By: Noah Clarke COVID-19 travel restrictions have wiped out demand for air travel since early 2020, and the impact has spread to the entire aerospace industry. Aerospace is a strategic industry because of the economic and innovative benefits it provides. While other governments have provided bailouts specific to their aerospace industries, Canada has not. Without…
Category: Commentary
The Challenges of Confronting Racial Inequity
By: Hugh Ragan This summer’s Black Lives Matter protests led to the most widespread and profound consciousness-raising that I have experienced in my lifetime. The killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd drew attention to injustices experienced by African Americans and racial minorities but also prompted fundamental questions about justice that transcend race. Four points,…
The ‘Cold’ Shoulder: Toronto’s Response to Homelessness as the Pandemic Rages On
By: Sabrina Gilmour As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the middle of the winter, most Torontonians will likely find themselves seeking warmth and safety within their homes. For people experiencing homelessness, the colder season might have meant going to one of the 63 shelters the city has to offer. However, this is no typical…
Lifting Canadians with Disabilities out of Economic Vulnerability with a Guaranteed Basic Income
By: Anastasia Volkov The Canadian government implemented several income support programs to enable Canadians to meet basic needs while facing temporary or permanent job loss or hours reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was in place from March to October 2020. It was a “simple application process that made use…
The Government of Canada’s Current Fiscal Deficit Doesn’t Matter
By: Noah Clarke In Canada, the economic impact of the pandemic quickly made itself known. In March and April alone, more than three million Canadians lost their jobs as travel and non-essential services were shut down to limit the spread of the virus. The unemployment rate quickly soared to 13 per cent. Now, those that…
Perhaps too early to start celebrating: Fairness and Equity in the Distribution of a COVID-19 Vaccine
By: Sonja Perisic The world was roaring with the recent week’s announcement that Moderna, an American pharmaceutical company, has developed a vaccine more than 94% effective in preventing COVID-19. Canada has already secured up to 358 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from a wide range of different manufacturers and has signed six contracts for tens of millions more vaccine doses with pharmaceutical giants, such as AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer….