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Progressive news, views and ideas SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
Founded in 1980, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) is a registered charitable research
institute and Canada’s leading source of progressive policy ideas, with offices in Ottawa, Vancouver, Regina,
Winnipeg, Toronto and Halifax. The CCPA founded the Monitor magazine in 1994 to share and promote its
progressive research and ideas, as well as those of like-minded Canadian and international voices.
The Monitor is mailed to all CCPA supporters who give a minimum of $35 a year to the Centre.
Write us at monitor@policyalternatives.ca if you would like to receive the Monitor.
Vol. 28, No. 3 Contributors
ISSN 1198-497X
Canada Post Publication 40009942 Justine Deschenes (she/her) Asad Ismi (he/him) is a Ray Mwareya (he/him) is
The Monitor is published six times is Algonquin (Anishinabe) from Monitor columnist who covers a freelance food writer and
a year by the Canadian Centre for Kitigan Zibi, QC. She is a mother, international politics. For his immigrant of colour in Ottawa.
Policy Alternatives. dog lover, chef, activist, and publications visit: www.asadismi. His work has been published in
cultural and food ambassador. info. Ricochet Media, Friends.ca and
The opinions expressed in the Newsweek.
Monitor are those of the authors Kate Ervine (she/her) is Dr. Catherine Leviten-Reid (she/
and do not necessarily reflect an Associate Professor in her) is an Associate Professor in Jumko Ogata-Aguilar (she/
the views of the CCPA. International Development Studies the MBA in Community Economic her/ella) is an AfroJapanese
at Saint Mary's University in Halifax Development program at Cape and pocha writer and film critic
Please send feedback to and a Faculty Associate with SMU's Breton University. Currently from Veracruz, Mexico. Her
monitor@policyalternatives.ca.
School of the Environment. Her leading a national, SSHRC- work explores racial and cultural
Editor: Róisín West books include Carbon with Polity CMHC partnership grant on diversity in Mexico, as well as
Copy Editing: Alec Ross Press. affordable housing, her research racist representations in film and
Senior Designer: Tim Scarth is focused on housing, community literature in Mexico and the U.S.
Gavin Fridell (he/him) is Canada
Layout: Susan Purtell development, the social economy,
Research Chair and Professor in Ambika Samarthya-Howard
Editorial Board: Trish Hennessy, and social care.
International Development Studies (she/her) is a video producer and
Shannon Daub, Róisín West,
at Saint Mary’s University in Cruz Bonlarron Martínez (he/ communication specialist. From
Erika Shaker, Rick Telfer,
Halifax. He is co-editor, with Zack him) is an independent writer Bollywood to Nigeria, Ambika has
Jason Moores
Gross and Sean McHugh, of The and researcher currently living in been creating, teaching and writing
Contributing Writers: Fair Trade Handbook: Building a Colombia. He writes on politics, at the intersection of storytelling
Elaine Hughes, David Macdonald, Better World, Together. human rights, and culture in Latin and social good for two decades.
Anthony N. Morgan, America and the Latin American
Randy Robinson, Christine Saulnier, J David Hughes (he/him) is an diaspora.
Diamond Yao (she/her) is an
Katie Sheedy, Stuart Trew earth scientist who spent most of independent writer/journalist
CCPA National Office his professional career working Alicia Massie (she/her) is a from Montreal/Tio’tia:ke who
141 Laurier Avenue W, Suite 1000 in the energy industry in Calgary. Joseph Armand Bombardier focuses on contemporary social
Ottawa, ON K1P 5J3 He worked with the Geological Doctoral Scholar, PhD Candidate, and environmental issues. She
Tel: 613-563-1341 Survey of Canada for 32 years as and labour organizer at Simon aims to bring underreported
Fax: 613-233-1458 a scientist and research manager Fraser University. She is currently stories and perspectives into
ccpa@policyalternatives.ca and is a research associate with working as the Progressive important conversations. Her
www.policyalternatives.ca the Canadian Centre for Policy Economics Fellow at the Canadian work focuses on marginalized
CCPA BC Office Alternatives, B.C. Office. Centre for Policy Alternatives’ voices, intersectionality, diaspora,
520-700 West Pender Street National Office. sustainability and social justice.
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ccpaon@policyalternatives.ca Monique Chiam (she/her) is
CCPA Saskatchewan Office an illustrator from Cambridge,
2nd Floor, 2138 McIntyre Street Ontario. Her work combines
Regina, SK S4P 2R7 analogue with digital, and is
Tel: 306-924-3372 inspired by her interests in music,
Fax: 306-586-5177 textile arts, gastronomy and
ccpasask@sasktel.net animation.
Up Front
Canada’s carbon conundrum
and the difficult path forward
J David Hughes / 5
Tackling housing insecurity in Nova Scotia
Catherine Leviten-Reid
and Christine Saulnier / 6
Boundless bonuses:
Skyrocketing Canadian executive pay
during the 2020 pandemic
Alicia Massie and David Macdonald / 7
White seniors faring better
in retirement, CCPA study finds International
Randy Robinson / 11
Pedro Castillo and the failure of
Decolonizing Food neoliberalism in Peru
Asad Ismi / 32
Sprouting seeds of hope:
How a garden united Montreal’s Books
Chinese diaspora
Diamond Yao / 12 Learning to raise and cook food
from nana, not a book
It’s time to decolonize food Ambika Samarthya-Howard / 35
Justine Deschenes / 16
Demanding justice:
Canadian landlords can be Can trade policy be fair?
hostile to African food Gavin Fridell and Kate Ervine / 36
Ray Mwareya / 17
Hungry for more? A reading list
The gentrification of food: Róisín West / 39
A Mexican example
Jumko Ogata-Aguilar / 22 Staples
From rebels to hipsters: From the Editor / 2
Former FARC guerrillas turn to craft beer
Cruz Bonlarron Martínez / 30 Letters / 3
New from the CCPA / 4
Columns
Get to know the CCPA:
Anti-Black racism in Canada’s food sector Simon Enoch / 19
Anthony Morgan / 24
Settler work
TC Energy plays NAFTA Róisín West and Katie Sheedy / 20
trump card against the U.S.
