Equality In Canada Research Articles

A Fiscal Need Approach to Equalization

The existing fiscal equalization program in Canada attempts to equalize per capita tax burden alone and completely ignores the expenditure side. This paper examines the consequences of this neglect both conceptually as well as empirically. The paper concludes that a program of equalization that ignores the expenditure side cannot be defended on economic efficiency and equity grounds. Further, such a program might not be consistent with the constitutional intent of equalization in Canada. The paper argues that the present system of equalization in Canada could be improved by explicitly recognizing relative expenditure needs of the Canadian provinces in the formula. The paper implements an objective methodology for measuring these needs and provides tentative calculations based on the proposed approach. The paper concludes that a fiscal needs based program of equalization would differ greatly from the present program in terms of its redistributive impact and further that under such a program the total amount of equalization transfers made by the Federal Government might also be reduced.

Federal-Provincial Financial Equalization and the Canadian Constitution

The development of federal-provincial financial equalization in Canada is reviewed in this essay. Also included is a discussion of the 1982–1987 fiscal arrangements; an explanation of two competing philosophies of equalization—fiscal need and fiscal equity; and an exploration of some implications of the 1982 Constitution Act for the future of equalization in Canada. It is concluded that the 1982 Act offers substantial support to the narrow-based fiscal equity principle and that future equalization programs in Canada should therefore be similar to current practice.

Canadian Universities: Who Benefits and Who Pays?

The following article deals with university education in Canada and its redistri- butive effects. From an economic point of view, there are two fundamental questions: first, which students are the principal beneficiaries of a university education? Secondly, who in Canadian society primarily bears the cost of edu- cating university students? As the following article shows, the answers to these questions are not encouraging, if we view universities as institutions that strive for greater economic equality in Canada. Children of high income families tend to be the ones that capture the bulk of the financial rewards of a university degree, while low income families often pay a disproportionately large share of educational expenditures.

ETHNICITY AND THE RURAL ECONOMY: ILLUSTRATIONS FROM SOUTHERN MANITOBA, 1961–1971

Variation in behaviour stemming from cultural differences has long been recognized as a possible key influence on attitudes towards economic development. The seminal work of Max Weber (1958) relating economic performance to religious allegiances is an obvious example. However, variations in the attitudes of economic actors may also derive from differences in endowments stemming from ethnic heritage. In Canada, for instance, the role of the British group in dominating corporate directorships has been well documented (Porter 1957) and is of special significance in a nation attempting to establish a balanced power situation between its Anglophone and Francophone elements. The problems of attaining cultural equality in Canada are, of course, compounded by the concentration of the Francophone element in Quebec and this spatial concern introduces new complexities in prescribing solutions.

En la intersección de la crisis económica global y el Estado Anti-Feminista: Mujeres en Canadá, 2008-2009

This paper traces the deterioration of gender equality in Canada as governments failed to understand how badly the 1991 recession affected women's economic status well into the mid-2000s, and then as an anti-feminist conservative government took office in 2006. The author provides examples of how anti-recession and economic recovery policies formulated by a government antagonistic to women's demands for equal treatment accelerated the economic deterioration women continued to experience between 2008 and 2012. The paper includes gender impact data on women's employment, access to unemployment benefits, participation in infrastructure stimulus programs, shares of personal income tax cuts, and the growing wage gap in Canada.

Looking Back a Century on the Centennial of Jewish Political Equality in Canada

<i>Looking Back a Century on the Centennial of Jewish Political Equality in Canada</i>

Looking Back a Century on the Centennial of Jewish Political Equality in Canada

<i>Looking Back a Century on the Centennial of Jewish Political Equality in Canada</i>