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EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PLUS |
"To live together in peace" by Barack Obama In a speech at the University of Cairo, US President Barack Obama directly confronted issues dividing the West and Islam — from terror to democracy and women’s rights, and notably the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. "No longer recession…but not yet recovery" by Todd Hirsch [summary not available] "Time to get real on EI reform" by Jeremy Leonard Employment insurance has been unfairly maligned as ineffective in responding to the 2008-09 recession. The number of EI recipients rose almost in lockstep with the ranks of the unemployed during the worst of the downturn. The fact is that fewer than 10 percent of unemployed Canadians lack sufficient work hours to qualify, making the acrimonious political debate over loosening those requirements a tempest in a teapot. But the heightened attention to the program provides a golden opportunity for policy-makers in general and the bipartisan working group in particular to make broader and more effective improvements to the unemployment safety net, including better aligning EI with its core mission of income support during unanticipated job loss, as well as beefing up programs to improve the employment prospects of the many Canadians who do not qualify. "A short history of EI, and a look at the road ahead" by Thomas J. Courchene and John R. Allan When Parliament resumes after the summer recess EI will be centre stage. A combination of electoral politics and mounting unemployment will presumably drive EI reform. However, because EI is already incentive-ridden with regional and industrial subsidies, and because its tentacles have penetrated deeply into social Canada, a more in-depth analysis of the program is warranted. Accordingly, Thomas Courchene and John Allan draw on historical and analytical evidence to recast EI in ways that are more consistent with insurance principles, but are buttressed by a proposal for a guaranteed annual income/negative income tax, as well as a call for ensuring employment benefits (maternity, parental, etc) are made more available to all Canadians. "EI: the law of unintended consequences" by Janice MacKinnon The current employment insurance (EI) system discourages Canadians from moving to pursue employment and should be replaced by uniform standards for access to, and duration of, EI benefits. Such a change would help address labour shortages that threaten to curtail Canada’s economic growth and worsen our productivity. Moreover, training opportunities need to be improved, access to EI should be expanded and there needs to be a stronger link between premiums paid and benefits received. Though EI needs to be changed, the question remains: should there be an election this fall over the issue ? "Mulling the mullahs: prelude to the next Iranian revolution?" by Jeremy Kinsman In the turmoil that followed the Iranian election in June, “a million voices roared from the roofs at night in outrage against a corrupt and tyrannical regime,” writes Jeremy Kinsman in a piercing analysis that sees both parallels to and differences from the first Iranian revolution. This time, it is the mullahs who are entrenched in power, supported by the Revolutionary Guard. The Iranian theocracy has stifled dissent and trampled on women’s rights and now is staging show trials of opponents of the regime, who may include dissident clerics. “The crucial fact,” writes Kinsman, “is that millions believed they had been cheated of their votes.” Are the turbulent events of this summer a prelude to a second Iranian revolution, or will the crackdown stifle the voices of dissent? "A rock and a hard place: the isotope conundrum" by Geoff Norquay In the summer of 2009, the world is experiencing an acute shortage of medical isotopes used to diagnose illness and treat various kinds of cancer. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s aging National Research Universal reactor is offline for repairs, and there is no backup reactor in the world capable of replacing the supply of medical isotopes. Contributing Writer Geoff Norquay traces the history of the medical isotope business in Canada, and explores how a plan to ensure future global supplies of isotopes and secure Canada’s leadership in a vital area of science and technology went terribly wrong. "From sales to marketing: the evolution of the party pitch" by Susan Delacourt and Alex Marland All politicians have to be savvy salespeople, and smart politicos know how to borrow lessons from the world of business. But in business, there’s a world of difference between selling and the far more complex art of marketing. The distinction is important to understand in Canadian politics too, especially now that the country may be headed soon into yet another election. The Toronto Star’s senior writer, Susan Delacourt, and Memorial University’s Alex Marland explain how politicians have to be seen, and see themselves, as more than door-to-door salespersons and how marketing is playing a role in Canadian politics. "From Harris to Hudak: the right stuff" by Robin V. Sears The Progressive Conservatives were Ontario’s ruling party for most of the last century. But under the leadership of Dalton McGuinty, bidding for a third term in 2011, the Liberals have stolen the centre and maximized the advantages of incumbency. The Conservative leadership campaign was an opportunity to revive a tired old party and produced two fresh faces, Christine Elliott and the eventual winner, Tim Hudak. Robin Sears examines the entrails of a race that determined McGuinty’s principal rival in the next campaign in Canada’s largest province. "The road to Huntsville: restoring Canadian leadership on the global stage" by Colin Robertson As host of next year’s G8 summit in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada should seize the initiative in bridging the evolution to a more representative summit of leaders. Using the trampoline of the Olympics, now is also the time to think anew about what we want to achieve internationally says Colin Robertson. We should consult with Canadians and reach out to the provinces, business and the wider community, to stimulate new thinking and generate new ideas about how we make and conduct our foreign policy. We will have to raise our game and devote resources to the task. But it will be worth the effort. "The six types of Canadian SMEs: competing to win in tough times" by Karl Moore and William C.T. Polushin Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical to Canada’s economic prosperity. When discussing this economic subsector, though, we need to go beyond the one-size-fits-all approach, particularly as it pertains to those companies that are active in international business. Based on their research and consulting work in the Canadian SME community over the past 15 years, the authors have identified six distinct types of SMEs that engage in trade. In this article they outline the six types and propose strategies for them to stay competitive on the international front during and after the current recession. "Capitalism: the Communist way" by Daniel D. Veniez From Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City is no distance at all, except a journey in time, from the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, or the American war as the Vietnamese call it, to the communist-ruled but capitalist-intensive country that surprises visitors 34 years later. Canadian businessman Daniel Veniez reports on his impressions of the country he saw through not only his eyes but also his partner’s, former boat person Bac Nguyen, who returned to his native land as a Canadian entrepreneur. "Après Kelowna" by Alain Noël [summary not available] |