Stuart Trew / 25 CCPA donor profile / 27
Index / 28
The good news page
Elaine Hughes / 34
From the Editor
RÓISÍN WEST
Back to the elements
I
N ANOTHER LIFE, I did a stint in chef chiding her because the melon had much about our empathy and our
school. When you’re first learning too much sugar and, as a fat person, character. We spend so much time
how to cook professionally, that was “the last thing” she needed. examining fat bodies in front of us
you have the basic elements of When we accept the idea that that we fail to examine our response
flavour drilled into you. Every dish sugar is bad, and that fat bodies need to them. We learn not to feel the
comprises four key aspects: fat, acid, to be corrected, we are doing several heat and pressure that so many fat
sweet, and salt. Building complex, things. First off, we are moralizing people face, and in doing so, we
well-balanced flavour means identify- foods. Food is fuel, it has no moral ignore our contributions to it.”
ing all four in every dish (with bonus value. There can be moral values as- I think there is something worth
points for throwing in the elusive sociated with the conditions in which repurposing from my chef school
fifth element, umami). it is grown, prepared and sold, but fundamentals. Just as every dish
At a cultural level, there was a foods themselves are neither good needs to have its balance of fat, acid,
massive shift a few years ago in nor bad, neither clean nor dirty. sweet, and salt considered, I would
identifying the main culprit for our Perpetuating these ideas is perpet- suggest that every program aimed at
dietary woes. While fat had been uating not only a colonial mindset, helping food insecure communities
bearing the brunt of this blame but it is mystifying the act of eating. needs to have four key attributes
through the late 20th century, Similarly, when we value one body evaluated: appropriateness,
consensus solidified around the new type over another, we are once autonomy, accessibility, and joy. Is
culprit. Sugar. Sugar was what was again maintaining colonial ideals that this program and food appropriate
making everyone sick. celebrate a thin, white, abled body for the people it is trying to serve?
With a fresh target acquired, sugar above all others. These beliefs have Is it respecting and celebrating their
taxes were proposed and implement- real world consequences. autonomy? Are the ingredients
ed. New programs to get people away Researchers found that in news accessible to the point that the
from sweets were rolled out. More stories about fat bodies, “articles participants will be able to continue
and more conversations about addic- that reported on [Black] or [Latinx using them after the program ends?
tions to the white stuff started taking people] were over eight times more Does this program or food bring the
over mainstream media. Though the likely...to blame obesity on bad participants joy? If a food program
sugar addiction study that kicked food choices, and over 13 times doesn’t have these four elements,
off so much of this concern has more likely to blame it on sedentary it is, as my old head chef would say,
since been debunked, the panic and lifestyles.” The authors concluded, not making the pass.
concern trolling around how people “Such findings lend support to It’s time to decolonize how we are
are eating hasn’t stopped. the theory that talk of an ‘obesity talked about and cared for, and to
Of course, many of the diseases epidemic’ is serving to reinforce actively commit to no longer policing
that we aim to prevent can’t be seen. moral boundaries against minorities other people’s. Commiting to food
And the stand-in for them has, for and the poor.”2 justice means committing to the
the past century, been fatness. Fat1 These beliefs about who fat people belief that people and communities
people have had our collective health are informs how programs aimed to know what is best for themselves but
anxieties hoisted upon them despite help food insecure people operate. have been prevented from actual-
the fact that 1 in 2 people classified Programs can be paternalistic, izing that plan because of a history
by the Body Mass Index (BMI) as assuming that larger bodied partici- of systemic violence and exclusion.
overweight are metabolically healthy pants are incapable of eating healthy Let’s get cooking. M
and the only BMI weight class without rigid rules and guidance. 1. I USE FAT AS A NEUTRAL, DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVE, LIKE MANY
FAT ACTIVISTS BECAUSE IT IS A NEUTRAL, DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVE
associated with an early death is the Programs can focus on participants AND NOT A PEJORATIVE TERM.
2. CAMPOS, P., SAGUY, A., ERNSBERGER, P., OLIVER, E., & GAESSER,
underweight category. losing weight or counting calories, G. (2005). THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY:
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS OR MORAL PANIC? INTERNATIONAL
In her book, What we don’t creating barriers to accessing healthy JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, 35(1), 55–60.
talk about when we talk about fat, and nutritious food.
Aubrey Gordon describes having a Gordon writes “We don’t often
complete stranger remove a canta- ask ourselves what our response to
loupe from Gordon’s grocery cart, fatness says about us, but it says so
2
is a linear dose-response energy—which is toxic for “reason”) is in whose
relationship between expo- hundreds of thousands of interest energy choices
sure to ionizing radiation years—and for which no are made: what’s good for
and the development of safe, permanent solution public health and finances
solid cancers in humans. has been found anywhere versus what a waning
It is unlikely that there is in the world. nuclear industry desper-
a threshold below which As for Chaplin’s claim ately needs to revive itself.
cancers are not induced…” that “Nuclear energy is Let’s hope our political
Chaplin also states that much cheaper than wind leaders have the integrity
Letters “Nuclear power reactors
and Small Modular
for space heating and in-
dustrial heat applications,”
to make the right choices.
Rena Ginsberg
Reactors (SMR) have it’s a well-known fact that
negligible greenhouse the cost of renewable
Nuclear capability gasses or other emissions.” energy has plunged. The Time for
is overblown This oft-repeated fallacy business magazine Forbes a wealth tax
must be put to rest. In reported in January 2020
The letter regarding fact, the nuclear fuel chain, that “Over the last decade, I have just finished reading
nuclear power in the May/ from mining to waste, has wind energy prices have Alex Hemingway’s article in
June issue of the Monitor significant emissions. As fallen 70% and solar the May/June issue on the
requires a response on a nuclear physicist Manfred photovoltaics have fallen revenue a wealth tax would
number of points. First of Lenzen notes in his 89% on average… Utili- generate. Great article.
all, though, I was surprised 2008 article, “Life cycle ty-scale renewable energy It was heartening. Why
that there was no mention energy and greenhouse prices are now significantly should all the lower income
of the fact that the letter’s gas emissions of nuclear below those for coal and folk pay for road upkeep,
author, Ken Chaplin, works energy,” “While conven- gas generation, and they’re airport upkeep, etc. that
in the nuclear industry. tional fossil fuelled power less than half the cost of the wealthy use as well as
A quick Google search plants cause emissions nuclear.” the lower income folk.
reveals that Chaplin is almost exclusively from the Aside from presenting Plus, I think the very rich
“Principal Scientist at AECL plant site, the majority of the usual costs and risks should pay far, far more
[Atomic Energy of Canada greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear power, SMR taxes.
