Banks and Business |  Les banques et le monde des affaires |
Page révisée le 5 janvier 2010
[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]
Go
directly to the Wal-Mart section of this page! |
Links are added below in reverse chronological order, more or less... |
Kudos
to the Toronto-Dominion Bank and other Canadian financial
institutions that
are offering a range of financial services to low-income Canadians!
TD
takes poor into account : Direct Deposit Initiative
keeps social assistance
cheques out of hands of pricey payday lenders
By
Rita Trichur
January 5, 2010
Toronto-Dominion Bank is using an innovative
pilot program that specifically targets low-income earners as new clients –
a financial intervention of sorts to prevent those folks from cashing their social
assistance cheques at costly payday lenders. Canada's second-largest bank has
set up kiosks in some government offices in British Columbia to reach out to these
vulnerable consumers and snag them as customers just as they receive their welfare
cheques. In some cases, civil servants are now simply referring clients to the
closest TD branch.
Source:
Toronto Star
Soft
landing for Canada’s CEOs
News Release
January
4, 2010
TORONTO—Canadians may have been hit hard by a worldwide economic
recession, but it appears Canada’s 100 highest paid CEOs are enjoying a soft
landing. A report on executive compensation by the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives (CCPA), a progressive think tank, reveals Canada’s 100 highest
paid CEOs pocketed an average $7.3 million in 2008, the year recession broadsided
the nation.
A
Soft Landing:
Recession and Canada’s 100 Highest Paid CEOs
(PDF - 432K, 17 pages)
By Hugh Mackenzie
January 4, 2010
"...the
total average compensation for Canada's 100 highest paid CEOs was $7,352,895 in
2008—a stark contrast from the total average Canadian income of $42,305.
They pocketed what takes Canadians earning an average income an entire year to
make by 1:01 pm January 4—the first working day of the year."
Source:
Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives
Tab
for business bailouts and subsidies between
1994 and 2007 exceeds $200 billion,
or $15,000 per taxpayer
News Release
November 27, 2009
VANCOUVER,
BC—Canadian governments provided businesses with more than $202 billion in
bailouts, loans, and subsidies between 1994 and 2007, according to a new study
released today by the Fraser Institute, one of Canada’s leading economic
think tanks.
Corporate
welfare breaks the $200 billion mark:
An update on 13 years of business subsidies
in Canada (PDF - 535K, 11 pages)
December 2009
Related link:
Corporate
'welfare' hit $200B in 13 years: Report
Bailouts, subsidies
hurt taxpayers, says the Fraser Institute
By John Morrissy
November
28, 2009
Bailouts and subsidies to businesses by Canadian governments surpassed
$200 billion between 1994 and 2007, adding up to $15,126 per taxpayer, according
to a report Friday from the Fraser Institute.
Source:
Canwest
News Service
From
the
Bank of Canada:
Inflation
Calculator
The Inflation Calculator uses monthly consumer price index
(CPI) data from 1914 to the present to show changes in the cost of a fixed "basket"
of consumer purchases. These include food, shelter, furniture, clothing, transportation,
and recreation.
Investment
Calculator
The Investment Calculator shows the effects of inflation
on investments and savings. This tool allows you to see what a current investment
will be worth in the future based on different assumptions on the annual interest
rate and the annual rate of inflation. You can also enter a dollar amount to see
how much you would have to invest today to reach a specific target value in the
future, based on different rates of interest and inflation.
Canada’s
Record on Poverty Among The Worst of Developed Countries—And Slipping
News
Release
September 17, 2009
Poverty rates in Canada— especially among
children and the working-age population—are among the worst of 17 leading
developed countries, according to the Conference Board’s annual ranking on
Society indicators. With more than 12 per cent of the working-age population living
in poverty, Canada is in 15th place out of 17 countries—a “D” grade—ahead
of only Japan and the United States. More than one in seven Canadian children
lives in poverty—resulting in a 13th place ranking and a “C” grade.
---
From
the
Conference Board of Canada:
How
Canada Performs: A Report Card on Canada
This website—How Canada
Performs: A Report Card on Canada—assesses Canada’s quality of life
compared with that of its peer countries. We publish an overall report card as
well as individual ones that measure performances in the six categories appearing
below. We release the report card for each category individually throughout the
year.
The Society section of
the report (the link immediately below) was released on September 17/09, and the
Economy section is out since July.
