Poverty, inequality & welfare

Seven immediate steps to reduce poverty while the government consults on a comprehensive poverty reduction plan

Nov 1, 2017
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Earlier this week, the BC government appointed an Advisory Forum on Poverty Reduction to provide expertise and assistance to the Minster of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in the development of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy for BC. The 27 people named to the Forum represent communities across the province and bring diverse skills, perspectives… View Article

Climate justice and the BC carbon tax: 20th Anniversary retrospective

Oct 27, 2017
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BC’s carbon tax was announced in February 2008, a year after the landmark February 2007 Throne Speech that focused extensively on climate change. That set in motion a whole-of-government exercise out of the Premier’s office aimed at developing a climate action plan. (See my ten-year retrospective here.) At the time, a carbon tax was widely… View Article

Public libraries are becoming the new social safety net

Sep 28, 2017
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Public libraries in British Columbia are evolving beyond spaces of quiet contemplation, equipped with card catalogues and encyclopaedias. In a time of increased Internet use and communication via social media, the way we access knowledge and use the library is changing. We are seeing digital storytelling and inspiration labs, access to design software, e-readers and… View Article

Sharing our realities: Life on disability assistance in BC

Apr 27, 2017
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Both people with disabilities and those who work within the income assistance system say the effects of provincial government policy in British Columbia are demoralizing. Looking beyond the numbers to focus on real-life stories, the report Sharing Our Realities: Life on Disability Assistance finds a remarkable consensus between people with disabilities, income assistance workers, and… View Article