Limited]” and “a retired in the nuclear fuel cycle are not a viable strategy When I had $10,000.00
long-term employee at are caused in processing for mitigating climate transferred to my Canadi-
Chalk River Labs” (both stages upstream and change, simply because it an bank account from the
self-described). downstream from the will be years before this sale of my mother’s house
In his letter, Chaplin plant.” Comparing type of reactor comes in another country, the
refutes the points in life-cycle emissions from online, and CO2 emissions bank had to notify Revenue
M.V. Ramana and Eva several types of power, must be reduced signifi- Canada who came down
Schacherl’s article (Jan/ Lenzen found that nuclear cantly by 2030 to avoid on me to pay taxes on this
Feb Monitor) and cham- energy production using climate catastrophe (as money.
pions nuclear power. In high-grade uranium ore established by the U.N. Yet these big financial
doing so, he makes several have average emissions of Intergovernmental Panel institutions can send
claims as though they 65g CO2 per kilowatt hour on Climate Change in the money out of the country
are facts, while giving no of electricity generation, Special Report on Global with no declaration of
evidence to back them versus 15–25g per kWh for Warming of 1.5°C). where they are sending it
up. None of them holds wind turbines and hydro- The millions of or for what purpose, or
up to closer scrutiny. For electricity, and 600–1200 public dollars presently to check that appropriate
instance, he says that g per kWh for fossil fuels. being poured into SMR taxes have been paid.
“Radiation is only danger- And as uranium ore grades development could—and Get the very rich, I say.
ous at high dose rates.” decline, more fuel will be should—be spent on real, Palma Berger,
This claim is contrary needed to mine and mill effective climate change Dawon, Yukon
to scientific research. In it, resulting in higher CO2 strategies: energy efficien-
2006, the U.S. National emissions. cy and renewable energy.
Research Council of the Of course, there is The means already exist Letters have been edited
National Academies stated also the matter of the to do this; it is the political for clarity and length.
that “current scientific nuclear waste created will that is lacking. Send your letters to monitor@
evidence is consistent with by the development and The issue here (rather policyalternatives.ca.
the hypothesis that…there production of nuclear Chaplin’s appeal to
3
“Paid sick day access Uncovering Aminah Sheikh, a union
during COVID-19 was Big Oil’s influence and community organizer
possible because people based in Toronto. For full
fought for it. To take this As part of the Corporate bios, please visit policyal-
protection away now is a Mapping Project’s Virtual ternatives.ca.
massive step backwards. Conference in June,
Nova Scotians simply CCPA-Saskatchewan was Pushing back against
deserve better. Of course, proud to host a discussion privatization
New from COVID-19 has shed light on of “The Price of Oil”
the CCPA this fact, but the provincial
government ought to
journalism project. In In May 2021, the province
of Manitoba demanded
conversation with the pro-
recognize the importance the City of Winnipeg
ject’s founders, Dr. Patricia
of paid sick leave moving undertake a single source
Elliott and Patti Sonntag,
A $10-a-day national forward, too.” The report the panel discussed how contract with Deloitte LLP
child care plan will is available at policyalterna- news coverage of the oil for a market assessment
mean big savings for tives.ca/offices/nova-scotia/ industry has influenced of Public-Private-Part-
parents publications. how the public views the nerships (P3s) for the
industry in Saskatchewan,much-needed north end
For the first time since Deeply unequal sewage treatment plant
as well as the government’s
2005, it looks like a nation- pandemic impacts on reaction to the coverage.with the City...at a cost
al child care plan is a real workers—particularly of $400,000 dollars. A
Full video available here:
possibility. If implemented, based on gender & race vimeo.com/564273730 policy brief by CCPA-Man-
the federal government’s itoba Director Molly
national child care plan In her latest report, Welcoming new McCracken focuses on
would result in a 50% Inequality, employment research associates six broad evidence-based
reduction in child care fees and COVID-19: Priorities to our ranks considerations about the
by 2022, and a national for fostering an inclusive challenges with P3s and
maximum $10-a-day child recovery in BC, CCPA-BC The CCPA Ontario office why the City of Winnipeg
care fee by 2026. Senior senior economist Iglika is growing its capacity this should unilaterally say no
economist David Macdon- Ivanova examined the year with a new crop of to this zombie policy that
ald calculated the savings ongoing impact of COVID- research associates. Re- has been repeatedly killed
in 37 cities in 2022 (50% 19 on different groups of search associates provide a by evidence only to come
reduction) and 2026 ($10- workers a year into the window into new research back again and again. Read
a-day). Read the analysis pandemic, and found that areas, offer advice and the brief Provincial call for
and use the interactive the pandemic has made expertise, create new Winnipeg Public-Private
graphic to see what savings clear how much of the connections, and routinely Partnership for Sewage
could look like in your city. economy relies on unpaid end up collaborating on Stinks on our website: pol-
(monitormag.ca/articles/a- labour—mostly shouldered CCPA reports and blogs. icyalternatives.ca/offices/
10-a-day-national-child- by women—and on CCPA-Ontario is thrilled to manitoba/publications. M
care-plan-will-mean-big- the undervalued jobs welcome Angele Alook,
savings-for-parents) in female-dominated Assistant Professor in
industries staffed largely the School of Gender,
“Nobody should have by racialized workers. The Sexuality and Women’s
to choose between report concludes with Studies at York University;
wages or recovery” recommendations for key Martine August, Assistant
policy frameworks needed Professor in the School of
The CCPA-Nova Scotia to address the structural Planning at the University
released No Nova Scotian inequalities exposed by the of Waterloo; Beyhan
Should Have to Work pandemic and solutions Farhadi, a postdoctoral re-
Sick, The Urgent Need for for a more inclusive and searcher, secondary school
Universal and Permanent just economy, rather than teacher, and advocate for
Paid Sick Leave Legislation, returning to the pre-pan- fully-funded and inclusive
authored by a team of demic status-quo. public education; Anthony
researchers at Acadia Morgan, a lawyer and
University. According to racial justice analyst with
Lisa Cameron (Halifax- expertise in addressing
Workers Action Centre), anti-Black racism; and
4
Up front
J David Hughes / BC Office export pipeline capacity with the CER
production forecast.