As for the other sections, you'll
note that their content is [for now] dated October 2008 --- but well worth checking
out!
* Society
(Released September 17, 2009)
- incl. * Jobless
Youth * Disabled Income * Elderly Poverty * Child Poverty * Working-age Poverty
* Income Inequality * Intergenerational Income Mobility * Gender Income Gap *
Voter Turnout
* Confidence in Parliament * Homicides * Assaults * Burglaries
* Life Satisfaction * Acceptance of Diversity * Social Isolation * Suicides
*
Economy (July
2009)
- incl. * Forecast 2010 * Income per capita * GDP Growth * Labour
Productivity Growth * Inflation * Unemployment Rate * Employment Growth * Inward
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Performance * Outward FDI Performance
* Innovation (October 2008)
* Environment (October 2008)
* Health (October 2008)
* Education and Skills (October 2008)
Source:
Conference
Board of Canada
The Conference Board builds leadership capacity for
a better Canada by creating and sharing insights on economic trends, public policy
and organizational performance.
(About
CBC)
Canada’s
top CEOs reach new pay high
Press Release
January
2, 2009
TORONTO – Canada may be in for a rocky economic ride, but the
nation’s best paid 100 CEOs are still basking in the glow of the banner year
of 2007: they got a record 22% average pay hike in 2007. Canada’s best paid
100 CEOs tallied one billion in average total earnings – a historical first,
according to a report on CEO pay by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
(CCPA).
Banner
year for Canada's CEOs:
Record High Pay Increase (PDF - 390K, 17
pages)
January 2009
By Hugh Mackenzie
Source:
Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social
and economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading
progressive voices in public policy debates.
'Corporate
welfare bums' cost Canadians $182-billion: report
By
Eric Beauchesne
December 10, 2008
OTTAWA -- Canadians have handed out more
than $182-billion -- or $13,639 per taxpayer -- in business subsidies, bailouts
and loans over the past dozen years, a right-wing think tank says in an attack
on what a former NDP leader coined as "corporate welfare bums." The
report from the Fraser Institute, however, comes as an entire industry is holding
out its had for billions more in financial aid from taxpayers as the economy slumps
into recession.
Source:
The National
Post
Complete report
from The
Fraser Institute:
Corporate
welfare: Now a $182 billion addiction
A fiscal update on business subsidies
in Canada (PDF - 104K, 8 pages)
December 2008
When the Fraser
Institute published the first study on corporate welfare one year ago, the tally
between April 1, 1994 and March 30, 2004 amounted to $144 billion. That was the
amount Canadian governments distributed to businesses in the form of subsidies
from federal, provincial, and municipal treasuries (i.e., taxpayers) over the
10-year period. One year later, and with two more years of data available, that
figure has climbed to over $182 billion for the 12 years between 1994 and 2006.
Canadian
tab for corporate welfare exceeds $180 billion; no evidence that subsidies provide
net benefits
News Release
December 10, 2008
VANCOUVER, BC—While
politicians in Ottawa argue over how much additional money the government should
give business in the name of economic stimulation, a new report from independent
research organization the Fraser Institute shows that Canadians already provided
more than $182 billion in corporate welfare to businesses between 1994 and 2006.
Source:
The
Fraser Institute
"A free and prosperous world through
choice, markets
and responsibility"
[ Sourcewatch
calls The Fraser Institute
"a libertarian think tank based in Vancouver."
]
Links
to Corporate Responsibility in Canada and
Other Corporate Responsibility Resources
on the Internet
- 40+ links organized under
the following categories:
* Company Information Search Sites * General Corporate
Activity Tracking Sites * Business Ethics and Ethical Investment Sites * Boycott
Sites * Canadian Government Consumer Help Websites * Complain about Canadian Corporations
violating OECD Guidelines * Complain About Your Bank, Trust, Insurance or Investment
Company * Complain About Misleading Phone Calls from Businesses * Canadian Courts,
Tribunals and Commissions and Rulings * Laws from Countries Around the World *
Canadian Corporate Lobbyists Search Sites * Donations to Canadian and U.S. Political
Parties and Candidates * Chemicals Released in Your Community in Canada * Media
Accountability * Find Low-Cost Gasoline Across Canada
Go to Democracy Watch's Corporate Responsibility Campaign page for related information.
Source:
Democracy
Watch
Democracy Watch is Canada's leading citizen
group advocating democratic reform, government accountability and corporate responsibility,
and the most successful national citizen advocacy group in Canada over the past
13 years in winning systemic changes to key laws.
