UNCOMMONS

Arun Advani is professor of economics and a commissioner of the UK’s Wealth Tax Commission, and he joins Nate on this episode to discuss the Commission’s call for a one-off wealth tax, and what he thinks of the wealth tax motion Nate has proposed in Parliament.

The Commission found that a one-off wealth tax could generate significant revenue, but also that it “would be economically efficient. Since it is based on wealth at a (past) point in time, a one-off wealth tax does not distort behaviour.”

Nate’s motion calls for, among other tax measures, a one-time tax on extreme wealth – 3% on net wealth over $10 million, and 5% on net wealth over $20 million. The Library of Parliament estimates that such a tax would generate almost $70 billion direct revenue. 

Interestingly, this figure is similar to our inclusive recovery fund, which the Fall Economic Statement sets at $70 to $100 billion over three years. So perhaps we should ask those with extreme wealth to pay for our national recovery, an idea that is both fair and efficient.

Jann Arden is a Canadian music icon and a fierce defender of animal rights. 

Jann joins Nate to discuss the cruelty involved in the live export of horses for slaughter and her work to end that cruelty through the HORSESHIT campaign and with the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition.

Find out more and support the campaign at horseshit.ca 

Jann Arden is a Canadian music icon and a fierce defender of animal rights. 

Jann joins Nate to discuss the cruelty involved in the live export of horses for slaughter and her work to end that cruelty through the HORSESHIT campaign and with the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition.

Find out more and support the campaign at horseshit.ca 

This February marks the 25th anniversary of Black History Month, since then Liberal MP Jean Augustine led a motion to have it recognized. 

Writing in the Toronto Star recently, Minister Ahmed Hussen reflected on What Black History Month means in 2021. He joins Nate to discuss why he’s looking at that history through the lens of deeply troubling events, what action the government has taken  to date to address racial equality, and what more needs to come.

Minister Hussen is an accomplished lawyer and cabinet minister, he came to Canada with his family from Somalia as a refugee, and despite all of his accomplishments he’s said he still gets followed around in stores and has spoken out against racial profiling. 

The charities that serve those in need also need our help right now. Revenue has declined, demand for services has only increased, and a critical component of our social safety net is coming undone when we need it most.

On this episode, Nate is joined by Maya Roy, Jocelyn Formsma, and Owen Charters to discuss how the federal government can and should step in to support charities.

Maya Roy is the CEO of the YWCA Canada, Jocelyn Formsma is the executive director of the National Association of Friendship Centres, and Owen Charters is the president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.

As referenced in the podcast:
·         Feminist Economic Recovery Plan – http://www.feministrecovery.ca
·         Impact of COVID-19 on the Women’s Sector in Canada: https://ywcacanada.ca/take-action/act-now/take-action-for-the-womens-sector/

Sarah Perret is a tax economist and deputy head of unit at the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration. Her role involves assessing countries’ tax systems and advising them on tax reform. She is also the author of a number of studies on taxation, inequality and inclusive growth, including The Role and Design of Net Wealth Taxes in the OECD, and she recently provided advice to the UK Wealth Tax Commission.

Sarah joins Nate to discuss wealth inequality and different ways of taxing wealth. 

Former Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache joins Nate to discuss the devastating effects of sexual harassment on women in the RCMP, and his scathing report “Broken Dreams Broken Lives.”

The report and claims process formed part of the historic Merlo-Davidson settlement, in the wake of two class action suits alleging that female members of the RCMP had been victims of workplace discrimination, intimidation, and harassment. Over the last four years, Mr. Bastarache heard from hundreds of former female RCMP employees, which culminated in his report and recommendations calling for serious reform.

With renewed optimism that the United States will now be a stronger partner than ever before in meeting the challenge of climate change, Saikat Chakrabarti joins Nate to discuss what comes next for the Green New Deal and more progressive politics in America.

Saikat is former campaign manager and chief of staff to Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, co-founder of Justice Democrats, and currently president of New Consensus, a think tank focused on developing the Green New Deal.

Dr. Samir Sinha joins Nate to talk about how we’ve failed to protect our seniors, and the changes we need to make going forward, including targeted vaccine roll-out to seniors at risk, national standards for long-term care, and action to help seniors stay in their homes.

Dr. Sinha is a geriatrician, co-chair and policy director of the National Institute on Ageing, and the director of geriatrics at Mount Sinai and the University Health Network. He has also helped to lead the development of seniors’ strategies both in Ontario and nationally, and he’s been vocal in the media and in his work on the need for all levels of government to prioritize our seniors in our policy-making.

Dr. David Naylor is a physician, medical researcher, and former president of U of T.  He’s also uniquely placed to discuss pandemic response, as the co-chair of the federal COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, and as past chair of the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health in 2003. 

On this episode, Dr. Naylor and Nate discuss vaccine roll-out, pandemic response, and lessons learned.