Church Teaching The Dignity & Importance of Work
The use of one’s gifts to seek and serve God necessarily includes work, by which humans cooperate with God in God’s continuing act of creation. Work has a place of honour because it is a source of the conditions for a decent life, and is, in principle, an effective instrument against poverty. But one must not succumb to the temptation of making an idol of work, for the ultimate and definitive meaning of life is not to be found in work. Work is essential, but it is God — and not work — who is the origin of life and the final goal of man.
The underlying principle of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. The demand of justice, which stems from it, precedes concerns for profit: “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it” (Pr 15:16). “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice” (Pr 16:8). – 257, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Work is not only an essential part of life, but when we work in accordance with our inner passions – our individual vocations – it is a joy. And it is also an obligation to one’s family, neighbors, and nation. Man must work, both because the Creator has commanded it and in order to respond to the need to maintain and develop his own humanity. We are heirs of the work of generations and at the same time shapers of the future of all who will live after us. – 274, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
But work, and particularly dignified work, is not readily available for all who seek it. Those who are unemployed or underemployed suffer the profound negative consequences that such a situation creates in a personality and they run the risk of being marginalized within society, of becoming victims of social exclusion… –289, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Poverty Reduction
The poor, the marginalized and in all cases those whose living conditions interfere with their proper growth should be the focus of particular concern. To this end, the preferential option for the poor should be reaffirmed in all its force… Today, this love of preference for the poor, and the decisions which it inspires in us, cannot but embrace the immense multitudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those without health care and, above all, those without hope of a better future.” – 182, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Catholics are called to remember Jesus’ own words: What we do to the least among us, we do to Him. – Matthew 25:31-46
“Helping the poor financially must always be a provisional solution in the face of pressing needs.
The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work”.
– Pope Francis, Laudato si’, 128
An Economy to Serve People
“I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity:
‘Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs…’
Money must serve, not rule!”
–Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel, 57-58
The development of economic activity and growth in production are meant to provide for the needs of human beings. Economic life is not meant solely to multiply goods produced and increase profit or power; it is ordered first of all to the service of persons, of the whole man, and of the entire human community. For many people, a living wage and dignified housing are beyond reach. – 2426, Catechism of the Catholic Church
The planning capacity of a society oriented towards the common good and looking to the future is measured… above all on the basis of the employment prospects that it is able to offer. Maintaining employment depends more and more on one’s professional capabilities. Instructional and educational systems must not neglect human or technological formation, which are necessary for gainfully fulfilling one’s responsibilities. Young people should be taught to act upon their own initiative, to accept the responsibility of facing with adequate competencies the risks connected with a fluid economic context that is often unpredictable in the way it evolves. -271-290, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Small businesses, trades, and crafts
The decentralization of production, which assigns to smaller companies several tasks previously undertaken by larger production interests, gives vitality and new energy to the area of small and medium-sized businesses. In this way, alongside traditional artisans there emerge new businesses characterized by small production interests at work in modern production sectors or in decentralized activities of larger companies.
Work in small and medium-sized businesses, the work of artisans and independent work can represent an occasion to make the actual work experience more human, both in terms of the possibility of establishing positive personal relationships in smaller-sized communities and in terms of the opportunities for greater initiative and industriousness. In these sectors, however, there are more than just a few cases of unjust treatment, of poorly paid and, above all, uncertain work. – 315, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Industries, Innovation, & Agriculture
Thanks to technological innovations, the world is being enriched with new professions while others are disappearing. In the present phase of transition there is a continuous movement of workers from the industrial sector to that of services… In particular, there is an increase in…part-time, temporary and “non-traditional” employment… – 313, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Unions & Workers’ Rights
The demands of competition, technological innovation and the complexities of financial fluxes must be brought into harmony with the defense of workers and their rights. – 313, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Any form of materialism or economic tenet that tries to reduce the worker to a mere instrument of production, a simple labour force with an exclusively material value, would hopelessly distort the essence of work and strip it of its most noble and basic human quality. 270-271, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Among the rights of workers, the Church recognizes:
– the right to a just wage;
– the right to rest;
– the right “to a working environment and to manufacturing processes which are not harmful to the workers’ physical health or to their moral integrity”;
– the right that one’s personality in the workplace should be safeguarded “without suffering any affront to one’s conscience or personal dignity;
– the right to appropriate subsidies that are necessary for the subsistence of unemployed workers and their families;
– the right to a pension and to insurance for old age, sickness, and in case of work-related accidents;
– the right to social security connected with maternity;
– the right to assemble and form associations.
– 301, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
The Church recognizes the fundamental role played by labour unions… Such organizations, while pursuing their specific purpose with regard to the common good, are a positive influence for social order and solidarity, and are therefore an indispensable element of social life. Work, because of its subjective or personal character, is superior to every other factor connected with productivity; this principle applies, in particular, with regard to capital.
The Church’s social doctrine teaches that relations within the world of work must be marked by cooperation: hatred and attempts to eliminate the other are completely unacceptable. This is also the case because in every social system both “labour” and “capital” represent indispensable components of the process of production.
No Christian, in light of the fact that he belongs to a united and fraternal community, should feel that he has the right not to work and to live at the expense of others (cf. 2 Thes 3:6-12). Rather, all are charged… to make it a point of honour to work with their own hands, so as to be dependent on nobody (1 Thes 4:12), and to practise a solidarity which is also material by sharing the fruits of their labour with “those in need” (Eph 4:28). – 264, 305-307, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Corporations & Competition, and Consumers
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
– the 10th Commandment
The individual profit of an economic enterprise, although legitimate, must never become the sole objective. Social utility is an objective of even higher order. When the free market carries out the important functions mentioned above it becomes a service to the common good and to integral human development. When focused on profit alone, however, the market can degenerate into an inhuman and alienating institution, with uncontrollable repercussions.
