5 things Canada could defund to pay for an epic just transition
photo The Breach
We could raise $175 billion a year to fund life-giving public goods by defunding five destructive areas of government spending
What does a 'just transition' mean? How could Canada move out of damaging industries into supporting citizens in more sustainable, equitable jobs? Where could the money come from to finance a better future?
The Breach contributors discuss 5 ways that this could be done.
"For decades, Canadian neoliberalism has ushered in an era of austerity, but the impacts haven’t landed equally. We’ve seen budget cuts for working people and the environment—borne most disproportionately by Black, Indigenous, and other racialized people and communities that are made vulnerable in our society. On the other hand, fossil fuel companies, the military, police, large corporations, and the wealthiest families have all actually received more support from the government.
We have starved public goods, land, and life in order to feed Big Oil, corporate profits, and the security that capitalist growth requires.
"But there are plenty of options to pay for a new direction: taxes on high earners and polluting firms, cutting military expenditure, long-term investment in green infrastructure, to name a few. The real issue is political will and political power."
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