Related link:
CSR
Directory - "Resources for Promoting Global Business Principles and Best
Practices"
- 700+ links to
progressive companies, groups, councils, foundations (etc.) promoting corporate
social responsibility, in Canada and around the world
Source:
CSRwire
- Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire
"CSR is defined as the integration
of business operations and values, whereby the interests of all stakeholders including
investors, customers, employees, and the environment are reflected in the company's
policies and actions."
- based in Vermont, U.S., but includes Canadian
content
Top
Ten Wealthiest People in History
Bill Gates, the 20th richest person
in the history of the world
Source:
Lists
of people by wealth
[ Wikipedia
]
New
Year’s party still going for top CEOs
Press
Release
January 2, 2008
TORONTO - By the time most Canadians roll up their
sleeves to begin a new year of work, Canada's best paid 100 CEOs will already
be having a good year: They'll pocket the national average wage of $38,998 by
10:33 am January 2nd.
Complete report:
The
Great CEO Pay Race: Over Before it Begins (PDF file - 326K, 12 pages)
December
2007
Source:
Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives
Executive
Excess 2007: The Staggering Social Cost of U.S. Business Leadership
(PDF file - 988K, 32 pages)
14th Annual CEO Compensation Survey
This report,
released in August 2007, provides data and analysis about CEO compensation and
the CEO-worker pay gap. Also include comparisons of compensation for U.S. business
leaders with other U.S. leaders and European business leaders, and proposals for
change. Opens directly into a PDF document. From the Institute for Policy Studies
and United for a Fair Economy.
Source:
Institute
for Policy Studies
The Institute for Policy Studies strengthens social
movements with independent research, visionary thinking, and links to the grassroots,
scholars and elected officials.
Found
in:
Librarians' Internet Index
Two
days, two reports, two very different worlds
June 29, 2007
The
World Wealth Report 2007 released on Wednesday by Merrill Lynch and Capgemini
reports that the very rich (so-called high net worth individuals – HNWI)
are getting even richer. And the forecast is the extremely wealthy are going to
get even richer due to their dominance of global capital markets, especially commercial
real estate and real estate investment trusts. Meanwhile, the Canadian Centre
for Policy Alternatives released a detailed research report on Thursday called
Rising Profit Shares, Falling Wage Shares which shows that real hourly wages for
workers (the people that do things, rather than own things) “have been stagnant
for 30 years running”.The two studies make fascinating reading, when set
side-by-side...
Source:
The
Wellesley Institute Blog
[ The
Wellesley Institute ]
Canadian
workers’ paycheques in 30-year holding pattern : Study
Press
Release
June 28, 2007
OTTAWA – Canadians are working harder and smarter,
contributing to a growing economy, but their paycheques have been stagnant for
the past 30 years, says a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Complete study:
Rising Profit Shares, Falling Wage Shares - (PDF File, 301K, 16 pages)
Related link:
www.GrowingGap.ca
GrowingGap.ca
is a project of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
"(...)What
does the growing gap look like? In 2004, the richest 10% of families raising children
earned 82 times more than the poorest 10% -- almost triple the ratio of 1976,
when they earned 31 times more. In after-tax terms the gap is at a 30-year high"
Source:
Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives
Merrill
Lynch and Capgemini Release
11th Annual World Wealth Report (PDF
file - 55K, 4 pages)
Press Release
27 June 2007
New York, June 27 –
Driven by a strong global economy, the wealth of the world’s high net worth
individuals (HNWIs1) increased 11.4 percent to US$37.2 trillion in 2006, according
to the 11th annual World Wealth Report, released today by Merrill Lynch (NYSE:
MER) and Capgemini.
World
Wealth Report page
- incl. links to : * Fast Breaking Headlines * World
Wealth Report Overview * State of the World's Wealth * HNWI Asset Allocation *
Spotlight - New Service Model for HNW Clients * Regional Facts * About the World
Wealth Report * Capgemini Wealth Management Offerings * Merrill Lynch Global Private
Client * WWR Press Releases * WWR Archive * more...
