Radio Project audio
Radio: Buy Local?
Nova Scotians are often encouraged to purchase local food products instead of imports, to benefit the economy and the community. But not everyone endorses this view. Food policy expert Pierre Desrochers [pronounced DAY – Raw – Shay] argues that we should instead embrace a 10,000-mile diet, to increase productivity, lower costs and provide [...]
Radio: CETA Trade Deal
In 2016, Canada and the European Union signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA. CETA is a political achievement from successive federal governments, which overcame resistance to trade in some European regions. The value of this trade deal for Atlantic Canada is tremendous. For decades, our industries have operated with hampered [...]
Radio: Ed Hollett Appointment
The fiscal reality of Newfoundland and Labrador is dire, and the 2016 budget did very little to correct the structural spending built into government during the last decade. There are numerous policy solutions to correct the province’s fiscal troubles; elected officials need to seriously consider and implement them. To this effect, the Atlantic [...]
Radio: Newfoundland and New Brunswick’s Budgets (2)
New Brunswick: New Brunswick's government promises to get its fiscal house in order while maintaining services. Unfortunately, its 2017 budget veers off from the plan of correcting public finances. Expenditure continues to grow, increasing by 3.5 percent and producing a deficit of $192 million. Meanwhile, government takes in more revenue from a higher [...]
Radio: Atlantic Canada on Education Investment (4)
Nova Scotia: Citizens and their elected officials often say that education is the most important investment in our future. Certainly, preparing children for adulthood with literacy and numeracy is a priority. But we must not lose control of the costs. Public education is becoming more expensive, even as enrollment declines. Data show that, [...]
Radio: Corporate Welfare
Governments in Atlantic Canada regularly subsidize private industry. Many people mistakenly believe that such handouts will strengthen the economy and employment. But corporate welfare actually does more harm than good. It questionably reallocates wealth from one side of the productive sector to another. It often distributes public money based on political reasons instead [...]
Radio: Atlantic Canada’s House Prices
Ballooning house prices are bad news for the middle class and young families in Canada's big cities. A new AIMS study, comparing incomes with housing prices, shows that homes in Vancouver and Toronto are severely unaffordable. Fortunately, Atlantic Canada defies the trend. Moncton has Canada's most affordable housing market, followed closely by Fredericton, [...]
Radio: Supply Management
Canada's dairy, egg, and poultry industries are governed by supply management, which restricts production, controls prices, and restricts imports. This arrangement is bad for consumers, who pay high prices for staple foods without lower-cost alternatives. It also weakens the competition of producers. Changes to our U.S. trade relationship may push Ottawa to open [...]
Radio: The Important U.S.-Canada Trade Relationship
The Trump Administration has proclaimed an “America First” trade agenda, signalling a new age of protectionism. Unfortunately, limiting trade won't help American workers. Instead, it jeopardizes the 9 million jobs supported by trade with Canada. Now is the time to emphasize the important relationship between our countries. In Atlantic Canada alone, the value [...]
Radio: Three Tier Healthcare
We often hear warnings about two-tier healthcare, where the wealthy can access a private and separate health system. But even today's public healthcare does not deliver equal service to everyone. Administration by the provincial government alone produces unfair, three-tier healthcare. At the top, some people can access primary care around the clock. In [...]