Freedom in the economic sector… must be regulated by appropriate legal norms so that it will be placed at the service of integral human freedom… A great deal of educational and cultural work is urgently needed, including the education of consumers in the responsible use of their power of choice, the formation of a strong sense of responsibility among producers and among people in the mass media in particular, as well as necessary intervention by public authorities. In order to balance the principle of solidarity with the rights and obligations of the individual, the State’s intervention in the economic environment must be neither invasive nor absent, but commensurate with society’s real needs. “The State has a duty to sustain business activities by creating conditions which will ensure job opportunities, by stimulating those activities where they are lacking or by supporting them in moments of crisis. The State has the further right to intervene when particular monopolies create delays or obstacles to development. -305-307, 351, 376 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
There is a growing loss of the sense of history, which leads to even further breakup. A kind of “deconstructionism”, whereby human freedom claims to create everything starting from zero, is making headway in today’s culture. The one thing it leaves in its wake is the drive to limitless consumption and expressions of empty individualism –12, Fratelli Tutti
Transportation & Infrastructure
The demands of the common good… are strictly connected to respect for and the integral promotion of the person and his fundamental rights. Among other things, these demands concern commitment to the provision of essential services to all, some of which are at the same time human rights: food, housing, work, education and access to culture, transportation… -166, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Bloc Quebecois The Dignity of Work
The Bloc has released no official statement concerning its policies on the dignity of work or the reduction of poverty.
An Economy to Serve People
The Bloc states that:
– the future of Quebec depends on green economic development that creates wealth throughout Quebec. The race for innovation implied by the Bloc Québécois’s green equalization program necessarily implies positive spin-offs for research in all sectors in Quebec, including sectors more associated with regions such as forestry and oceanography,
– it is determined to make real and substantial gains for our families, for our seniors, for our economy, for sustainable development and for our regions.
The Bloc advocates:
– tax justice, the development of innovative industries and a green shift that creates wealth throughout Quebec.
– economic Québécois nationalism, protecting and promoting what enriches and sets Quebec apart
– an economy on a human scale serving the people of Quebec
– the role of Quebec as a bridge between Europe and America in terms of trade and economic development
– a fair distribution for Quebec of federal government research activities.
Jobs & dignity in employment
The Bloc states that Quebec is grappling with a labor shortage. The Bloc will tackle this brake on economic development on a number of fronts. The party advocates:
– regional-specific immigration policies and controls, and facilitating integration of newcomers into local culture
– a tax credit for recent graduates and immigrants who accept employment in Quebec
– a tax credit to employers for training and keeping people 65 years of age and over who so desire, in addition to an increase in wage income that can be earned by seniors without a guaranteed income supplement penalty;
– facilitating incentives for hiring and employment of Aboriginals
– supporting the efforts of the Quebec government to make permanent residence conditional on accepting employment in Quebec
– streamlining the process and hiring staff to eliminate long delays in processing files in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
– decentralization of the civil service apparatus, while the city of Ottawa has 50% more civil servants than Quebec as a whole.
Industries
The Bloc advocates supporting flagship Quebecois industries and its economy by:
– working on the implementation of an aeronautics strategy;
– demanding from Ottawa a more active use of the Investment Canada Act to more strictly assess transactions involving the sale of Quebec flagships, avoid takeovers and, in the worst case, impose conditions to maintain expertise and jobs in Quebec;
– entering into negotiations with Quebec to amend the Business Corporations Act to better protect businesses against takeovers;
– termination of the pan-Canadian securities commission project
– encouraging succession in small & medium enterprises by putting an end to tax rules that prevent the transfer of businesses to the next generation
– negotiating an agreement with SNC-Lavalin, in order to protect 3,500 jobs in Quebec and world-renowned expertise.
Innovation
The Bloc advocates:
– support measures for technology start-ups, including investments in risk-sharing research and development; setting up a patent capital fund to allow entrepreneurs to develop their business with us rather than selling their patent
– the creation of an investment fund for high-tech sectors such as multimedia and video games, green technologies, advanced transport, new materials, aerospace and pharmaceuticals
– transfer of the management of sums for university research to Quebec research funding organizations
– review of the ocean economy supercluster project, 100% concentrated in the Maritime provinces, while it should benefit Eastern Quebec, the Gaspé and the Côte-Nord.
– a tax credit similar to the tax credit for investment in the Atlantic region of the North Shore.
Agriculture
The Bloc states that it is committed to the full protection of supply management, as supply management system is the basis for tens of thousands of jobs in Quebec and the prosperity of its farms and rural regions, avoids public subsidies.
The party advocates:
– particularly in view of the state of trade agreements with Europe, introducing a bill to prevent any new breach in supply management in trade agreements
– compensation for milk, egg, cheese, and poultry producers, in view of free trade agreements with Europe and the Pacific zone
– a support program for pork producers undermined by the diplomatic conflict between the Canadian government and China
– legislation to facilitate agricultural succession, among other things by modifying the rules governing the exemption of capital gains so that they no longer disadvantage the transfer of an agricultural business to family succession for the benefit of third parties
– promoting local food and quality products from Quebec, in order to support local agricultural producers.
Unions and workers’ rights
The Bloc states that it is concerned about the practice of redirecting funds set aside for employment insurance for other purposes, particularly as EI now covers only 40% of the unemployed, and the conditions for qualifying for benefits particularly disadvantage women, young people and seasonal workers in our regions.
The party advocates:
– enactment of anti-scab legislation
– a complete review of the EI system, with a view to establishing better accessibility, an increase in the income benefit rate , abolition of the waiting period, a longer benefit period and the abolition of the Social Security Tribunal
Transportation & infrastructure
The Bloc states that Quebecers deserve to have the last word when it comes to projects that affect our environment and land use planning. It undertakes to refuse to allow Ottawa to impose pipelines, airports, cell towers, or other infrastructure without Quebec’s consent.
The Bloc advocates:
– re-introduction of a bill giving the government of Quebec the power to accept or decline any projects under federal jurisdiction which concern land use planning and Environmental protection
– support for regional airports by enhancing the airport capital assistance program, lowering flight costs, establishing federal funding for aviation safety and ending what has become a tradition of divestment in services
– to reduce inefficiencies introduced by federal control of infrastructure projects, transferring all infrastructure projects located in Quebec unconditionally and en bloc to the government of Quebec
– prior to such transfer, requiring the federal government to rehabilitate all federal docks and small ports under its control, at its expense.
Shipbuilding
The Bloc states that
– the deliberate exclusion of Quebec’s Davie shipyard in the Canadian shipbuilding strategy cost Quebec taxpayers tens of billions of dollar a thousand jobs
– the recent contracts offered at the Lévis shipyard do not correct the past.
