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Issues & Experts Archive > Week of July 8-15, 2002
Week of July 8-15, 2002
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Jul 09, 2002
Tolerating Big Brother for the greater good…Is it worth tolerating an infringement on privacy to potentially lower crime? SFU criminologist Neil Boyd thinks so. That’s why he’s not perturbed about the efforts of Vancouver police and Kelowna RCMP to have video surveillance cameras installed at known trouble spots. Kelowna RCMP are proceeding with a second attempt to have a surveillance camera keep an eye on a downtown street notorious for its bar brawls at closing time. Legal action, launched by the federal Privacy Commissioner’s office, stymied their first effort. A recent survey showed 80 percent of Kelowna residents are in favour of police cameras to keep city streets safer. Boyd says, "I think there is evidence that crime can be diminished in locations in which cameras appear. The public will support strategic use of these cameras in areas that are clearly a location for criminal activity. I don’t believe that a limited and strategic use of cameras is inconsistent with protection of privacy interests. It is more important for the public to have a sense of security and safety."
Neil Boyd, 604.291.3324, 604.947.9569, neil_boyd@sfu.ca
Politically motivated accounting?… David Andolfatto, an associate professor of economics and an expert on labour market policy at SFU, is skeptical about the usefulness of a new report on the BC Liberals’ tax cuts. The Canadian centre for policy alternatives calls the cuts a failure. The group says increased user fees, higher prices for drugs, increased tuition and childcare expenses and higher sales and municipal taxes have nullified the cuts. The study also notes that lower income earners are much worse off than their higher income counterparts. Andolfatto finds the study lacking, for only analysing the immediate impact of tax cuts and user fees on income. The economist says the study doesn’t evaluate the ability of the new tax code to stimulate capital spending, and ultimately the creation of higher paying jobs. Andolfatto adds, "the study focuses only on a relatively small change in the tax system without mentioning the current level of taxes." The omission likely means the study, "simply represents a politically-motivated interpretation of a policy action designed mainly to persuade by passion than by a reasoned and balanced analysis."
David Andolfatto, 604.291.5825, david_andolfatto@sfu.ca(away July 1Sept.10)
Retroactive seniors payments could be costly…Ottawa’s payment of $20,000 in 1999 to an unidentified woman could mean that another $2.5 billion in retroactive income supplements may be owed to some 300,000 seniors who weren’t informed of their eligibility to apply for a Guaranteed Income Supplement (which topped off the national Old Age Security program). The woman applied in 1989 for her basic pension and was never told of her eligibility. Her precedent-setting reimbursement covers five years of supplement payments. SFU gerontologist Lillian Zimmerman says Statistics Canada (1999) shows government transfer payments play a critical role in sources of income for seniors, especially older women. She notes that in 1997, the proportion of income coming from government transfers was 64% for senior women, while 46% of senior men's incomes came from government transfers. Of those percentages, 38% of women's incomes (compared to 21% for men) came from OAS and GIS, while 22% came from Canada/Quebec Pension plans. Zimmerman says that also shows the growing importance of the CPP/QPP to older women as an income source because of their increased participation in the paid labour force, and little likelihood that other sources of income, such as investments, or private pensions, are significant.
Lillian Zimmerman, 604.291.5206; lillian_zimmerman@sfu.ca
Neil Boyd, 604.291.3324, 604.947.9569, neil_boyd@sfu.ca
Politically motivated accounting?… David Andolfatto, an associate professor of economics and an expert on labour market policy at SFU, is skeptical about the usefulness of a new report on the BC Liberals’ tax cuts. The Canadian centre for policy alternatives calls the cuts a failure. The group says increased user fees, higher prices for drugs, increased tuition and childcare expenses and higher sales and municipal taxes have nullified the cuts. The study also notes that lower income earners are much worse off than their higher income counterparts. Andolfatto finds the study lacking, for only analysing the immediate impact of tax cuts and user fees on income. The economist says the study doesn’t evaluate the ability of the new tax code to stimulate capital spending, and ultimately the creation of higher paying jobs. Andolfatto adds, "the study focuses only on a relatively small change in the tax system without mentioning the current level of taxes." The omission likely means the study, "simply represents a politically-motivated interpretation of a policy action designed mainly to persuade by passion than by a reasoned and balanced analysis."
David Andolfatto, 604.291.5825, david_andolfatto@sfu.ca(away July 1Sept.10)
Retroactive seniors payments could be costly…Ottawa’s payment of $20,000 in 1999 to an unidentified woman could mean that another $2.5 billion in retroactive income supplements may be owed to some 300,000 seniors who weren’t informed of their eligibility to apply for a Guaranteed Income Supplement (which topped off the national Old Age Security program). The woman applied in 1989 for her basic pension and was never told of her eligibility. Her precedent-setting reimbursement covers five years of supplement payments. SFU gerontologist Lillian Zimmerman says Statistics Canada (1999) shows government transfer payments play a critical role in sources of income for seniors, especially older women. She notes that in 1997, the proportion of income coming from government transfers was 64% for senior women, while 46% of senior men's incomes came from government transfers. Of those percentages, 38% of women's incomes (compared to 21% for men) came from OAS and GIS, while 22% came from Canada/Quebec Pension plans. Zimmerman says that also shows the growing importance of the CPP/QPP to older women as an income source because of their increased participation in the paid labour force, and little likelihood that other sources of income, such as investments, or private pensions, are significant.
Lillian Zimmerman, 604.291.5206; lillian_zimmerman@sfu.ca