Complete report:
World Wealth Report 2007 (PDF file - 3.9MB, 36 pages)
Source:
Merrill
Lynch
Capgemini
The
Poverty Business
Inside U.S. companies' audacious drive to extract more profits
from the nation's working poor
"(...) In recent years, a range
of businesses have made financing more readily available to even the riskiest
of borrowers. Greater access to credit has put cars, computers, credit cards,
and even homes within reach for many more of the working poor. But this remaking
of the marketplace for low-income consumers has a dark side: Innovative and zealous
firms have lured unsophisticated shoppers by the hundreds of thousands into a
thicket of debt from which many never emerge."
NOTE: you'll find links to the following related items on the same page as the above article:
* Chart:
Borrowing Binge
* Graphic:
Extreme Interest
* Chart:
The Other Banking System
* Graphic:
From Thin Wallets, Big Money
* Study
Now—And Pay And Pay And Pay Later
* Chart:
Expensive Debt
* The
Economics of the Poverty Business
* Cutting
the Cost of Poverty
Source:
Business
Week - May 21/07 issue
Time
to get Big Business off the Dole
News
Release
January 16, 2007
"(...)A new report from the Canadian Taxpayers
Federation, entitled On the Dole: Businesses, Lobbyists and Industry Canada’s
Subsidy Programs tracks billions of dollars in handouts for the period April 1,
1982, to March 31, 2006. All said, the industry department authorized $18.4-billion
in various subsidies, paid to businesses, associations and foundations in 47,960
separate grants, contributions, loans and loan guarantees from – incredibly
– 150 different programs. This figure does not include subsidies from other
departments, federal regional development agencies, or corporate welfare programs
from other levels of government.
Complete report:
On
the Dole:
Businesses, Lobbyists and Industry Canada’s Subsidy Programs
(PDf file - 513K, 33 pages)
January 2007
Source:
Canadian
Taxpayers Federation
Related Link:
Corporate
welfare alive and well
January 19, 2007
Carol Goar
"It's
getting lonely on the battlefield. A generation ago, David Lewis galvanized fellow
New Democrats and caught the imagination of the nation with his campaign against
"corporate welfare bums."The governing Liberals staunched the outflow
of funds for a while. But when Canadians stopped looking, they reverted to their
old habits. Two and a half years ago, Stephen Harper revived the NDP war cry,
vowing that a Conservative government would "get out of the grants and subsidies
game." But once he became Prime Minister, he started handing out money to
Pratt & Whitney, Alcan and other industrial giants. Today, only the Canadian
Taxpayers Federation is manning the barricades."
Source:
The
Toronto Star
Special
Report
The 400 Richest Americans
September 21, 2006
A nine-figure
fortune won’t get you much mention these days, at least not here. This year,
for the first time, everyone in The Forbes 400 has at least $1 billion.
Source:
Forbes.com
The Top Ten:
1. William H. Gates III
2. Warren E. Buffett
3. Sheldon Adelson
4. Lawrence J. Ellison
5.
Paul G. Allen
6. Jim C Walton*
7. Christy Walton*
8. S. Robson Walton*
9. Michael Dell
10. Alice L. Walton*
[*NOTE that four of the ten top billionaires
in the U.S. are from the family that owns Wal-Mart, the American juggernaut that
routinely gives its new staff applications for the local welfare and food stamp
programs because Wal-Mart employees aren't paid enough to make ends meet.]
-
see the special Wal-Mart section further down on this page
Back
to Forbes:
"The collective net worth of the nation’s wealthiest
climbed $120 billion, to $1.25 trillion."
To put this figure in perspective:
In 2002, $1.25 trillion represented about 12% of the U.S. gross domestic product. (http://www.iipa.com/pressreleases/2004_Oct7_Siwek.pdf)
With a population of about 83 million, Germany’s total government revenue in 2003 was $1.25 trillion (http://www.newstartnigeria.org/germany.asp)
In
total, about $1.25 trillion of annual public spending is on security and
support (Medical care - Cash aid - Food benefits - Housing benefits - Education
aid - Services - Jobs and training - Energy assistance )
(http://www.nawrs.org/Madison/Final%20Projects/Plenary/Plenary%201/Haveman.pdf)
Cost
of Iraq War to top $1.25 trillion dollars, says academic
Rhett
A. Butler, mongabay.com
September 20, 2005
Hmmmm......