The Bloc advocates demanding Quebec’s fair share, both for any contracts and for those already awarded, and for which the ships have not been delivered, including listing of the Davies worksite as the 3rd official partner in the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party advocates:
– a federal tax on profits repatriated by companies, especially banks, tax havens
– a review of all tax agreements Canada has entered into with tax havens
– a review of the means available to the Canada Revenue Agency to investigate the phenomenon of sheltering money in tax havens, as well as the legislative means to oblige large companies doing business in Canada to pay their fair share of taxes and tax
– a review of the Canada Revenue Agency, which is investing huge sums of money to tighten the screws on servers that don’t report enough tips, but do absolutely nothing to prevent big companies from putting their money into any of the 25 tax havens authorized by the Canadian government
Christian Heritage Party The Dignity of Work
The party states that work is a good thing; people are happiest when they are working and contributing to society.
The party advocates:
– equal pay for equal work
– no mandated affirmative action; ie. no hiring quotas
– protecting essential services from risk due to strikes or lockouts
Poverty Reduction
The party states:
– Canadians must always be ready to care for the “deserving poor”—those in poverty through no fault of their own.
– all those capable of working should be encouraged to do so; taxpayers ought not to be forced to carry the unnecessary burden of supporting those unwilling to work.
An Economy to Serve People
Industries, innovation & agriculture
The party states that a nation that cannot feed itself cannot survive.
The party advocates:
– development of a national food strategy
– making food production a high national priority
– support of and encouragement for the institution of the Family Farm
– use of the Supply Management system for Canadian dairy, egg and poultry producers and the marketing boards which regulate the system
– review of agricultural marketing boards on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are still meeting the needs of the producers they represent as well as Canadian consumers
– where possible, provision for small, independent producers to serve niche markets without undermining the quota system.
Unions and workers’ rights
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on unions and worker’s rights.
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party strongly opposes corporate welfare: the granting of federal funds to corporations, financial institutions and global cabals.
Conservative Party of Canada An Economy for All
The party states that every Canadian deserves the security and dignity that comes with a secure, stable, well-paid job.
The party advocates:
– enacting a comprehensive jobs plan to get Canadians back to work across the country.
– taking immediate action to help the hardest hit sectors, helping those – including women and young Canadians – who have suffered most.
– Rebuilding “Main Street” by assisting small businesses and providing incentives to invest in, rebuild, and start new businesses
– creating opportunity in all sectors of the economy and all parts of the country.
The Dignity of Work
The party believes that:
– it is the responsibility of government to create an economic climate in which the people can thrive and prosper
– if you work hard you should be able to buy a home, save for retirement, and care for your children and your parents.
Living wage & Wealth Inequality
The party advocates:
– over two tax years, reducing income tax rates for all Canadians, including a drop from 15% to 13.75% in the lowest bracket
– to reduce costs for home heating, gas, groceries, and essentials, scrapping the carbon tax
– eliminating GST for all home energy, including electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood pellets, and other sources for primary residences
– re-introducing a tax credit for purchase of public transit passes
– to promote home ownership, working with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to make it easier to switch service providers when renewing home mortgages
– extending the maximum amortization for home mortgages for first-time home buyers to 30 years
– re-introducing a tax credit for purchase of public transit passes
– rooting out money laundering and other corrupt activities that drive up real estate costs
– making surplus federal real estate available, including a review of the 38000 buildings owned by the government
– promoting a competition among municipalities to reduce red tape barring home construction
– appointment of a minister for consulting Indigenous rights holders
– to protect jobs and ensure projects are finished, use of Art. 92(10) of the constitution to assert federal jurisdiction as ‘for the general advantage of Canada”
An Economy to Serve People
The party advocates:
– to generate opportunities and unite the country, creation of a coast-to-coast National Energy Corridor, including resumption of pipeline construction
– barring foreign-funded groups use of approvals processes to block energy projects that are in the national interest
Jobs & dignity in employment
The party advocates:
– to ensure Canadians the best advice, skills training, and employment assistance possible, establishing means to measure the success of federal expenditures spent by the government on training workers
– Matching employment backgrounds of temporary foreign workers to needs of companies
– use of employment insurance (EI) contributions of companies and workers to provide recipient benefits only, and not for other government programs
Small businesses, trades & crafts
The party advocates:
– a comprehensive review of the tax system, including SRED and other programs intended to encourage innovation, to ensure that the system promotes healthy and competitive industry within Canada
– repealing recent tax increases applicable to small businesses
– repeal new rules imposing significant tax burdens no dividends for partners of business owners, since contributions of spouses cannot be measured in terms of time and money
– create an information package for business owners on the CRA website
– reducing regulatory burden for businesses by 25 percent over four years, with targets for each minister and department, using a rule that for each new regulation two previous ones must be rescinded
Industries & innovation
The party advocates:
– reviewing the tax code, reducing regulation, and improving immigration programs for skilled newcomers to ensure that innovation and manufacturing companies stay competitive and remain in Canada
– reducing the regulatory burden on manufacturers by 25 percent
– signing free trade agreements with Mercosur, ASEAN, and the UK
– reviewing the Temporary Foreign Workers program to better align it with domestic needs
– ensuring that intellectual property and free trade protections are at the heart of new trade agreements
– seeking new markets to diversify foreign trade and reduce dependence on the US
Agriculture
The party states that:
– agriculture is a key strategic economic sector for Canada
– various regions of Canada and sectors of the industry hold competitive advantages. Support of one size does not fit all
– agriculture policy must be developed only in consultation with the agricultural producers
– financial responsibility must be balanced with support programs that actually work
The party advocates:
– reviewing the Canada Grain Act and practices of the Grain Commission to ensure they are aligned with best modern practice
– returning $130 million overcharged by the Grain Commission
– adding competitiveness to health and environmental protection as parts of the mandate for the Pest Management Regulatory Agency
– requiring the Minister of Agriculture to develop a strategy for ensuring that agricultural producers have the labor force they need
– working with farm groups to assess damage and respond to the US-China trade war
– delivering promised compensation to farmers who have lost business due to free trade agreements
– protecting supply management practices while opening new markets for farmers dependent on exports
– applying to the World Health Organization for restoration of Canadian beef ratings after mad cow disease issues
– postpone enforcement of new regulations for humane transportation of animals, to ensure they comport with full evidence
Unions and workers’ rights
The party advocates:
– the right of workers to organize democratically, bargain collectively, and withhold services while respecting the law, private property, and rights of others
– control of corporate pension funds by independent trustees, for the benefit of employees
Transportation & infrastructure
The party advocates:
– public-private investment as part of a comprehensive approach to a world-class transportation system
– in order to create jobs, increase wages, and connect industries, prioritizing infrastructure projects that will have maximum benefit to Canada’s economy, and commits to completing all projects previously adopted by the Liberal government
– federal-provincial partnership to achieve a true national highway system, through use of federal fuel excise tax
– to reduce commute times, prioritizing relevant infrastructure projects, such as BC’s Massey Tunnel replacement, Ontario’s Yonge Subway extension, and Quebec’s third cross-St Lawrence link
– in order to provide relief for transit users, introducing a tax credit for purchase of public transit passes.
