Radio Project audio
Radio: Immigration Pilot Policy
The federal government has agreed to increase immigration in Atlantic Canada by 2,000 people, to fill job vacancies and alleviate outmigration. This policy would roughly double the region’s current migrant intake. Unfortunately, there is little reason to believe that their plan will work. More immigrants will come, but will they stay? If our [...]
Radio: CPP Reform Effect on Business
Increased payroll taxes supporting future pension benefits take money out of workers’ pockets. But higher taxes also hurt businesses. By 2023, Canada Pension Plan premiums will raise $816 more, per worker, per year. This tax is paid equally by workers and businesses. This tax won’t just affect a company’s bottom line. It will [...]
Radio: Natural Gas Prices
Natural gas has great promise as a fuel source. It is cleaner, more efficient, and cheaper than petroleum. But despite more businesses making the switch, costs in Atlantic Canada have risen. Local prices are higher than in Western Canada, sometimes substantially so. Part of the reason is our region’s dependence on imported natural [...]
Radio: Declining School Enrollment
In Atlantic Canada, school enrollment has dropped 19 percent since the year 2000. These are worrying numbers. The next generation’s base of labour and taxes is shrinking. Families are moving west to seek better opportunities. Natural birthrates decline. Greater healthcare costs dominate public funds. Meanwhile, our education system is under-performing. The upcoming generation [...]
Radio: Rising HST Rates
New Brunswick, P.E.I., and Newfoundland & Labrador are raising their HST rates. They join Nova Scotia at 15 percent, the highest level in the country. These hikes mean that Atlantic Canadians will pay more for almost everything they buy. Prices will rise at hotels and restaurants. Motorists will be hit especially hard, as [...]
Radio: Healthcare Funding Crunch
Atlantic Canada is in a financial squeeze. With our ageing population, healthcare costs are rising. But these circumstances aren't created by neglect from the federal government, as Ottawa’s health transfers to our region are at record highs. Rather, our poor economic policies – like high taxes and banning onshore shale gas development – [...]
Radio: The Class Size Myth
Elected officials mean well when they lobby to reduce class sizes. But the evidence doesn't support their efforts. Education research shows that having fewer students in a class has little influence on learning. A far more important metric is the quality of the instruction. Classrooms of 30 children with a great teacher are [...]
Radio: Interprovincial Trade Barriers
Interprovincial trade barriers in Canada are a burden to consumers and an obstacle to producers. But the case of Gerard Comeau of new Brunswick gives us hope. Comeau, who was charged for bringing alcohol over the Quebec-New Brunswick border, was recently acquitted. The judge ruled that New Brunswick's law restricting the transport of [...]
Radio: New England Tax Comparison
Atlantic Canada competes with New England for business, which is influenced by tax rates. Let’s look at the differences. Vermont prides itself on social programs like we do, but taxes much less. Its low-income earners pay just 3.6 percent on taxable income, compared with our best rate in Newfoundland, over twice as much. [...]
Radio: Better Healthcare Accountability
Healthcare is the largest expense in provincial budgets and a hugely important public service. But our system lacks accountability: little to no attention is paid to health outcomes, which would tell us how effective our health system is working, where improvements could be made, and where costs could be lowered. Citizens should insist that governments [...]