David Macdonald
@davidmaccdn.bsky.social
Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives Senior Economist in Ottawa
Interesting to see that HALF of all econo activity in Canada is just gvts providing: health care, education, infrastructure, pensions. The other half is the private sector selling things. Cuts to govts are cuts to GDP growth...shocking ;) @policyalternatives.ca
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quo...
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quo...
The Daily — Public Sector Universe, 2024
Today, Statistics Canada is publishing the 2024 list of entities in the Public Sector Universe. This year's product presents public sector units from 2008 to 2024.
www150.statcan.gc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Interesting to see that HALF of all econo activity in Canada is just gvts providing: health care, education, infrastructure, pensions. The other half is the private sector selling things. Cuts to govts are cuts to GDP growth...shocking ;) @policyalternatives.ca
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quo...
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quo...
Some great coverage on my latest analysis of what programs may be lost due to the 15% fed program cuts in the @ottawacitizen.com : ottawacitizen.com/public-servi... @policyalternatives.ca
Social programs could be 'sunset' along with jobs of public servants who administer them: analysis
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives estimates that 52 of 88 departments and agencies will "sunset" programs.
ottawacitizen.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Some great coverage on my latest analysis of what programs may be lost due to the 15% fed program cuts in the @ottawacitizen.com : ottawacitizen.com/public-servi... @policyalternatives.ca
Budgets are meant to be good news docs. This one will downplay all that will be lost with 15% cuts in most depts. We've scoured dept docs to identify programs likely to be "sunset" and the 52 depts likely to use this strategy @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
October 28, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Budgets are meant to be good news docs. This one will downplay all that will be lost with 15% cuts in most depts. We've scoured dept docs to identify programs likely to be "sunset" and the 52 depts likely to use this strategy @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
Canada’s $10-a-day child care program is cutting fees—but is it creating enough spaces? My new report from @policyalternatives.ca shows big promises, mixed results, and a growing role for for-profit care. Here’s what the data tells us🧵👇👇👇
August 21, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Canada’s $10-a-day child care program is cutting fees—but is it creating enough spaces? My new report from @policyalternatives.ca shows big promises, mixed results, and a growing role for for-profit care. Here’s what the data tells us🧵👇👇👇
Now calculated potential staffing cuts from the fed public sector cuts announced in July. TLDR, they'll be big, probably over 57,000 by 2028-29. I got some good coverage in the @ottawacitizen.com but here are the brief details🧵👇👇 @policyalternatives.ca ottawacitizen.com/public-servi...
Ottawa and Gatineau will 'bear the brunt' of public service cuts: report
A new analysis finds the government could cut the equivalent of more than 24,000 full-time jobs in the National Capital Region.
ottawacitizen.com
July 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Now calculated potential staffing cuts from the fed public sector cuts announced in July. TLDR, they'll be big, probably over 57,000 by 2028-29. I got some good coverage in the @ottawacitizen.com but here are the brief details🧵👇👇 @policyalternatives.ca ottawacitizen.com/public-servi...
My latest look at the Carney cuts in the @thestar.com, but this time it impacts crown corps like the CBC, Via Rail and CMHC. These could all see their transfers cut by 15% Priorities in the campaign but now targets for cuts @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇 www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
So much for ‘Canada strong’: Mark Carney’s cuts to the public service are a brutal trade-off
The Liberals are pondering cuts so deep, they’ll outdo the Harper government and rival Paul Martin.
www.thestar.com
July 22, 2025 at 6:01 PM
My latest look at the Carney cuts in the @thestar.com, but this time it impacts crown corps like the CBC, Via Rail and CMHC. These could all see their transfers cut by 15% Priorities in the campaign but now targets for cuts @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇 www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
The fed gov cuts to pay for military and wealthy tax cuts have rapidly expanded. My new analysis shows that most of the cuts will now be on transfers to other govs, non-profits and people. A stunning 1 in 5 dollars is just cuts to FN govs for basic social programs. @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇
July 17, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The fed gov cuts to pay for military and wealthy tax cuts have rapidly expanded. My new analysis shows that most of the cuts will now be on transfers to other govs, non-profits and people. A stunning 1 in 5 dollars is just cuts to FN govs for basic social programs. @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇
For the record, I meant it as a cautionary tale not a manual! But it looks like my big projections of federal cuts are coming .... worth 15% of spending.
@policyalternatives.ca
theglobeandmail.com/politics/art... 1/x
@policyalternatives.ca
theglobeandmail.com/politics/art... 1/x
Cabinet ministers told to find ‘ambitious’ savings by end of summer
Ministers have been asked to cut 7.5 per cent from program spending next year, growing to 15 per cent by 2028-29
theglobeandmail.com
July 7, 2025 at 4:16 PM
For the record, I meant it as a cautionary tale not a manual! But it looks like my big projections of federal cuts are coming .... worth 15% of spending.