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party advocates:
– appropriate regulation of financial institutions, to foster competition balance stability with opportunities for success
– establishment of a single, national securities regulator with robust enforcement powers
– increased competition in airlines, banking, cell phones and other industries, to improve economic and personal freedoms of Canadians
– over two tax years, reducing income tax rates for all Canadians, including a drop from 15% to 13.75% in the lowest bracket
– in order to reduce costs for home heating, gas, groceries, and essentials, scrapping the carbon tax
– eliminating GST for all home energy, including electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood pellets, and other sources for primary residences
– re-introducing a tax credit for purchase of public transit passes
– to promote home ownership, working with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to make it easier to switch service providers when renewing home mortgages
– extending the maximum amortization for home mortgages for first-time home buyers to 30 years
– re-introducing a tax credit for purchase of public transit passes
– rooting out money laundering and other corrupt activities that drive up real estate costs
– making surplus federal real estate available, including a review of the 38000 buildings owned by the government
– promoting a competition among municipalities to reduce red tape barring home construction
– appointment of a minister for consulting Indigenous rights holders
– to protect jobs and ensure projects are finished, use of Art. 92(10) of the constitution to assert federal jurisdiction as ‘for the general advantage of Canada”
Jobs & dignity in employment
The party advocates:
– to ensure Canadians have access to the best advice, skills training, and employment assistance possible, establishing means to measure the success of federal expenditures spent by the government on training workers
– matching employment backgrounds of temporary foreign workers to needs of companies
– use of employment insurance (EI) contributions of companies and workers to provide recipient benefits only, and not for other government programs
Small businesses, trades & crafts
The party advocates:
– a comprehensive review of the tax system, including SRED and other programs intended to encourage innovation, to ensure that the system promotes healthy and competitive industry within Canada
– repealing recent tax increases applicable to small businesses
– repeal new rules imposing significant tax burdens no dividends for partners of business owners, since contributions of spouses cannot be measured in terms of time and money
– create an information package for business owners on the CRA website
– reducing regulatory burden for businesses by 25 percent over four years, with targets for each minister and department, using a rule that for each new regulation two previous ones must be rescinded
Industries & innovation
The party advocates:
– reviewing the tax code, reducing regulation, and improving immigration programs for skilled newcomers to ensure that innovation and manufacturing companies stay competitive and remain in Canada
– reducing the regulatory burden on manufacturers by 25 percent
– signing free trade agreements with Mercosur, ASEAN, and the UK
– reviewing the Temporary Foreign Workers program to better align it with domestic needs
– ensuring that intellectual property and free trade protections are at the heart of new trade agreements
– seeking new markets to diversify foreign trade and reduce dependence on the US
Pharmaceuticals
The party states that we must never again be caught unprepared as we were when COVID hit last year.
The party advocates:
– reducing reliance on foreign countries, and improving Canada’s ability to protect the health of its citizens
– partnering with pharmaceutical companies to increase production of critical medicines and build domestic vaccine production capacity
– strengthening domestic production of PPE through government procurement
– overhauling Canada’s National Emergency Stockpile System to ensure that supplies are ready to face future threats
Agriculture
The party states that:
– agriculture is a key strategic economic sector for Canada
– various regions of Canada and sectors of the industry hold competitive advantages. Support of one size does not fit all.
– agriculture policy must be developed only in consultation with the agricultural producers
– financial responsibility must be balanced with support programs that actually work
The party advocates:
– adding competitiveness to health and environmental protection as parts of the mandate for the Pest Management Regulatory Agency
– require the Minister of Agriculture to develop a strategy for ensuring that agricultural producers have the labor force they need
– work with farm groups to assess damage and respond to the US-China trade war
– deliver promised compensation to farmers who have lost business due to free trade agreements
– protect supply management practices while opening new markets for farmers dependent on exports
– postponing enforcement of new regulations for humane transportation of animals, to ensure they comport with full evidence
Unions and workers’ rights
The party advocates:
– the right of workers to organize democratically, bargain collectively, and withhold services while respecting the law, private property, and rights of others
– control of corporate pension funds by independent trustees, for the benefit of employees
Transportation & infrastructure
The party advocates:
– public-private investment as part of a comprehensive approach to a world-class transportation system
– in order to create jobs, increase wages, and connect industries, prioritizing infrastructure projects that will have maximum benefit to Canada’s economy, and commits to completing all projects previously adopted by the Liberal government
– federal-provincial partnership to achieve a true national highway system, through use of federal fuel excise tax
– to reduce commute times, prioritizing relevant infrastructure projects, such as BC’s Massey Tunnel replacement, Ontario’s Yonge Subway extension, and Quebec’s third cross-St Lawrence link
– in order to provide relief for transit users, introducing a tax credit for purchase of public transit passes.
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party advocates:
– appropriate regulation of financial institutions, to foster competition balance stability with opportunities for success
– establishment of a single, national securities regulator with robust enforcement powers
– increased competition in airlines, banking, cell phones and other industries, to improve economic and personal freedoms of Canadians
Green Party of Canada The Dignity of Work
The party states that it has three priorities to sustain dignified employment and build an economy to serve people:
– protecting workers whose incomes and work lives are or will be disrupted by artificial intelligence, robotics, and the transition away from fossil fuels
– enabling the creation of new jobs in the green economy
– facilitating transition from shrinking sectors to new green jobs, including income protection, job guarantees, retraining and resettlement, in partnership with workers and unions
Poverty Reduction
The party states that the most recent Canadian Income Survey reveals that 9.5 per cent of Canada’s population − about 3.4 million people – lives below the poverty line, and that poverty rates are even higher within marginalized and vulnerable groups, such as people living with disabilities, single mothers and seniors.
