Speeches & Commentary

Public Expenditure in a Tough Economy: Spending Smart in Hard Times

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, January 2012)
The great challenge for governments in these hard economic times is reducing spending without doing harm. National, provincial and municipal governments are all considering how to economize, and are looking at cuts to programs and services. As Alan Broadbent writes, there is a frontier of smart public expenditure that can produce bang for the buck.

Sticky Fingers and Social Glue

By Ratna Omidvar (Maytree Opinion, December 2011)
It bears remembering. Toronto’s defining feature is its diversity. It is why so many people come here; it is why other countries want us to tell them about our experiences. For the 50% of Torontonians who weren’t born here, Toronto offers an opportunity to give legs to their hopes and dreams. But it’s not all romance. Dark clouds have formed over us. Inequality is growing in Canada. In Toronto, those at the bottom are more likely to be minorities, many of them recent immigrants. Are there solutions?

The Occupy Movement: A Lesson in the Risk of Inequality

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, November 2011)
The Occupy Wall Street movement has puzzled many people. The lack of organization, elaborated message, or visible leaders has left some people asking for more, and the presence of young people with no clear political or social agenda in the tent parks has left others wondering if it is just a dropped-out caravan. The simple message of the 99% facing off against the 1%, the vast majority against the very rich who have corralled the bulk of the wealth created in the last quarter century, seems pretty clear, but is portrayed as not enough of an analysis. But the data doesn’t lie. The gap between the richest and the poorest has been growing, as has the gap between the richest and the rest. And in the developed world the middle class has been disappearing.

Five Good Ideas in the Top Right Drawer!

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, October 2011)
It’s no secret. Managers working in the non-profit sector wear many hats and have to be awfully good at doing many things very well. One day you’re asked to be a communications expert, the next you’re handling the HR duties of your organization, and then, without blinking an eye, you balance the books. But how can you even begin to learn so many things in a time-effective way? In this month’s Maytree Opinion, Alan Broadbent recommends that you consider the just published Five Good Ideas book as your go-to non-profit management handbook. Whether for a deep read, or quick reference, keep it handy in your top right hand desk drawer.

From land grants to tax incentives: investing in Canada’s future

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, September 2011)
Tax credits to support skilled worker employment are a good idea that has been distorted by politics. As Alan Broadbent explains in this month’s opinion, targeted public policy does not pit some residents against others.

Move beyond half-measures and remove the processing fee for refugees

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, August 2011)
Currently, there is a 180-day time limit for inland refugees to apply for permanent residence. The government is proposing to remove this limit. This would be a reprieve for refugees who need more time to save for the processing fee that must accompany their application. But, as Alan Broadbent points out in this month’s Maytree Opinion, it won’t deal with the real issue: the processing fee is unaffordable. It costs a family of four $1,400, which is more than a month’s salary at minimum wage. The obvious step is to remove the time limit and the fee.

Canada’s Population Riddle

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, July 2011)
As the federal government undertakes its annual review of immigration levels, Maytree chairman Alan Broadbent takes a more long-term view. Immigration level discussions, unless they are part of a larger population policy, could be seen as nothing more than twiddling the dials. Alan argues for a dramatic increase in our population – which he insists is feasible and desirable as long as the right processes are in place.

Diversity in Leadership, by Design

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, June 2011)
While we live in one of the most diverse city regions in the world, there remains a curious diversity disconnect at the leadership levels. Diversity in leadership won’t happen by accident. We need to be deliberate and systematic. We need to develop and deploy strategies for making change. Because making sure that there is diversity in leadership is not just important to fuel the region’s prosperity, it’s also the right thing to do.

Stupid Rules

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, May 2011)
One of the first lessons we learn in life is to play by the rules. At home, at school, on the playground, or in the neighbourhood, it is the rules that make the world go round, we are told. If it weren’t for the rules, we’d descend into chaos and confusion. But what about stupid rules? What do we do when we’re faced with rules that not only don’t seem to make sense, but seem to run counter to our best interests? And what do we do when our best interests aren’t just personal to us, but to those who depend on us to deliver services or goods that make their lives better? This is a dilemma that is increasingly facing people working in the community sector, as the cold hands of auditors general, regulators, and public sector funders tighten their grip on the activities in the sector.

Successful money management, successful settlement, successful nation

By Ratna Omidvar, President, Maytree (March 24, 2011 – Forum on Financial Literacy for Newcomers to Canada)
Every day, we make a complex array of financial decisions – from choosing a bank, to finding a mortgage to managing consumer debt to taking out student loans, signing the rental lease for the first apartment, negotiating a service contract, buying life insurance, sending remittances back home. Compared to people who are born in Canada or whose families are Canadian, many newcomers have a natural diffidence and lack of confidence in making financial decisions about products, services, vendors and advisors. As a result, they are more vulnerable than others to fall prey to bad and sometimes downright unethical products and services. There is a lot to learn and sadly few opportunities to do so.