Citizens' Press Top Stories

Budget's attacks on social and cultural research are short-sighted

Opinion Editorial Regarding 2009 Federal Budget

Gradstudents Respond to NB Flat Tax Scheme

In June 2008, New Brunswick's Department of Finance released a paper entitled ``A Discussion Paper on New Brunswick's Tax System". The report recommends implementation of a flat-tax system, a dramatic decrease in corporate tax rates, and increases in consumption taxes. Unfortunately, the discussion paper paints an overly flattering picture of its proposed changes and ignores the negative consequences of a flat-tax system.

Neoliberalism in Latin America

Neoliberalism as an economic ideology is spreading throughout the world via international financial institutions and transnational corporate hegemony. The effects of this colonial phenomenon is especially acute in Latin America where many nations faced debt crises directly related to the international economic system. In order for many nations in Latin America to deal with this economic crisis, they were forced to cede democratic control of their economies to these international actors. Although democratic procedures exist in most countries in Latin America which are implementing the reforms, real democracy is maimed by international economic interference in policy-making. Procedural democracy legitimizes the damaging effects which ensue from the neoliberal reform process. This is evident when we examine the nature of international lending institutions, the power of international capital, the degradation of worker and peasant lives, and the lack of popular opposition.

Canada is Deeply Scarring the Haitian Poor –the People Must Remove this Dagger

Most notably, Canada’s gash has been made through participation in the February 29, 2004 coup of democratically-elected Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide and through the bloody aftermath that has followed the coup. The process ultimately breaks down into a class war pitting the elites in Haiti, Canada, France and the United States against the extreme poor people of Haiti—and indirectly against the poor people of Canada. But none of the significance in cruelty of Canada’s involvement in Haiti, and what it means in a bigger picture of historical oppression, can be understood without first dipping into the past.

A Tale of Two Protests, Discrimination, and a Somewhat Public Space

When does a protest become illegal? Do rights to freedom of expression depend on who you are? These are only two questions amongst many that come to mind in response to the differential treatment by City of Fredericton staff and members of the Fredericton Police force to two different groups in the summer of 2006.