The party defines poverty as a systemic problem arising from low wages and insufficient income assistance, a precarious job market, a shortage of affordable housing and quality child care, and cuts in social programs; and that it is also tied directly to issues of bias and discrimination on the basis of gender, race, sexual orientation, and citizenship, as well as the ongoing legacy of colonization.
The party advocates:
– as a start toward eliminating child poverty in Canada, recommitting to a vision of Canada as a just society built around a progressive, fair, and compassionate social safety network
– establishing a universal Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) program to replace the current array of income supports, such as disability payments, social assistance and income supplements for seniors. Payment would be set at a “livable” level for different regions of the country
– establish a federal minimum wage of $15 per hour, to ensure a minimum wage for every Canadian, no matter where they live or work
Living wage & Wealth Inequality
The party advocates:
– to help workers threatened with displacement due to automation, working with provinces, territories, and Indigenous Peoples to establish a guaranteed livable income
– studying implementation of a shorter work week, to distribute paid work among more people
Job training
The party advocates:
– to facilitate the shift to new jobs, redirecting money from oil and gas subsidies to a Canadian Sustainable Generations Fund to support investment in trades, apprenticeships, and education
– leveraging public procurement to maximize opportunities for social hiring and procurement, including Indigenous, youth, and demand-driven skills development programs
An Economy to Serve People
The party believes as a matter of principle that society has a duty to provide social services that give everyone the opportunity to contribute to society and live a dignified, secure life.
The party advocates:
– as a first priority, recommitting to a vision of Canada as a just society built around a progressive, fair and compassionate social safety network
– a transition to a green economy comprising the following key elements:
– Measures well-being, rather than gross domestic product, as a sign of progress
– Embeds “conserver society” values rather than consumer society values
– Powered by renewable energy
– Designed around closed-loop production systems
– Organized for zero waste generation
– Organized for local food security
– Guarantees everyone a livable income
– Provides affordable housing for everyone
– Provides universal comprehensive health care and education
– Protects minorities from discrimination
– Ensures gender equality
– Builds community resilience and self-reliance, and
– Ensures fair taxation and fiscal stewardship.
– seeking improvements in the government’s plan for national wireless / internet connectivity, including alternatives to 5G technology and assurance of net neutrality
Jobs & dignity in employment
The party advocates:
– banning unpaid internships in private sector workplaces, except for work-study or experiential learning placements associated with credit courses at post-secondary schools
– full implementation of federal pay equity rules
– establishing a federal ombudsman to provide impartial and non-departmental help to harassed and demoralized employees, particularly for federal civil service employees
Industries, innovation & agriculture
The party advocates:
– to ensure that advances in artificial intelligence benefit workers and others as well as corporate stockholders, making Canada a global leader in AI development and regulation, to control ethical and safety issues, including establishing a parliamentary committee and establishing a guaranteed livable income
– making Canada a world leader in climate change research
– in order to improve food safety and nutrition, and to improve environmental practices, including land conservation, shifting away from harmful factory and industrial faming techniques, to promoting small-scale local production, and implementing farm apprenticeship programs to help and encourage new farmers
– protectiing rights of farmers to save their own seed and promote heritage seed banks and seed exchanges
– replace one third of Canada’s food imports with domestic production.
– supporting rooftop and community garden projects, and urban food production systems
– re-establish infrastructure for local food production, including canneries and slaughterhouses
-protect the supply management system, with exceptions for local production
– relaxing regulation of the cannabis production industry by lowering federally set price for cannabis to make it competitive with illegal supplies, reducing plastic packaging requirements, removing sales tax on medicinal cannabis preparations, allowing outdoor production and imposing organic production standards, and allowing growers to produce cannabis as a natural health product, rather than a restricted product
Unions and workers’ rights
The party advocates respecting federal unionized employees by rejecting back-to-work legislation as a bargaining tool
Transportation & infrastructure
The party states that the transportation sector produces more than a quarter of Canada’s climate pollution, and that that portion is increasing.
The party advocates:
– developing a national transportation strategy with a goal of reaching zero-carbon public ground transportation everywhere, in Canada, including rural and remote communities, by 2040, with rail as the hub, using light rail and electric bus connections
– as a part of that strategy, banning the sale of internal combustion passenger vehicles by 2030
– exempting new and used and zero-emission vehicles from federal sales tax
– providing more charging stations for electric vehicles, including all parking lots associated with federal facilities
– employing sustainably-produced biofuels, made from waste wood by-products and used vegetable oils, where electric and fuel cells are not viable, e.g, in fishing, mining, and forestry equipment
– implementing a national rail policy, with an investment of $600 – 720 million per year by 2023
– building high-speed rail in the Toronto-Ottawa-Quebec City triangle and the Calgary-Edmonton corridor
– converting all passenger ferries to electric or hybrid systems by 2030
– creating a national cycling and walking infrastructure fund
– developing a Green freight transport program to reduce pollution in partnership with the freight industry
– leading an international effort to include shipping and aviation in the ,Paris framework, and implementing an international tax on aviation and shipping fuels, with proceeds to the Global Climate Fund
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party states that economies which rely on constant GDP growth depend on ever-expanding mass consumption, which in turn drives increased extraction of raw materials, manufacture of largely disposable consumer goods and production of massive volumes of waste at every point in the commodity chain. This linear consumption-production-waste system, the driver of global warming, depends on disposability – a throwaway culture. It also depends on easy credit, which in turn enriches the financial sector and undermines individual and family financial stability.
The party advocates building a sustainable economy, in which products are built to last and to be repaired, and which protects citizens from predatory credit practices, telecom corporations and banks, by:
– setting product and service standards for consumer protection
– enacting Right to Repair legislation that requires producers to provide consumers or repair shops with replacement parts, software and tools for diagnosing, maintaining or repairing their products, for a fair price, and to reset any electronic security that may disable the device during diagnosis, maintenance or repair
– limiting credit card interest rates to a maximum of 10 percentage points above the Bank of Canada prime rate
– limiting ATM fees to $1 per transaction and prohibit financial institutions from charging their own customers ATM fees
– amending CRTC regulations to increase competition in the provision of cellular and internet services to
– consumers and decouple payments for cell phones from cell services
– enacting provisions to protect consumers and investors from fraud and theft in the cryptocurrency spheres, and directing Revenue Canada and law enforcement agencies to develop practical methods for preventing the use of cryptocurrencies for money laundering and funding terrorism.
