strike against program cuts and unequal treatment. But winning equality with male athletes will require exactly these kinds of job actions.
To stop creeping corporatization of Canada’s health care system, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals need to put robust restrictions on how provinces use the health care funding they receive from the federal government. The Liberals aren’t doing that.
“Let them eat price gouging” appears to be grocery giant Loblaws’ response to the rising number of food-insecure Canadians. The company blames supply chain issues and inflation for soaring grocery costs — yet is posting stratospheric profits.