The pandemic has underscored the extent to which economic decisions made by the various levels of government have an impact on the lives and safety of Canadians.
As the federal government thinks about how to fill the holes in our social safety net that the pandemic has revealed, the creation of universal Pharmacare should be top of the priority list.
Canadian governments will have to maximize industrial job creation here in Canada, and they will have to perhaps stand strong in the face of WTO or European protests in order to do so.
Now that we are collectively facing a health risk that is spreading across space, we’ve been given the opportunity for empathy with many people who individually confront risks that repeat over and over again during the course of their lives.
Policy makers accustomed to making sure the design of a program only reaches their intended group need to adjust their thinking caps and cast a broader net.
There should be no fiscal restraints on the needed response to the pandemic crisis, and we need to also ensure that we avoid another round of austerity when the economy recovers.
The sooner affected workers can make the financial decision to stay home from work, the more effective public health measures will be in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
We must come to terms with the crisis before the crisis— the steady rise in very insecure and low paid work which leaves far too many individuals and families one pay cheque away from disaster.
Housing stability, quality, safety, and affordability all affect health outcomes. Adequate financial investments and ambition are required to achieve this.