Liberal Party of Canada The Dignity of Work
The party states that:
– it is planning a multi-year program of significant investment to rebuild the economy and restore employment on a greener, more equitable basis.
– to do so, it is focusing on broader quality-of-life indicators rather than just domestic product.
– for that purpose it has undertaken to monitor international plans, consult experts on the determinants of quality of life, and engage with Canadians on what matters to them
– to assist Canadians who find themselves unexpectedly working from home, simplifying rules for the home office tax deduction, including an option to claim up to $400 without tracking detailed expenses
The party advocates:
– a feminist, intersectional recovery that leaves no one behind, to ensure that young people have opportunities to gain skills and experience, and all Canadians have homes, and women participate fully
– an economic recovery that also supports those with disabilities, addresses gender-based violence, and ensures that families have access to affordable childcare, with the context of rigorous economic analysis and bringing diverse voices to decision making.
Poverty Reduction
The party reports that
– as a part of its COVID recovery plan, it provide an average of $400 to single adults and $600 for couples already on assistance programs
– it provided families receiving Canada Child Benefits an additional $300 per child
The party advocates creation of a million jobs, to restore Canadian employment to pre-pandemic levels, within three years.
Living wage & Wealth Inequality
To build a fairer economy and control extreme examples of wealth inequality, the party advocates:
– the building of 1.4 million new homes
– reforming taxation of employee stock option grants by applying a $200,000 limit on available tax deductions, with the exception of Canadian-controlled private corporations or non-CCPCs with annual gross revenues of less than $500 million, to mitigate the effect on start-up corporations
– to control detrimental effects on housing prices, implementing a national tax on unproductive use of housing by foreign non-resident owners
– continuing increased investment of $350 per year for enhanced enforcement of tax compliance for international taxpayers, GST/HST dodgers, and others
An Economy to Serve People
The party reports that:
– for the first half of 2020, Canada’s GDP dropped 13.4%, the fourth highest drop in the G7
– the International Monetary fund projects global retraction of 4.4% for 2020
– by December 2020, the government provided $407 billion dollars in support to keep Canadians and Canadian businesses afloat, including $270 billion in direct support
– through the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program, it supported over 3.9 million workers and 350,000 employers, and dispensed more than $50 billion
– it has extended the CEWS through June 2021
– in view of the possible ferocity of the 2nd wave of the pandemic, it proposes to raise the CEWS level from 655 to 75% of base salary
– the government has temporarily increased the flexibility, generosity, and simplicity of Employment Insurance access
– the party plans a program of continued investment to rebuild the economy by creating shared prosperity, improving Canadian quality of life, and powering a green transformation
Jobs & dignity in employment
The party reports that:
– lower-income workers were disproportionately affected by the downturn brought on by the pandemic, with a 38 percent decline in employment as compared to 13 percent for all other employees. Women and recent immigrants were particularly affected.
– as of December 2020, full recovery of employment was estimated to require 2 – 4 years, with proposed government investment measures
– it has committed to invest a total of $5.2 billion in Workforce Development Agreements with provinces and territories, for skills training and employment support. This includes $275 million for special programs for Indigenous, Women, and the disabled
Small businesses, trades & crafts
The party reports that:
– it is offering rent subsidies to business tenants, property owners, charities, and non-profits that have suffered revenue loss
– by December 2020 it had provided partially-forgivable loans of up to $60,000 to more than 790,000 small businesses and non-profits
– it provided $54 million in 2020-2021 to help the farming and fishing industries with costs of quarantining temporary foreign workers during the pandemic
The party advocates:
– to ensure fairness in the accommodations industry, and to improve GST/HST compliance, applying GST/HST to all platform-based short-term rental accommodations supplied in Canada
Industries, innovation & agriculture
The party advocates:
– investing at least $170 million in governmental capacity to manufacture vaccines, by establishing a new bio-manufacturing facility at the National Research Council Therapeutics Centre in Montreal
– investing up to $792 million in private bio-manufacturing capacity through the Strategic Innovation Fund
– exploring ways to promote long-term sustainable growth in the bio-manufacturing sector, through the National Research Council and Strategic Innovation fund
– allocating an additional $250 million over 5 years to the Strategic Innovation Fund, to help companies affected by the pandemic
– to support supply-managed dairy farmers under CUSMA and in recovering from the pandemic, providing a total of $2.0 billion
– paying an additional $691 over ten years to help chicken, egg and turkey farmers improve productivity and marketing activities
– investing $1.5 billon in agricultural irrigation projects
Labour, unions, and workers’ rights
The party advocates:
– a better employment insurance system to support gig workers, self-employed people, and to give workers more financial security
Transportation & infrastructure
In view of the importance of the air transportation industry and its challenges during the pandemic, the party advocates:
– investing $150 in 2020-2021 to improve ventilation in federal, provincial territorial, and local governmental and Indigenous community public buildings and help reduce the spread of COVID 19
– providing $206 million to a new Regional Air Transportation Initiative of the Regional Development Agencies
– providing an additional $500 million over six years, starting in 2020-21 to support transit projects at large airports
– providing an additional $86 million over two years to the Airports Capital Assistance Program to support investment in health and safety infrastructure
– providing a further $229 million in rent relief to the 21 airport authorities that rent from the federal government, and similar support for Ports Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party has advocates:
– bringing all businesses along the road to recovery and supporting them to hire the help they need
New Democrat Party of Canada The Dignity of Work
The party believes that:
– life in Canada is becoming harder, that young people struggle to find good jobs, that parents struggle with multiple jobs and enjoy less time with their children; and that the richest are richer than ever, while too many workers earn less than a living wage, and without the benefits and security of unions.
– the federal government has an important role to lay in creating better, fairer, and more secure jobs
The party advocates creating 300,000 good jobs with a new deal for climate action and good jobs.
Poverty Reduction
The party seeks to build a Canada without poverty, where all Canadians can count on quality public services and community supports to help them lead dignified lives. A core component of its plan is to enshrine the right to housing in law, and to end homelessness in Canada within a decade.
The party advocates:
– as a core component of its plan to end poverty, enshrining the right to housing in law, and to end homelessness in Canada within a decade
– because poor health and poverty are linked, national pharmacare and better access to mental health and additions support
Living wage & Wealth Inequality
The party states that too many Canadians live below the poverty line, while working 40 hours per week.