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults Time
For A Fair Deal TORONTO, ON – (May 15, 2006) - Today in Toronto an unprecedented coalition of business, labour, academic, non-profit, and think tank leaders released their report “Time for a Fair Deal” calling for fundamental reform of Canada’s income security programs for working-age adults. Declaring the current system in need of a thorough overhaul, The Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults (MISWAA) identified three key issues plaguing low-income Canadians: - Many working
people cannot earn enough to make ends meet even when working full-time for a
full year – at least 30% of low-wage workers fall into this group, Key recommendations to the federal government include: -
Reforming Employment Insurance to address the significant decline in coverage,
Key recommendations to the Ontario Government include: -
Establishing an independent body, with representation from employers and labour,
to recommend periodic increases to the minimum wage, Complete report: Time for a Fair Deal (PDF file - 271K, 67 pages) Context MISWAA was formed in the fall of 2004 by the Toronto City Summit Alliance, a broad-based coalition of civic leaders in the Toronto region, and by St. Christopher House, a multi-service neighbourhood centre that works with low-income people in Toronto. The Task Force is a diverse group made-up of over fifty experts and leaders from major employers, policy institutes, labour unions, academia, community organizations, advocacy groups, foundations and governments, as well as individuals with first-hand knowledge of income security programs. MISWAA Frequently-Asked Questions (PDF file - 106K, 7 pages) Related Links: Google
Web Search Results: Compromise
versus conviction Task
Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working Age Adults ("MISWAA") St.
Christopher House Toronto
City Summit Alliance Boston
Consulting Group - Toronto Office |
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Why
the prominence of Wal-Mart links on this page? Because Wal-Mart is a large part of what's wrong with the world today... -------------------------------------------------- Watching
the Growth of Walmart Across America -------------------------------------------------- Wal-Mart
Christmas Ornaments Made Under Complete report: A Wal-Mart Christmas -------------------------------------------------- Costco
Rules, Wal-Mart Drools ----------------------------------------------------------------- Internal
Memo Reveals Attitudes Toward Employees Within Wal-Mart, Inc. Complete
Text of Internal Wal-Mart Memo: Related Link: Links
to Anti Wal-Mart and Pro Wal-Mart Web Sites Also related: BIG
BOX MART - a short movie from JibJab.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- How
Costco Became the Anti-Wal-Mart ----------------------------------------------------------------- Can
Christians Shop at Wal-Mart in Good Conscience? Source: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Wake-Up
Wal-Mart Related Links: United
Food and Commercial Workers - Washington, D.C. ----------------------------------------------------------------- WalmartWatch.com
- “To fight Wal-Mart on the streets, in the media, and in the customer’s
mind!” New
Group Targets Wal-Mart Research Library - links to almost two dozen online resources... Rollback
Wal-Mart Campaign Full-page New York Times piece (PDF file - 507K, 1 page) Related Links: Sweet
Victory: Maryland Stands Up To Wal-Mart ----------------------------------------------------------------- Is
Wal-Mart Good for America? Wal-Mart
at a Glance Watch
Online - link directly to streaming video of the entire show (broken up
into smaller segments for faster downloading) |
From the Conference Board of Canada:
Canada
continues to lose ground in global rankings
News release
October
18, 2005
"Canada is losing ground in comparison to other developed countries,
according to the Conference Board’s 10th annual Performance and Potential
report released today."
Complete
report:
Performance and
Potential 2005–06
The World and Canada: Trends Reshaping Our Future
"This
tenth anniversary edition of the Conference Board’s flagship socio-economic
report, Performance and Potential 2005-06, takes a critical look at Canada’s
performance and potential. It evaluates our progress since the mid-1990s and examines
the global trends that are reshaping our future prosperity and well-being."
NOTE:
you must register your e-mail address in order to be able to download the complete
report; the Conference Board promises not to misuse your personal information.
The
publication is available both as a full report and as key findings, with English
and French versions available. Also included on this page is media coverage of
the report's release.
Facts & figures:
Performance
and Potential 2005-06:
The World and Canada: Trends Reshaping Our Future
(PDF file - 19K, 2 pages)
Media Backgrounder:
Performance
and Potential 2005-06—The World and Canada:
Trends Reshaping Our Future
(PDF file - 27K, 4 pages)
The
Canadian Financial Services Sector
June 2005
Source:
Department
of Finance Canada
The
economic well being of Canadians has not advanced in years, say TD economists
Press
Release
January 18, 2005
The take-home pay of Canadians has stagnated over
the past 15 years, highlighting the need for stronger productivity and for lower
tax burdens, said TD economists in a new report entitled, In Search of Well
Being: Are Canadians slipping down the economic ladder?