Canada’s carbon In BC, both the Canadian and
BC governments are subsidizing
conundrum and the LNG exports which will require
increased gas production. CER’s
difficult path forward most-conservative production
forecast for BC would exceed BC’s
CleanBC emissions target by 93% in
2050. This includes emissions from
S
INCE THE FIRST oil well was to control emissions to contain the production of gas required for
drilled in 1859 humans have global warming to at most two LNG exports and assumes a 45%
been on a roll. Global popula- degrees above pre-industrial levels. reduction in fugitive methane by
tion has increased more than Canada committed to a 40% reduc- 2025 and electrification of produc-
six-fold and energy use per tion by 2030 and has introduced Bill tion facilities. If emissions from the
capita has grown more than nine- C-12 pledging to reduce emissions to liquefaction terminals are included
fold. Accompanying this explosive “net-zero” by 2050. the picture is even worse.
growth in energy use was unprece- High-emitting countries like Government enthusiasm for
dented economic expansion—since Canada and the US clearly have the increasing oil and gas production
1965 global GDP has grown 6.8-fold most room for cutting emissions. must also face the realities of falling
and per capita GDP has increased 2.9 Despite signing the Paris Agreement, revenue from the industry. Despite
times adjusted for inflation. Canada’s emissions have grown by increasing production, royalty
Unfortunately, there is no free 3.3% since 2016, the highest of any revenue has declined 45% since
lunch. G-7 country. Although the U.S. also 2000. Tax revenue from the oil and
Since the first oil well was drilled, increased emissions by 0.6%, the gas industry has declined from more
anthropogenic emissions have grown other five G-7 countries reduced than 14% of total industry taxes in
116-fold and more than 13-fold per emissions by between 4.4% and 2006 to less than 4% in 2018. Jobs,
capita. Half of all greenhouse gas 10.8%. which peaked in 2014, have declined
emissions have been emitted since In 2019, the most-recent year for by 23% due to increased automation
1991 and half of the fossil fuels burnt which emissions data are available, even though production is at an
since 1850 have been burned since oil and gas production accounted all-time high.
1993. for 26% of Canada’s total emissions. If Canada’s commitments to emis-
The halfway point in cumulative In the Canada Energy Regulator’s sions reduction are to be more than
emissions from fossil fuel burning (CER) most conservative forecast empty promises our government
depends on the level of development (which assumes new policies to must face the fact that production
of individual countries and their address climate change and improve- will have to decline radically and that
rate of growth: Canada’s halfway ments in emissions reduction from its policies to expand pipelines, pro-
point was in 1989; the U.S. in 1981; the oil sands), growth in oil and gas duction and exports are completely
the U.K. in 1950; and China, where production to 2050 would cause the counterproductive to achieving its
consumption is skyrocketing, in oil and gas sector alone to exceed an climate commitments. M
2007. 80% emissions reduction target in This piece was published as part of the
Despite China’s rapid growth, 2050 by 32%. Corporate Mapping Project, a six-year
however, its per capita rate of Clearly the CER forecast is research and public engagement initiative
jointly led by the University of Victoria, the
emissions was just slightly over the incompatible with meeting Canada’s Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ BC
world average in 2019, compared to emissions reduction targets. Yet and Saskatchewan Offices, and the Alberta-
three times the world average for Canada is using taxpayer funds to based Parkland Institute. This research
was supported by the Social Science and
Canada and the U.S. (the U.K. was at build the Trans Mountain pipeline Humanities Research Council of Canada
the world average). expansion project (TMX) to (SSHRC).
Climate scientists have under- facilitate additional oil and gas pro-
scored the danger of global warming duction growth. This is completely
due to greenhouse gas emissions at odds with its emissions reduction
and the need to eliminate emissions commitments.
as soon as possible. The Paris Canada’s investment in TMX is
Agreement, signed in 2016 by 197 even more incomprehensible given
countries including Canada, pledged the fact there is sufficient existing
5
Catherine Leviten-Reid and Christine Saulnier / NS Office permanent rent control, but also for
short-term rentals, and for con-
Tackling housing dominium builds and conversions.
Moreover, tenants deserve stronger
insecurity in Nova Scotia protections that will be proactively
enforced, so they are not vulnerable
to those who have the power to
take their shelter away without a full
T
HE PANDEMIC HAS fundamentally crises; we can’t just address the lack hearing and access to legal support
affected our social and econom- of supply with piecemeal temporary and representation, and supported
ic systems and has uncovered solutions in the for-profit market. by tenant associations.
just how deep the crises in our We must ensure that government The crisis is not just about the
systems run. We must do better massively invests in non-market lack of affordable housing, it is also
than returning to a pre-pandemic housing (co-operative, non-profit about a lack of income—24.2% of
Nova Scotia. Before the pandemic, and public/social) through both renters have household incomes
many Nova Scotians were struggling new builds and acquisitions. What below $20,000. It is also about a lack
to make ends meet, uncertain about is required is enough non-market of services, and discrimination. We
how they would pay next month’s housing for the just over 32,000 recommend: substantially increasing
rent or power bill. Many were going Nova Scotians who cannot afford income assistance to bring people
without food or rationing because their housing and are at risk of losing to the poverty line, raising the
they had to use their food money it. minimum wage, and ensuring addic-
as their only ‘discretionary’ money The rental market in this province tions and mental health services are
to ensure they did not lose the roof has become very attractive to available. African Nova Scotians have
over their heads. financialized landlords because of faced dispossession of their land and
Indeed, as is outlined in a new the lack of rent control and other we owe it to them to ensure housing
report, many thousands are cur- mechanisms to control profiting off solutions address continuing racism
rently without any place to call their housing, such as implementing the as well as the legacy of enslavement.