To ensure a living wage, the party advocates:
– working with provinces to launch a national basic income pilot project
– implementing a federal minimum wage of $15 per hour to cover more than 900,000 workers
– implementing a foreign buyer’s tax on sales of homes to non-residents, in order to end housing speculation which inflates housing prices
Pensions
The party believes that every Canadian should be able to count on a dignified, secure retirement.
The party advocates:
– ensuring that pension holders and employees entitled to severance pay have first priority in bankruptcy proceedings, rather than other investors
– prohibiting payouts and dividends from under-funded pension funds, and participation in a mandatory, industry financed insurance program to ensure that no worker is deprived of pension rights
– creation of a pension advisory commission to develop a long-term plant to protect Canada’s Old-Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplements and improve the amount of payments
An Economy to Serve People
The party advocates ensuring that public investments are directed to clean energy, sustainable infrastructure and boosting energy efficiency in communities across the country.
Jobs & dignity in employment
The party advocates, as a part of shifting to a new green economy, creating 300,000 new good jobs across Canada
The party states that without benefits like extended health coverage and dental care, temporary workers earn roughly 75 per cent of what permanent employees do, resulting in harm to the most vulnerable workers and giving employers an incentive to prefer part-time to full time workers.
The party advocates implementing rules to require that part-time and contract workers be compensated equally to full time workers.
Small businesses, trades & crafts
The party believes that small businesses need a government that will help them access the services and infrastructure they require to thrive and expand, while investing in a healthy and talented workforce.
The party advocates:
– reduction of small business taxes
– elimination of unfair merchant fees
– implementation of universal pharmacare to save small businesses approximately $600 dollars per employee per year
– enactment of legislation to end the unfair tax treatment of family transfers of small businesses to future generations
– simplification of access to government export services for entry into foreign markets
– increased investment of worker training to boost traditionally underemployed groups
Industries, innovation & agriculture
The party states that with the right choices now, Canadian industry can be a global leader as market needs evolve, with workers at the centre of a robust strategy to drive innovation and boost competitiveness.
The party advocates:
– as a start, updating and strengthening the Investment Canada Act to protect Canadian jobs to curb takeovers of Canadian companies without national security reviews
– replacing the Invest in Canada Agency with a new iCanada, a one-stop federal service bureau to help attract investors while championing Canadian industry
Automotive
– convening a summit with provincial, municipal, industry, and labour leaders to develop a National Automotive Strategy to attract and retain jobs and investment, including protection of Canadian product lines and manufacturing processes, and workers
– creating a tax-free Automotive innovation fund
– ensuring that federal incentives for zero-emissions vehicles prioritize made-in-Canada vehicles; and buying Canadian-made zero emissions vehicles for government fleets, to lead by example on sustainability while creating good jobs
Manufacturing
– convening all levels of government, business and labour leaders to develop a national industrial strategy to build an advanced low-carbon manufacturing economy, and grow the domestic market for Canadian manufactured goods
– providing strategic supports to our long-neglected steel and aluminum industries, to attract and retain investment and jobs
– resisting all tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum
– requiring use of Canadian steel and aluminum for infrastructure products across the country
Aerospace
– implementing a comprehensive National Aerospace Strategy to allow Canadian aerospace companies of all sizes commercialize new technologies, strengthen competitiveness, and train workers for good jobs in the sector
– positioning the aerospace sector to transition to a low-carbon economy and lead world clean aviation industry
Technology
– investing in R&D on a sector-specific basis with particular focus on technologies to support a low-carbon future
– stepping up as a partner to foster entrepreneurship and support a Canadian start-up culture, with a focus on helping companies scale up and retain employees
Agriculture
The party recognizes agriculture as the backbone of the economy, a source of community pride, and high-tech industry that requires a talented and skilled workforce.
The party advocates:
– implementing a national food strategy to invest in agricultural communities, support young and new farmers, and help ensure sustainable rural livelihoods
– protecting domestic supply management policies, ensuring reciprocity in all trade negotiations, and supporting supply-managed sectors in growth and innovation
– ensuring high-speed internet and wireless connectivity in farming regions
– to help young people and women establish farming livelihoods, working with provinces to improve training opportunities and provide low-cost start-up loans for new farmers
– ending unfair tax treatment of family farm transfers, to assist inter-generational passing of farms
– increased mental health support for farmers
– increased investment in public agricultural research, to keep canola farmers and others on the cutting edge of knowledge and innovation
– implementing a payment protection plan for food exporters
– working with producers to promote Canadian food products domestically
Unions and workers’ rights
The party states that although almost all workers pay into Employment Insurance, less than 40 per cent qualify for benefits when needed, and only one third of unemployed women can access benefits.
The party advocates:
– implementing a universal qualifying threshold of 360 hours to ensure that all workers can access needed benefits
– restoring the EI appeals system to make decisions fast and fair
– permanently restoring the Extra Five Weeks project, to address challenges faced by seasonal workers
– as an optional alternative to 18 months’ parental leave at 33 percent of salary, implementing shorter leave at a higher right, and allowing self-employed workers to opt in to benefits any time before they go on leave
– doubling parental leave benefits for parents of multiple children
– extending sick leave benefits to 50 weeks, and expanding re-training programs
– implementing a pilot program to allow workers with episodic disabilities to access EI benefits periodically, as needed
– instituting legal protections for the EI Operating account, to protect its funds for use as general revenue
– defending the Rand formula, so that unions can effectively advocate for workers, and continuing to oppose legislation that suspends rights to bargain and to strike
– ensuring that workers and employers work together to improve health and safety, and ensuring protection for whistleblowers
– updating the Labour Code to enhance safeguards for workers and ban use of replacement workers during labor disputes
Transportation and Infrastructure
The party believes that Canadians should be able to rely on the federal government to invest infrastructure projects that will make a real difference in communities across the country.
The party advocates:
– using Community Benefit Agreements to guarantee good jobs, training, apprenticeships, and support for local businesses are part of all infrastructure projects.
– implementing a permanent, direct, and allocation-based funding mechanism for modern public transit across Canada for the long term.
– increasing investment to help cities transition their bus fleets to electric drive, and expand affordable rail and bus options.
