The Broadbent Institute: Equality Project

8/2/2019 The Broadbent Institute: Equality Project

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EQUALITY PROJECT


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About the Broadbent Institute

Founded in 2011, with the endorsement of Jack Layton, theBroadbent Institute is Canadas newest resource for social

democrats seeking change. The Institute is committed to free,equal and compassionate citizenship in Canada the very heart ofwhat social democracy is about. We support, develop and promotesocial democratic principles, equipping a new generation ofprogressive campaigners and thinkers with the training, education,and arguments they need to make positive change. Our EqualityProject is at the centre of our Institutes core mission.

Get Involved

Inequality isnt inevitable. Its a political choice.

Only by insisting our governments pursue policies that are equitablefor all Canadians can we ensure a fair, safe, healthy, and vibrantdemocracy for Canada.

To make that happen, you need to be involved.

The poll findings in this report lay the groundwork for theBroadbent Institutes Equality Project which will engageCanadians and decision-makers in a renewed agenda to endinequality in Canada.

Join the Broadbent Institute today and help us lead progressivesto victory as we develop social democratic policy, equip a newgeneration of progressive campaigners and thinkers throughtraining and education and propose solutions for a more equalCanada.

Visit broadbentinstitute.ca to learn more about our EqualityProject, to get involved, to sign up for our e-updates, and to make adonation.

Send feedback and suggestions to [email protected] message us on Twitter or Facebook.


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Executive Summary Why this poll?

Canadians take pride in our history of building a nation that valuesfairness and equality. However, these essential Canadian values are

threatened by the growing gap between the rich and the rest of us.

As part of our Equality Project, the Broadbent Institute commissioneda poll by Environics Research to survey Canadians attitudes towardincome inequality.

Findings show that over three-quarters of Canadians (77%) deemincome inequality a serious problem and they are ready to find andtake part in solutions. Individuals from all walks of life indicate theyare willing to do their part through fair and equitable taxation to

protect our public programs, but they want corporations to do theirpart too.

Moreover, theyre asking their governments to take responsibilityand make income inequality a priority.

The Broadbent Institute concludes that any government or politicalparty that prioritizes the tackling of income inequality will not onlyreflect current public opinion, they will garner Canadians supportbecause they will finally be addressing an issue that represents a

fundamental Canadian value: equality.

Canada needs to take immediate action to reduce the problem of incomeinequality.

71% of Canadians think that the widening gap between rich andpoor undermines Canadian values. If left unchecked, income inequalitywill have a long-term, negative impact by reducing our:

Standard of Living79%

Community Safety75%

Quality of Healthcare & Public Services72%

Employment Opportunities for Young People71%

Democratic Principles67%


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Time to tackle income inequality

Research from a wide range of respected research bodies makesclear that Canada is becoming a far less equal society.1 However,

despite this mounting evidence our governments have so farchosen to ignore the issue.

New national public opinion research conducted for the BroadbentInstitute by Environics Research reveals that Canadians of allpolitical stripes are ahead of their governments in wanting toresolve the problem of growing income inequality. Canadians areready for solutions.2

Most Canadians express a deep concern about widening income

inequality, saying it doesnt reflect Canadian values. They expressa strong desire for governments to place a higher priority onreducing this inequality.

According to the survey results, individuals care about worseningincome inequality because they believe it has an impact on thesafety of their community, on the health of the country, and on thevibrancy of our democracy.

1 Statistics Canada, Conference Board of Canada, Canadian Centre for PolicyAlternatives, the OECD.

2 Environics Research surveyed 2,000 Canadians between March 6 and 18, 2012 toconduct a telephone poll on attitudes toward income inequality. The results of asurvey of this magnitude can be considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.2percent, 19 times out of 20.

71%gap undermines

of Canadians believe

Canadian values

the widening income


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Valuing equality so highly, Canadians are prepared to do theirpart. Most Canadians are ready and willing to contribute by paying

higher taxes if it means their government would protect publicservices and make reducing income inequality a higher priority.

These findings indicate that concern about income inequalityin Canada is not simply a left-right ideological issue. When it

comes to the desire to protect public services and reduce incomeinequality, Canadians are more united than we are polarized.Support for government action to reduce income inequality cutsacross all party lines, geographic divides, income levels, andgender or age differences. In other words, only a small minorityof Canadians find it acceptable that income inequality is gettingworse, and that our governments are doing nothing about it. Themajority of Canadians are ready to embrace solutions.

to protect socialprograms

are willing

to pay more

majorityCanadians

The of

58%71% 72%


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70%

AB

80%

BC

The downside of Canadas growing gap

We asked Canadians for their views on whether the growing gapbetween the rich and everyone else is a problem and the response

was conclusive. More than three-quarters of Canadians see thegrowing gap between the rich and everyone else as a seriousproblem with long-term negative consequences for our society.

We asked Canadians if they agree with this statement: Thewidening income gap is a big problem for Canada that will havea lot of long-term consequences for society. 77% of Canadiansagree. Women are slightly more likely than men to agree the gapis a problem but the difference isnt huge (81% vs.

73%). NDP voters almost unanimously (89%) agreethat the widening gap is a serious problem, butits interesting to note that a clear majorityof Conservative voters (59%) also feel thisway. These numbers prove that concernabout income inequality cuts acrosspartisan lines.

We also asked Canadians if theyagreed with this statement:Theres nothing wrong with awidening income gap, it just

means people have to work harderat being rich themselves.A minority only 20% of Canadians agreed with this view.

73%81%

think a

is a

problemfor Canada

big

widening

income

gap

77%

Concern about

income


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79%

QC

76%

ON

78%

MB

SK

81%

ATL

Is the widening gap a problem?

