OTTAWA—The federal government’s role as backstop during the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t end with the first wave of reopening—Canada needs to step up with more investments to ensure a just, equitable and sustainable recovery, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) in the 25th year of its Alternative Federal Budget project.
Alternative budgets
We worked with editor Anastasia Chipelski, freelance writers and student researchers to share the APB in this accessible format. The newspaper introduces the “Golden Boi” cartoon by Kaj Hasselriis: “After standing tall on the Manitoba Legislature for a hundred years, the Golden Boi is finally hopping down to feel the pulse of the community — at a social distance! — and to suggest positive changes for the next century”. The newspaper also includes a word puzzle and crossword!
Illustration by Maura Doyle
Sometimes it takes one crisis to bring another into the light.
In our first issue following the outbreak of COVD-19 in Canada, Monitor contributors assess the federal and provincial government responses to date and propose how we might use this moment of government activism to fix the gross inequalities in our society—by improving social programs such as employment insurance, income assistance and our health care system, for example.
Des experts et expertes réclament des mesures à court, à moyen et à long terme afin de soutenir les collectivités et de les protéger contre les effets de la pandémie
Cliquez ici pour le français
Nous publions le Budget fédéral alternatif 2020 — notre 25e édition depuis 1995 — à un moment très instable pour le Canada et le monde. La combinaison de COVID-19, une vente mondiale de pétrole et l'effondrement des marchés financiers mondiaux menace non seulement la santé et la sécurité publiques, mais aussi la stabilité de notre économie, qui sera probablement en récession d'ici la fin de l'année. Il est maintenant temps de penser au-delà des correctifs fiscaux standard et des plans de sauvetage des banques.
Experts urge short, medium and long term action to support communities and buffer against impacts of ongoing pandemic
First published in the Winnipeg Free Press March 3, 2020
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba office launched its Alternative Provincial Budget (APB) which proposes a number of strategic investments the Government of Manitoba can make to take action on the big issues facing our province, like poverty, climate change, and improving the well-being of Manitobans. Change Starts Here shows that there are choices the provincial government can make to narrow the gap between the rich and the rest of us, lift close to 80,000 Manitobans out of poverty and create thousands of good paying jobs in the low carbon economy.