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David Macdonald

@davidmaccdn.bsky.social
2.1K followers 176 following 146 posts

Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives Senior Economist in Ottawa

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Do you want to work at @policyalternatives.ca ? We've partnered with the School for Moral Ambition to offer an incredible Tax Fairness Fellowship. Its a 6 month paid position to put you on the front line of the debate. Apply now: www.moralambition.org/fellowships/...
moralambition.org
Tax Fairness Fellowship | The School for Moral Ambition
Our Moral Ambition Fellowships offer a transformative journey — one that demands your full commitment as you pivot your career alongside a cohort of ambitious peers. ‍ In response to rising inequality...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
New research out today showing the collapse of Canada's development assistance as featured in the @ottawacitizen.com this morning 🧵👇👇 @policyalternatives.ca ottawacitizen.com/public-servi...
ottawacitizen.com
Cuts at Global Affairs Canada marks an 'end of Pearson's dream,' report says
Budget cuts at GAC could "shift Canada's foreign policy focus away from peacekeeping and development to self-interested trade and defence."
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Reposted by David Macdonald
Hadrian @hadrianmk.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Hey it's Friday and the Canadian oil industry made $1.5 billion in profits this week. 🧵 Thread...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Today we're revealing the cuts plans for our immigration system from Budget 2025. TLDR: These aren't efficiency savings they are major services cuts and cost downloads to cities poised to wreck our immigration system. @policyalternatives.ca 1/x
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Corporate profits hit a new all time high of $676 bil in 2025, besting the previous 2022 record www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quo... @policyalternatives.ca
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Today we uncovered that just under half of the budget 2025 cuts at Dept immigration, refugees and citizenship are just cuts to dental and prescription coverage for asylum seekers. Read about it in the @ottawacitizen.com or the full @policyalternatives.ca www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Great article in the @theglobeandmail.com this morning that I'm quoted in. It's looking at the self-inflicted job losses in Ottawa www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art... @policyalternatives.ca @jasonkirby.bsky.social
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Today I'm appearing before the Senate committee on finance about the upper income tax cut that the middle class happens to see a small benefit from. Here is my full analysis www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... @policyalternatives.ca
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
We just put up the application for this summer's progressive economics fellowship. Its a paid 4 month term to work with me at @policyalternatives.ca and 100 other progressive policy experts to create this year's Alternative Federal Budget. Apply now: ccpa.bamboohr.com/careers/48
ccpa.bamboohr.com
Research Assistant - 4 Month Term
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, ...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
My preliminary take on the new stats on federal job job cuts . Which depts and services could be hit hardest? There's plenty more analysis to come @policyalternatives.ca
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
New research out today from @policyalternatives.ca on the groceries and essential benefit. Read the full details at www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
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
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
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
ottawacitizen.com
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
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 🧵👇👇👇
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
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🧵👇👇👇
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
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...
ottawacitizen.com
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
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...
thestar.com
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
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 🧵👇👇
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
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
theglobeandmail.com
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
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
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 🧵👇👇
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
The main party platforms are finally out and to easily understand them I created a wordcloud with all party planks weighted by their 4yr $$ value: bigger font = worth more, smaller font=worth less. See if the parties put their money where their mouths are ⬇️⬇️⬇️🧵 @policyalternatives.ca
policyalternatives.ca
Platform Crunch: What are the parties promising in their costed platforms? - CCPA
It’s the final week of the federal election campaign, and most parties have finally released their full platforms with costs. First of all, kudos to the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives for actually pu...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
You want more #election platform crunching? We’ve got more! V3.0 has CPC, Liberal, NDP, Green & Bloc platforms. 1st up, how much you’d save from personal tax cuts and/or get in cash transfers in $$ on average per filer by income deciles @policyalternatives.ca 🧵👇👇👇 www.datawrapper.de/_/relj9/
datawrapper.de
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
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Reposted by David Macdonald
CCPA — Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives @policyalternatives.ca · 28/03/2025
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...
policyalternatives.ca
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
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 🧵👇👇👇
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
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 🧵👇👇👇
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.
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
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...
ccpa.bamboohr.com
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, ...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
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
ccpa.bamboohr.com
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, ...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
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 🧵👇...
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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
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 🧵
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