When we asked Canadians if they thought growing income

inequality would cause problems for Canada, they resoundinglyanswered yes.

More than three-quarters of respondents (79%)said that the gap will eventually lead to declining

living standards, followed by increased crime(75%), the erosion of public health care and

other public services (72%), as well as feweropportunities for young Canadians to do as well

or better than their parents (71%). A majority

of Canadians (67%) also think the growing gapbetween the wealthiest Canadians and everyone

else could erode the quality of our democracy.

inequality

cuts acrossall regions


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Income inequality: undermining Canadian values

No matter where you live or how much you make, the growing gapis viewed as decidedly un-Canadian.

We asked: In the last 10 years, the rich have been getting richer inCanada leaving both middle and lower income people behind. Doyou believe this widening income gap between the wealthy andeveryone else is something that is consistent with Canadian valuesor is it something that undermines Canadian values? The majorityof Canadians (71%) say this trend undermines Canadian values.

Even wealthy Canadians households earning $100,000 a year are just as likely as lower-income Canadians to agree the widening

income gap undermines Canadian values.The research showed thata majority of respondentsthink that its time forgovernments to tacklethe problem of incomeinequality. A large numberof Canadians either wantgovernments to makeincome inequality theirtop priority (42%) or amedium priority (47%),while only 9% of Canadians want governments to focus on otherissues. Undoubtedly the vast majority of Canadians want to seeincome inequality on their governments poltiical radar.

Notably, in an era where the federal government has focused onnarrow casting policies that favour older voters, more than half

(51%) of Canadas seniors (age 60and over) told Environics theywould like government to rankincome inequality as a toppriority. The older peopleare, the more they tendto see income inequalityas a top priority. Theyare concerned about the

legacy they are leavingto future generations ofCanadians.

Canadians

2 3out

of arewillingto pay more

to protect

our social programs

83%supporthigher taxesfor therichestCanadians


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Canadians willing to do their part

Perhaps the most important finding from this poll is that Canadiansare willing to pay higher taxes to protect social programs that they

value, which in turn would help reduce income inequality.

We asked: Would you personally be very, somewhat, not very or notat all willing to pay slightly higher taxes if thats what it would take toprotect our social programs like health care, pensions andaccess to post-secondary education? Two-thirds (64%) of Canadianssaid yes. Almost one-quarter (23%) are very willing to pay moretaxes to save social programs; 41% are somewhat willing to payslightly more tax. Clearly it shows Canadians are willing to do their

part to support public services, if the government takes a reasonableapproach to taxation.

Interestingly, even a ma jority of Conservative voters (58%) areat least somewhat willing to pay higher taxes to protect socialprograms, while Liberal and NDP voters are even more supportive:72% of them would pay more. This attitude toward paying slightlyhigher taxes is reflected equallyin high-income and middleincome Canadian households.

Its only their governments whoare offside.

An overwhelming majority ofCanadians (83%) are in favourof increasing income taxes onthe wealthiest3 and those athigh-income levels are just assupportive of this proposal.

Canada used to have an inheritance tax but it was scrapped in the1980s.4 Our research shows that most Canadians (69%) supportthe introduction of a new 35% inheritance tax on any estate valuedabove $5 million.

Finally, the majority of Canadians want corporate Canada to playits part too. Almost three-quarters (73%) of Canadians supportgradually increasing corporate tax rates back to 2008 levels evena majority of Conservative voters support this measure.

3These results are based on a question that was asked to a split sample. Half of respon-dents were asked whether they support increasing income taxes on individuals earningmore than $250,000, and the other half were asked whether they support increasingincome taxes on individuals earning more than $500,000. The results were very similarfor both options and the results presented here are based on the average of support foreither of the two options.

4http://www.canadafaq.ca/what+is+inheritance+tax+in+canada/

73%

corporationstopay morewant

of Canadians


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Conclusion

The option of raising taxes to protect the social programs we cherishand to address income inequality has been absent from public

debate for too long. While Canadians clearly see that change in taxpolicy is one way of dealing with income inequality they also want itto be fair and equitable.

Most importantly, Canadians are far ahead of their political leadersin terms of seeing the relationship between Canadas rising incomeinequality and our declining living standards. Theyre looking totheir governments for leadership to reduce this inequality, to protectpublic services that we all rely upon, and to take a second look at tax

options that could help preserve our way of life.While Canadians are willing to do their part by paying higher taxesto protect public programs, they also want the wealthy to do theirpart by contributing moreincome taxes and through theintroduction of a new inheritancetax on the largest estates inCanada. They support requiringcorporate Canada to do its part

by paying 2008-level taxes.Theyre asking governmentsto do their part too by makingincome inequality reduction apriority.

These opinions are widelyshared by Canadians no matterwhere they live, how they vote

or how much money they make.The idea of reducing incomeinequality and raising taxes toprotect our way of life enjoyspopular support across thecountry.

For Canadians the problem ofincome inequality is not ideologi-cal. It is a matter of deep Cana-

dian values, the sense of fairnessand equality that inform our verypragmatic approach to nationbuilding. Throughout our history,Canadians have proven that we

Canadians

reducing the

9 10out of

income gap

think


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are willing to make a few sacrifices to preserve what we love aboutCanada, but we also expect everyone to pitch in and do their part.

Even Canadas wealthy agree.

Now, its time for Canadas political leaders to catch up with publicsentiment. For our part, the Broadbent Institute will tirelessly pressfor progressive change under its Equality Project, because its notonly a reflection of what Canadians want for their country, its anessential way to preserve the Canada we love.

should bea priority

government

for the


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THIS MOVEMENT IS ABOUT YOU

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Documents

The Broadbent Institute: Equality Project