Maytree Opinion

Building strong organizations for hard times

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, May 2012)
The world is changing. Our former consensus that government was there to protect us is eroding. As we operate community organizations in the face of government retreat, we wonder how we must change. How do we find the sustainable platform on which a progressive future can be built? In this month’s Maytree Opinion, Alan Broadbent offers three areas we need to think about for our organizations to thrive in hard times.

Recent Immigration Changes Deserve Debate

By Ratna Omidvar (Maytree Opinion, April 2012)
Immigration policy is shifting almost daily. While media report about proposed changes, there is no meaningful analysis about the actual impact announcements will have on immigrant integration. Immigration policy is too important to be made in this piecemeal manner. It is essential for Canadians to be included in a debate about how we build our nation.

Always Be/Beware of Collaborating

By Ratna Omidvar (Maytree Opinion, March 2012)
As part of the budget postscript we expect to hear suggestions of finding service and cost efficiencies through partnerships, merged services, horizontal and vertical alignment and more. We can expect to be asked to continue to do more with less. And we will be told that we can do better through collaboration. For many nonprofits, collaboration has become part of their daily jargon, in part because funding regimes demand demonstration of collaborations and in part because it is the flavor of the day. The term gets easily bandied about, misused and confused. So, what is collaboration?

Democracy and Science, in the National Interest

By Alan Broadbent (Maytree Opinion, February 2012)
Democrats and scientists have a lot to be concerned about in Canada these days. For those who think the essence of democratic governance lies in a vibrant exchange of views and protection of the rights of minorities, recent developments have been troubling. And at the annual meeting of The American Association for the Advancement of Science in Vancouver recently, a topic of conversation was the muzzling of scientists working in government or funded by government. They are increasingly required to funnel their findings through government public relations channels.

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.

Read Maytree Opinions from previous years by visiting the Maytree Opinion Archive