@policyalternatives.ca
theglobeandmail.com/politics/art... 1/x
@policyalternatives.ca
theglobeandmail.com/politics/art... 1/x
In the 2025 federal election, LPC platform promised $13 bil/yr in "government efficiencies" through AI and capping growth but no one kicked the tires on this one. These cuts would be devastating if implemented @policyalternatives.ca PA 🧵👇👇
June 30, 2025 at 2:03 PM
In the 2025 federal election, LPC platform promised $13 bil/yr in "government efficiencies" through AI and capping growth but no one kicked the tires on this one. These cuts would be devastating if implemented @policyalternatives.ca PA 🧵👇👇
The main party platforms are finally out and to easily understand them I created a wordcloud with all party planks weighted by their 4yr $$ value: bigger font = worth more, smaller font=worth less. See if the parties put their money where their mouths are ⬇️⬇️⬇️🧵
@policyalternatives.ca
@policyalternatives.ca
Platform Crunch: What are the parties promising in their costed platforms? - CCPA
It’s the final week of the federal election campaign, and most parties have finally released their full platforms with costs. First of all, kudos to the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives for actually pu...
www.policyalternatives.ca
April 23, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The main party platforms are finally out and to easily understand them I created a wordcloud with all party planks weighted by their 4yr $$ value: bigger font = worth more, smaller font=worth less. See if the parties put their money where their mouths are ⬇️⬇️⬇️🧵
@policyalternatives.ca
@policyalternatives.ca
You want more #election platform crunching? We’ve got more! V3.0 has CPC, Liberal, NDP, Green & Bloc platforms. 1st up, how much you’d save from personal tax cuts and/or get in cash transfers in $$ on average per filer by income deciles @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
www.datawrapper.de/_/relj9/
www.datawrapper.de/_/relj9/
What is the average cash benefit (saved taxes or higher transfers)? Apr 2nd | Created with Datawrapper
Depending on what you make before taxes, the party platforms could impact you very differently in saved taxes or in increased cash transfers
www.datawrapper.de
April 4, 2025 at 1:49 PM
You want more #election platform crunching? We’ve got more! V3.0 has CPC, Liberal, NDP, Green & Bloc platforms. 1st up, how much you’d save from personal tax cuts and/or get in cash transfers in $$ on average per filer by income deciles @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
www.datawrapper.de/_/relj9/
www.datawrapper.de/_/relj9/
Reposted by David Macdonald
New from @policyalternatives.ca: How the parties’ tax cut and cash transfers promises compare. By @davidmaccdn.bsky.social #cdnpoli #federalelection www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Platform Crunch: Comparing all parties’ tax cut and cash transfers promises - CCPA
Earlier in the week, the Liberals came out with a promise to cut the lowest federal personal income tax rate from 15 per cent to 14 per cent and also cut the value of tax credits to match.
www.policyalternatives.ca
March 28, 2025 at 3:42 PM
New from @policyalternatives.ca: How the parties’ tax cut and cash transfers promises compare. By @davidmaccdn.bsky.social #cdnpoli #federalelection www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Tax and cash transfer promises are flying fast and furious in this federal #election. I’ve been modelling them all and here are the average impacts for NDP, CPC and Liberals by deciles of pre-tax income. @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇 for by program and poverty amounts.
March 27, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Tax and cash transfer promises are flying fast and furious in this federal #election. I’ve been modelling them all and here are the average impacts for NDP, CPC and Liberals by deciles of pre-tax income. @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇 for by program and poverty amounts.
Both the Liberals and Conservatives have pledged changing the rate of the lowest federal tax bracket from 15% to 14% (Liberal) or 12.75% (Conservative). I'll be doing a deep dive later, but here are the preliminaries on these almost identical #election policies @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
March 24, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Both the Liberals and Conservatives have pledged changing the rate of the lowest federal tax bracket from 15% to 14% (Liberal) or 12.75% (Conservative). I'll be doing a deep dive later, but here are the preliminaries on these almost identical #election policies @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
Canadians are experiencing serious news deprivation as local news outlets are closing at an accelerated rate. Our latest report examines 2,900 radio, TV, print and online outlets for the trends in your province and community. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
News deprivation - CCPA
The last 16 years have not been kind to local news outlets in Canada. Now 2.5 million Canadians don’t have access to local news. That’s a problem for our democracy.
www.policyalternatives.ca
March 20, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Canadians are experiencing serious news deprivation as local news outlets are closing at an accelerated rate. Our latest report examines 2,900 radio, TV, print and online outlets for the trends in your province and community. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇
Only a week left for students and recent grads to apply to our @policyalternatives.ca PAID fellowship! You'll work with me for a career changing summer. Apply now: ccpa.bamboohr.com/careers/41?s...
Research Assistant
Research Assistant
Research · Ottawa, Ontario
The Organization: The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, ...
ccpa.bamboohr.com
March 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Only a week left for students and recent grads to apply to our @policyalternatives.ca PAID fellowship! You'll work with me for a career changing summer. Apply now: ccpa.bamboohr.com/careers/41?s...
For students and recent grads, I'M HIRING for our summer fellowship @policyalternatives.ca . You'd help with the Alterative Federal Budget, an unprecedented networking opportunity to meet the who's who of progressive policy minds. Like prog. policy and Excel? Apply now: ccpa.bamboohr.com/careers/41
Research Assistant
Research Assistant
Research · Ottawa, Ontario
The Organization: The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, ...
ccpa.bamboohr.com
March 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
For students and recent grads, I'M HIRING for our summer fellowship @policyalternatives.ca . You'd help with the Alterative Federal Budget, an unprecedented networking opportunity to meet the who's who of progressive policy minds. Like prog. policy and Excel? Apply now: ccpa.bamboohr.com/careers/41
The point of Cdn #tariff actions should be to make it hurt, but only south of the border. The goal should be to have Americans notice they are in a tariff war and that its serious so the US tariffs stop, and quickly. Some action can decrease our prices in this #tariff war @ccpa 🧵👇...
March 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Everyone remember #CERB during the pandemic? With American #tariffs we're going to need worker supports like that all over again, they should start today for affected industries and they need to include...
@policyalternatives.ca 🧵
@policyalternatives.ca 🧵
March 4, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Everyone remember #CERB during the pandemic? With American #tariffs we're going to need worker supports like that all over again, they should start today for affected industries and they need to include...
@policyalternatives.ca 🧵
@policyalternatives.ca 🧵