own, living on the streets, couch government’s right of first purchase Indigenous renters living off-reserve
surfing or staying in shelters. Others when rental units are put up for sale. lack affordable housing, in good
are in accommodations that they Stronger regulations are needed for condition, and safe and appropriate
cannot afford, or which are not safe, supports.
adequate or properly maintained. People deserve housing and the
For others, there is a lack of accessi- supports needed to remain in their
ble housing that accommodates their homes, whether that is wrap around
needs to live barrier-free. As housing 24/7 care, or minimal navigation
becomes even more unaffordable in and advocacy help. There are
areas located close to employment, hundreds of people with disabilities
services and amenities, it pushes unnecessarily institutionalized in our
many out of their communities, The crisis is not province—a gross violation of human
isolating them.
So many Nova Scotians are
just about the rights.
Housing is a human right. It is time
housing insecure: they have very lack of affordable we ensure that everyone in Nova
little protection to support them
to stay in their current housing
housing, it is also Scotia has a housing secure future,
which is critical for their health and
situation in the face of evictions about a lack of our collective community’s well-be-
and rising rents, or even to move to
a more suitable location. Housing
income—24.2% ing. M
insecurity leads to increased stress, of renters have Catherine Leviten-Reid, Cape Breton
University and Christine Saulnier, Canadian
social exclusion, illness, and disease.
That is why this new report proposes
household Centre for Policy Alternatives-NS are co-leads
of the Housing for All Working Group
95 recommendations, on which 48 incomes below
individuals and organizations across
Nova Scotia came to consensus, for
$20,000. It is
how to address the homelessness also about a lack
and affordable housing crises.
The report is a principled roadmap
of services, and
that gets at the root causes of the discrimination.
6
Alicia Massie and David Macdonald / National Office It is worth mentioning that a few
companies changed their bonus
Boundless bonuses calculations so as to cancel or reduce
their bonuses. For example: The CEO
Skyrocketing Canadian of Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. commit-
ted to a reduction in his short-term
executive pay during the 2020 pandemic bonus, and Air Canada agreed to
return its “Pandemic Mitigation
Bonuses” after widespread public
D
ESPITE A DEVASTATING pandemic Executive pay outcry, given the federal loan
and ensuing financial crisis, Ca- is up 17% from 2019 support it had just received.
nadian CEOs enjoyed healthier Executives aren’t paid like regular The devil remains in the details
paycheques in 2020—thanks, workers. Normal workers receive though: Air Canada’s named
in part, to alterations of bonus a salary or an hourly wage, which executive officers (NEOs), for
pay rules. is taxed at statutory rates. They example, publicly returned their
Executive pay in 2020 (covering all might get a small end-of-year bonus, COVID-19 bonuses due to public
top execs not just CEOs) increased, but it would make up a very small outcry over their recent receipt of
on average, by 17% since 2019, part of their overall pay. Corporate a $5.879 billion federal government
despite the COVID-19 pandemic. executives are the exact opposite: bailout. The CEO and executive
Using filings from 209 publicly the majority of their pay comes vice-presidents agreed to voluntarily
traded companies on the S&P/TSX from bonuses, not salaries. To make return their combined $2 million
Composite Index, we’ve combed matters more complicated, these ex- “pandemic mitigation bonuses” and
through the numbers to see how ecutives often aren’t paid in money, a small, undisclosed amount of share
executive pay shifted between they are paid in stocks or stock appreciation units. But this wasn’t
2019 and 2020. We tracked the options that will only have value in a their entire bonus package for the
compensation of 1,096 of the Named few years’ time. Being paid this way 2020 year—it was only 15% of it.
Executive Officers (NEOs) at these allows for often generous tax breaks The execs kept the remaining 85%
companies. This includes the CEO that are generally unavailable for of their bonuses, which were worth
(which we’ve tracked elsewhere) working Canadians. $11 million (spread across five top
but also the other top paid execs at How much they make in bonus executives).
each company, like the Chief FInan- cash, stock and stock options is
cial Officer (CFO) and others. notoriously convoluted. These Creating hypothetical
Executives across these compa- awards, routinely related to multiple financial results
nies are paid through multifaceted factors (like profit or stock price), Eight of Canada’s biggest companies
compensation programs where are determined over multiple time simulated their financial results
“salary” is typically the smallest frames, and are tied to categories or without COVID-19 and then awarded
component of overall pay. Beyond “targets” that might change from year bonuses based on the simulated
salaries and pensions, the rest of to year or even quarter to quarter. results rather than the actual results
their pay is generally made up of We found 49 companies, nearly a for 2020. For example:
“pay for performance” bonuses, quarter of the S&P/TSX Composite
• Martinrea International ration-
which is hypothetically based on how companies, altered their own rules
alized its bonus payments based
the company is doing. The perfor- to boost executives’ paycheques,
on the assertion that the financial
mance measures differ by company relying on a variety of maneuvers,
impacts of COVID-19 were simply
but can include revenue, profit or including:
too “unusual and external” and,
stock price goals and they can also
• Awarding large COVID-19 related given the company’s “heroic”
include things like low workplace
bonuses via either cash, shares or efforts, excluded the second
deaths and how much employees like
stock options; quarter from bonus calculations;
working for a company.
We found many executive officers • Simulating financial figures for • Dollarama justified its bonuses by
in Canada actively benefited from 2020 that excluded the impact of rationalizing that once you remove
the pandemic—either because their COVID-19; the direct costs associated with
companies were on the right side of COVID-19, executives would have
• Altering the weighting, percent-
COVID-19 and made a profit from received bonuses. Consequently,
ages, or overall categories within
it or because their bonus formulas their compensation committee
performance evaluations;
were changed. recommended that executives
• Shifting to different financial or should receive their bonus;
time-based evaluations.
