The Tyee: It’s the Economy, Dippers
In NDP leadership debate, Peggy Nash stakes out territory party needs to conquer.
December 5, 2021
By Murray Dobbin
It should not come as a surprise that Nash, finance critic until she announced her campaign, is leading in this policy contest. She has focused attention on reversing the decade-long trend of exporting raw resources and returning to a value-added economy; fairer taxes; requiring companies to make binding commitments on jobs and development (that would violate NAFTA, but perhaps we should); massively increase public investment in the face of the private sector’s refusal to do so; strengthen income security programs that were decimated under the Liberals; and integrate and enhance social programs with a view to boosting jobs and productivity. She also calls for formal co-operation between government, business, labour and universities to guide a return to a comprehensive industrial policy — pointing to Finland, Korea, Brazil, and Germany’s successful approaches.