– working with communities for which it is a priority to develop fare-free transit
– increased federal funding to respond to disasters and adapt infrastructure to withstand floods, fires, and other extreme weather events
– ensuring that every community in Canada has access to affordable high-speed internet
Corporations, Competition & Consumerism
The party states that Canadians pay some of the highest prices for mobile and broadband internet in the world, while according to the CRTC the profit margins of Canada’s five largest telecom companies are almost 40%, and two million Canadians in rural and remote areas lack reliable internet access.
The party advocates:
– implementing a price cap to ensure that prices in Canada are no more than the global average.
– ensuring that every community in Canada has access to high-speed internet without delay
– requiring providers offer basic wireless and broadband plans that are available in other countries, and require unlimited data rates at affordable prices
– implementing a telecom consumer’s bill of rights
– ensuring that consumers have a right to repair electronic devices and other prices at affordable prices
– requiring financial institutions and advisors to provide advice that is in the best interest of the investor, rather than the bank
– creating a fair gasoline prices watchdog to investigate complaints of price gouging, to ensure gasoline prices are fair
– increasing the competition bureau’s power to proactively investigate anti-competitive activity in the gasoline market
– to protect traveller safety and consumer rights, strengthening the Air Passenger Bill of Rights
People’s Party of Canada The party has published no official statement concerning its policies on:
– The dignity of work
– Poverty Reduction
– Labour, Employment
The party states that:
– there are only two ways to create more wealth and prosperity: we can either work more or work more efficiently through increased productivity
– investments in R&D, innovation, more efficient production processes, machinery and equipment are critical to improvements in productivity and living standards
– improved productivity leads to better, higher-paying jobs
– in a context where there are manpower shortages in many sectors, investment is a way to increase production without necessarily having to employ more workers
– since 2015, business investment has gone down not only in the oil and gas sector, but in many others as well
– Canada is attracting less foreign direct investment
– a 2018 study by the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary found $14 billion worth of direct and indirect federal business subsidies. Most if not all of these create unfair market distortions by favouring some companies or sectors at the expense of others
– Canada’s combined federal-provincial corporate income tax rate is the 12th highest amongst the 36O ECD countries
– abolishing the capital gains tax encourage every Canadian to save and invest more and would give our entrepreneurs access to a larger pool of capital
The party advocates:
– to stop the taking of billions of dollars from the private sector and redistributing them through subsidies, lowering taxes for all businesses and encouraging saving and investment to make our economy more productive
– eliminating all corporate subsidies and other inefficient government interventions (bailouts of failing companies, regional development grants, conditional loans and loan guarantees with an implicit subsidy, tax credits, etc.) that unfairly support some companies or business sectors. This will generate savings of between $5billion and $10billion a year
– gradually reducing over the course of one mandate the corporate income tax rate from its current 15% down to 10%. When completed, this measure will make about $9.5 billion a year available to businesses, allowing them to increase salaries or invest in productivity improvements
– over the course of one mandate, gradually abolish the personal capital gains tax by decreasing the inclusion rate from the current 50% down to 0%. When completed, this measure will put about $7 billion per year back into the pockets of Canadians
Agriculture
The party states that:
– supply management is a government-imposed cartel that keeps the prices of dairy, poultry, and eggs artificially high through the control of production, the banning of imports, price fixing, and the prevention of competition in the market
– supply management limits imports by imposing tariffs that range from150% for eggs to 300% for butter, and results in Canadian farmers being barred from exporting their products, and negatively impacts other sectors of our economy, such as the food processing and food preparation industries
– supply management also supports one of the most influential lobbies in Ottawa, with affects on free trade negotiations
– according to the OECD, supply management caused Canadian consumers to pay $3.6 billion more every year between 2011and 2015
-according to a study done by University of Manitoba economists, supply management imposes a financial burden of $339 annually on the poorest 20% of Canadian households, the equivalent of a2.3% tax on their incomes
The party advocates:
– creating a free, open, and fair system that will save Canadians billions of dollars annually by phasing out the supply management system over a number of years to allow farmers to adapt, and compensate them for the lost value of their quotas
– allowing Canada’s dairy, egg and poultry farmers to thrive and sell their products internationally
Points to Ponder Points to Ponder: An Economy to Serve People
Consider discussing the following questions with your local candidates, elected officials, and the parties, and with your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and fellow parishioners:
Poverty Reduction
– What can be done to ensure that all Canadians are encouraged and enabled to apply the full range of their talents and gifts to the care of their families, to lift themselves out of poverty, and in doing so to give praise to God as co-creators, through meaningful creative work?
– How can Canada best strike a balance between the principles of solidarity – ‘we’re all in this together’ – and subsidiarity – ‘everyone should do what he or she can to support themselves, before burdening others?’
– What is an appropriate definition of poverty, particularly in a society overflowing with consumer objects and material wealth? Should such definitions include consideration of the ability of individuals to seek personal fulfillment in pursuing truth?
– What, if anything, should be done to ensure that a dignified living wage, capable of providing a dignified home and opportunity to support a family is available to workers, or those willing to work, or to reduce poverty in Canada? Should a basic income policy be considered? If so, what form should it take? What can or should be done by the provinces, and what should be left to the federal government, or to private or community organizations?
– It has been observed that debt levels among the elderly are increasing, especially as the costs of long-term, dignified care increase. What can or should be done to alleviate poverty and debt among the elderly?
GDP & Well-Being
For decades, governments have focused exclusively on gross domestic product – a measure of an economy’s sheer productivity – as the best measure of national economic health. More recently, some voices have begun to advocate for a broader index of national well-being, to include factors such as the physical and emotional health of the people, the health of the environment, equity in housing, income, and opportunity, and food security, in addition to raw production.
– Which of these approaches is more likely to reflect the well being of current and future national, provincial, or local populations, and their ability to achieve personal fulfillment in seeking and finding truth?
– What else can or should be done to ensure that Canada’s economy serves the people, rather than the other way around? Is it reasonable to demand continuous economic growth, or might it be preferable to seek sustainable contentment?
Businesses and Corporations
For decades, corporate lobby groups and business schools have taught that the only legitimate object of a business corporation is to make money for its shareholders. More recently, some business voices have begun to advocate a broader role for corporations, to include service of its employees, its customers, and the community, and protection of the environment, as part of a corporation’s proper role.
– Which of these object definitions is more consistent with church teachings? Should anything be done to encourage development of a corporate and business culture that aims to serve people, communities, and future generations, in addition to profits? If so, what?