7• Sienna Senior Living, a company Salary cuts = bigger bonuses of its workforce, offered “special
that experienced multiple COVID- Many companies have used “salary performance bonuses” to executives
19 outbreaks at its facilities, cuts” to explain their compensation in the amount equal to their original
explained that the loss of revenue packages to their workers and the salary reductions.
and additional expenses incurred general public during such a difficult Three of Alamos Gold’s NEOs
as a result of the pandemic were time. accepted a 25% reduction in salary
“extraordinary operating expens- Despite the prominence of those for two months yet they saw their
es” and were thus excluded when salary cuts within corporate public overall pay increase in 2020, despite
determining bonuses. relations, flexible bonus packages experiencing multiple COVID-19
can render those salary cuts to be outbreaks at a mine and receiving
symbolic in nature. federal support via CEWS.
Altering performance
Salary is the smallest component
evaluations
of an executive’s compensation Executive compensation:
Twenty four big companies altered package, which typically includes No risk, all reward
the weighting, percentage scores stocks, stock options, cash bonuses Such bonus pay practices are
or categories upon which the final and pension allocations—these make perfectly legal. Many companies
bonus was based. For example: up the real substance of their pay. carve out room for discretionary
Among the 209 companies analyzed, adjustments and compensation
• Companies such as George
salary accounted for 28%, on committees can determine how
Weston Ltd. and Laurentian Bank,
average, of overall top executive pay. much execs should be awarded in
bypassed their own performance
Among the 1,096 executives bonuses.
results, saying that while 2020’s
reviewed in this analysis, only 169 Executive bonuses are inflated all
results would have resulted in a nil
agreed to salary reductions and over the time due to formula alterations,
(0%) bonus payout in particular
half (52%) of the top executives who despite world events. Take Canadian
categories, it didn’t seem fair,
experienced a salary cut saw their National Railway’s 2020 removal of
given what they deemed as
overall pay actually increase in 2020 the financial impacts of “illegal rail
“substantial” and “significant”
because their bonuses went up by blockades” from its bonus calcula-
efforts during 2020. As a result,
more than what they lost in salary. tions or Teck Resources’ adjustments
they paid the bonuses.
Often salary cuts were completely to account for commodity prices and
offset by other bonuses. foreign exchange rate changes.
Shifting to different For example, Open Text, a An oft-stated rationale for high
financial or time evaluations company that permanently closed executive compensation is that
Four companies modified the time half of its offices and laid off 5% it is due to the “exceptional risk”
frames or the financial measures executives shoulder. The bonuses
used in calculating their bonuses. For they receive are high, but risky. If
example: targets aren’t met, those bonuses
could be wiped out. But this argu-
• CCL Industries argued that it
ment falls apart when looking at the
created its bonus program before
bonus formula alterations to limit
the pandemic, so it reworked its
reductions in bonuses during the
performance measures and targets
pandemic. Bad commodity prices this
to “motivate management to meet
these unforeseen challenges.” It
While ordinary year? Adjust the performance target
did this by offering executives an Canadians pay downward. Bad second quarter due
to a pandemic? Eliminate that from
additional two years to meet these
targets;
the full tax rate the calculation. Less than half of
• Bausch Health Companies bonus
on their income company employees say this is a good
place to work? Substitute a rating of
structure was based on using the from working, 100% on employee engagement.
results over an entire year. During
the pandemic, the company
those with income Tools that can push back
instead evaluated bonuses on a from businesses Not only are corporate executives
quarterly basis “to allow for the
instability and unpredictability of
or selling receiving some of the biggest pay-
cheques, they are often among the
the COVID rebound”. investments can largest shareholders in companies
pay tax at only half providing them with extreme wealth.
There is an increased push across
the rate. North America, and strong support
849 of Canada’s biggest
companies modified their
own compensation rules to
BOOST EXECUTIVE
BONUSES DURING
THE PANDEMIC
from the majority of Canadians, Canada should follow President ruin for many Canadians, many
for the implementation of a wealth Biden’s announcement to tax capital executives were buffered from the
tax. The federal government has gains at the full rate for millionaires. pressure that COVID-19 placed
promised to explore ways to tax Even after recent stock option tax on household income—thanks to
extreme wealth inequality, but we’ve changes, up to $200,000 of executive executive compensation practices
seen nothing yet. CCPA’s analysis compensation via option-based that are impervious to major crises
shows that a modestly progressive awards is subject only to capital gains such as a global pandemic. M
wealth tax of 1% for wealth over tax, not income tax. That means a Boundless Bonuses: Skyrocketing Canadian
$10 million, 2% on wealth over $100 regular working Canadian must pay executive pay during the 2020 pandemic is
million and 3% for wealth over a full income tax on their salary up available at policyalternatives.ca
billion would generate close to $20 to $200,000. But a multi-millionaire
billion annually. executive getting a share-based
Rich corporate executives also bonus pays only 50%.
benefit from tax loopholes that most Unlike in the U.S., where there
Canadians would never be able to is a $1 million limit per executive,
access. Canadian companies are entitled to
While ordinary Canadians pay the deduct any amount of corporate pay
full tax rate on their income from as a business deduction. Limiting this
working, those with income from tax-deductible expense to $1 million
businesses or selling investments can per employee would send a signal
pay tax at only half the rate. to corporations and save the federal
Corporate executives, with government hundreds of millions
their share- and option-based annually.
compensation, are chief among While last year was a period of
those benefiting from this loophole. devastating job loss and financial
9INDIGENOUS RACIALIZED
$60,000 SENIORS’ INCOME SENIORS’ INCOME
$50,000
Men
$40,000
Men
Men
$30,000
Men
Men
Men
Women
Men
Men
Women
Men
Women
$20,000
Women
Women
Women
Women
Women
Women
$10,000
0
FIRST MÉTIS INUIT TOTAL WHITE BLACK CHINESE SOUTH TOTAL
NATION INDIGENOUS ASIAN RACIALIZED
Senior First Nations Senior Métis women’s Senior Inuit women’s
women’s average income is average income is average income is
50 %
of senior white men’s.
53 %
of senior white men’s.
61 %
of senior white men’s.
Senior Black women’s Senior Chinese women’s Senior South Asian
average income is average income is women’s average income is
55 %
of senior white men’s.
47 %
of senior white men’s.
43 %
of senior white men’s.
WHO CAN AFFORD TO SAVE
FOR RETIREMENT?
Indigenous households are Racialized households are White households are
4% of total households 17% of total households 79% of total households
and account for and account for and account for
3 %
of RRSP/RPP contributions.
16 %
of RRSP/RPP contributions.
82
of RRSP/RPP contributions.
%
10Randy Robinson / Ontario Office
White seniors faring better in
retirement, CCPA study finds
C
ANADIANS’ ABILITY to put food on the table in retirement, if they can retire at all, because
in retirement depends on a wide range of the opportunities for saving are so limited.”
factors. One of those factors is whether More than half of Canadian families save for
they happen to be white. retirement through workplace pension plans,
That’s the main finding of a major individual Registered Retirement Savings Plans
national report published in June by the CCPA (RRSPs), or both.
Ontario office. Colour-coded Retirement is the Among Indigenous groups, First Nations’ par-
first study to compare Canadians’ retirement ticipation in pension plans is lower than white
incomes and retirement savings rates based on participation, but Métis and Inuit households
their self-identified status as white, Indigenous, are more likely to have members in pension
or racialized. Using 2016 census data, the paper plans, although with lower contributions.
pegs the average income of white seniors at Racialized households are less likely to have
$42,800, sharply higher than that of either members in pension plans compared to white
Indigenous ($32,200) or racialized ($29,200) households but are just as likely to contribute to
seniors. RRSPs, and when they do, they contribute just
The report was co-authored by Sheila Block, as much, the report shows.
CCPA Ontario senior economist; Grace-Edward The CCPA report highlights wide variation in
Galabuzi, associate professor of Politics and the income sources and savings of the groups
Public Administration at X University; and studied. Inuit seniors are most likely to keep
Hayden King, executive director of the Yellow- working after age 65. Chinese Canadians are the
head Institute. biggest contributors to RRSPs. Black retirees
“On average, incomes are lower and poverty gain no income advantage from being Cana-
rates are higher for both Indigenous and dian-born, although Chinese and South Asian
racialized seniors, which points to the barriers Canadians do.
they face during their working careers when Despite these variations, one thing is clear,
it comes to landing higher-paying work and says report co-author Grace-Edward Galabuzi:
saving for retirement,” says Block. “Public “Retirement security is, in fact, colour coded in
pension sources like the Canada Pension Plan, Canada.”
Old Age Security, and the Guaranteed Income A root cause of income disparities in
Supplement play a large role in supporting retirement is income disparities during people’s
marginalized seniors, but they don’t come working lives, says Sheila Block.
anywhere close to eliminating the income gap.” “If we want to raise the incomes of Indig-
Within the Indigenous group, First Nations enous and racialized seniors, that starts with
seniors age 65 and older have the lowest eliminating barriers to good jobs and higher
average income at $29,500, followed by wages,” she says. “At the same time, we need
Métis seniors at $35,000 and Inuit seniors at to keep pushing for improvements to Canada’s
$35,900. Within the racialized groups studied, public pension plans, whether it be the CPP,
Chinese seniors have the lowest average OAS, or the GIS.
income at $28,200, with South Asian seniors “That’s the way forward. All Canadians want
at $29,200 and Black seniors at $32,400. There to be comfortable in retirement. With enough
is a consistent gender gap across all groups, political will at all levels of government, we can
with Indigenous and racialized senior women make it happen.” M
incomes at 52% and 47%, respectively, of white Colour-coded Retirement: An intersectional analysis of
senior men’s. retirement income and savings in Canada was made
“The data reveal that there are real con- possible with funding from the Canadian Race Relations
Foundation. The report is available for download on the
sequences of economic marginalization and CCPA website.
systemic racism,” says report co-author Hayden
King. “Elders and seniors are financially insecure
11SPROUTING
HOW A
SEEDS OF
GARDEN UNITED MONTREAL’S
HOPE
CHINESE DIASPORA
BY DIAMOND YAO
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MONIQUE CHIAM
12I
N A HIDDEN corner of a dead end on Rue Masson in Montreal, you can find
a big patch of greenery behind a row of cement blocks. As you get closer,
you can see rows of black pots full of various types of plants—strawberry,
shiso, hot peppers—tended by a few people hunched over leaves and
stems.
This is Green Chinatown Montreal (GCM), a garden that aims to build
a community environment of sharing and exchange, while increasing
awareness of food security and urban sustainability. The principle is
simple: a few times a week, GCM volunteers, who can sign up for shifts by
emailing the garden, gather there to water, take care of, and harvest the
vegetables. After a period of hard work, they get to pick whatever they like
and bring it back home.
GCM members range from young adults to senior citizens, and many of
them bring their families and children. On sunny days, you can often see
smiling young children having fun amidst the greenery and learning about
the different plants.
Started in 2011 in the heart of Montreal’s Chinatown, the garden
celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Janet Lumb, a proud third-gener-
ation Chinese-Canadian eco-activist, is one of its founding members. She
started the garden hoping it would help in Montreal reconnect with nature
and with their agricultural roots.
“Being urban people, we don’t know about our roots of growing things.
For me, the garden is about learning about something as basic as garden-
ing,” she explains. “Chinatown is so urbanized [that] it was important for
me that we start a garden there. Because we Chinese were all farmers in
the past!”
When it was first established in front of the Montreal Chinese Hospital,
the usually discreet lo wah kiu—a Taishanese term that designates the first
Chinese who settled in Canada—would come out and yell cultivation tips
to the gardeners.
“They normally are in old-age homes,” says Lumb. “But when they saw
us, they came out and their whole body became alive. All these old people
came to life seeing us grow the garden. For me, it was an inspiration to
bring that to Chinatown.”
The founding members of GCM fondly recall these early days. At the
time, the central location of the garden in front of the Montreal Chinese
Hospital and near lo wah kiu residences allowed it to fulfill its mission of
connecting the community through gardening and nature.
13“It was really lovely because the patients space available for free. The gardeners have
would come and take walks. And because a fought hard to return to Chinatown. Ms. Chiu
lot of them had farm experience, sometimes has had multiple meetings with Montreal
they would criticize us or tell us what we were municipal city officials to ask them to give
doing right. They would really enjoy looking the gardeners empty city-owned spaces in
at the vegetables,” recalls May Chiu, a lawyer Chinatown to host the garden.
and anti-racist activist who’s heavily involved “Every time I interact with the city, I try
in Montreal’s Chinese community and a to tell them that this was in Chinatown. We
founding member of GCM. belong in Chinatown. And we always ask for
Local organic farmers, and Marché Kei a space. Even during the consultation, we
Phat, Inc., a staple Montreal Asian Chinese asked again,” says Ms. Chiu. “I always write,
market, enthusiastically donated seeds to ‘We need green space.’ And now everybody’s
the garden. The garden collaborated with the saying we need green space. But there’s no
hospital’s occupational therapy department action to tell us exactly where.”
to develop nature-based therapies for the The gardeners have long been coveting
hospital’s residents. They also distributed a space owned by the City of Montreal in
vegetables from the garden—a mix of Chinese front of the Chinese hospital. Bill Mersereau,
and Western varieties—to ensure the food the garden’s resident plant expert, has been
security of Chinese elders whose access trying for years to present city officials with
to food is often compounded by language plans for a garden in that spot.
barriers and reduced mobility. “But the city refused and gave us an excuse.
The organic vegetables were a huge hit at They said they needed it for the Millennial
various markets. However, the garden didn’t project or whatever gardening project, just
stay in that spot for long. to store equipment and just dump crap and
“One year, the last year that we were there, trucks and stuff,” sighs Mr. Mersereau in
the board of the hospital wanted to kick us frustration. “They said they needed that space
out. We were a victim of our own success,” as a dump for two years and for storing stuff,
says Ms. Chiu. “They said, ‘Because this right on the doorstep of the Chinese hospital!
garden is so lovely, we’re going to take it back. How respectful is that?”
And we’re going to build a gazebo or a road’. I The gardeners hope to beautify that spot
think they said they wanted to build a gazebo in front of the Chinese Hospital and make
with a big garden. But then they booted us out it a green sustainable project for the benefit
and they never did anything. It’s empty.” of the hospital’s residents. They dream of
Since then, the garden has had to move making it a space where patients and nearby
multiple times, to wherever there was a elders living in small apartments can come
and commune in fresh air and nature. Ms.
Chiu also hopes to use the garden to build
solidarity with the Indigenous community
that lives in Chinatown.
“Chinatown is also the shared space of two
Indigenous shelters. I know that sometimes
there is discrimination in our community. We
don’t learn as immigrants that we are coming
to stolen lands. So, we need to educate our
own community as well,” says Ms. Chiu.
She has many ideas about how she’d
like to do that once the garden returns to
Chinatown.
“We can have conversations as to how to
bring our communities together. I think it
would be amazing if we could offer some of
what we grow to the residents of the shelters.
That would be a really meaningful gesture.”
She also hopes to use the garden to provide
an educational opportunity for newly arrived
immigrants to learn about the colonial
realities of Canada. She wants to be able to
14Charo Foo, a Chinese-Canadian dancer
who’s been a member of the garden com-
munity for around two months, is the kind
of person the GCM founders hope to reach.
Having immigrated to Quebec City more than
a decade ago, Ms. Foo found it very difficult to
sustain her dancing career there. She felt very
isolated without having an Asian community
to be a part of.
“I moved to Montreal three years ago
because I was looking for a more supportive
community and more dancing contracts,
because there’s more discrimination in
Quebec City,” she says of her move. “I was in
a dancing company for seven years. But ever
since the contract ended, I’ve had to free-
lance. It’s really hard to be Asian in Quebec
City. And I had to get work as a dancer. So I
told myself to move, and I’m so glad I came
have a dialogue with new Chinese-Canadians here.”
about residential schools, stolen lands, and Ms. Foo heard of GCM when she bumped
colonizations. into Ms. Lumb at a queer show. The two
Indigenous environmental justice is woven started talking to each other when they
into the fabric of GCM. At the back of the realized they were the only two Asians in the
garden, on a patch of grass partially shaded by room. Since then, Ms. Foo has been regularly
overhanging trees, three tall plants embody tending to the plants at the GCM once or
the gardeners’ commitment to Indigenous twice a week.
solidarity. These plants—corn, climbing “We connected, and I’m very happy, to be
beans, and squash, the three sister crops of very honest. Whenever I come here, it’s just a
many Indigenous nations—keep watch over good energy,” she beams.
the rest of the garden. GCM hopes that she and the other garden-
It was Ms. Lumb who insisted on having ers will be able to bring these positive vibes
these plants in the garden right from the and intergenerational connection back to
beginning. A 1975 graduate of Trent Universi- Chinatown soon. M
ty’s Native Studies program, she’s spent many
years of her long and varied career working
with Indigenous youth as a youth worker. As
she was often the only racialized person on
her team, Indigenous youth would flock to her
and trust her to be there for them.
Passionate about Indigenous justice, Ms.
Lumb says having the three sisters in a Chi-
nese-Canadian garden is a way to recognize
the debt the Chinese-Canadian community
owes to Indigenous people.
“Having the three sisters here allows
people to learn about them. It allows us to
pass on the tradition, explain where this
concept came from, and introduce it to people
from Hong Kong or China who become part
of the garden who’ve never heard of the three
sisters before,” says Ms. Lumb. “They didn’t
know anything about Indigenous gardening.
So, for us, this has to do with a process of
passing on and sharing, through which active
learning happens in a way that is much more
powerful than theoretical education.”
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