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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

The actual spend on ODA will fall by $2 bil over the next 3 yrs due to the cuts at global affairs, but also the cuts in asylum and refugee support sat IRCC (which also count) 4/x

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

The cuts emerging from the fall budget at Global Affairs and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship will drastically cut Canada's official development assistance over the next 3 yrs. We haven't seen values this low since 1964. 2/x

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Finally IRCC has slashed its staff by between 2,000 and 3.000 people starting in early 2025. Those staff had managed to get backlogs under control in 2023 and 2024, most application streams on track. But with so many fewer staff application backlogs are blowing up again. 5/x

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

In several big cities roughly half of the homeless pop is actually just asylum seekers. The cities pick up the tab and the feds re-imburse them...or they did. The feds are now cancelling that program to "save" money, but its really just cost downloading that onto four cities 4/x

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

We're going to accept about 5% more new Canadians in the next 3 years because of their skills, but now we're going to slash the integration supports by 30%. The Settlement Program helps them get jobs and use their skills to benefit us all. 3/x

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

The biggest efficiency "savings" is actually about cutting refugee and asylum seeker health care. People with nothing aren't going pay 1/4 billion a year, instead they'll avoid treatment making the situation worst 2/x www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

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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 · 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 · 23/04/2025

Publishing their plan third was the Conservatives. Their tax cut for the middle class and the rich is their single biggest promise, cutting fed spending via consultants figures prominently as does their military plank.

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Second published was the NDP. They're expecting a lot from their new wealth tax (for those with over $10 mil) but cutting taxes for the middle and rich. They'll also spend big on improving EI and infrastructure through their "Building Canada Fund".

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

First out was the Liberal platform. The largest spend is on cutting back fed spending followed by their middle/rich income tax cut. Military operations and equipment are not far behind, neither are a set of corp tax cuts from the fall.

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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

The problem for the lowest and middle earners is that they already have enough credits to not pay federal income tax, so cutting rates doesn’t affect them. Basically, all high earners see some benefit, the lowest earners see basically no benefit

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

The richest 40% of Canadians can expect about 3/4 of those hypothetical maximums, but the average is basically $0 for the lowest earners

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Small towns news is being hit hard with all provinces losing outlets (except Ontario). Newfoundland and Labrador saw a quarter of its outlets close since 2008

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David Macdonald @davidmaccdn.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

We’ve been losing roughly 25 local print outlets a year for a decade. But 2023 was the worst year with the net loss of over 80. Private TV and radio outlets experienced their worst year in 2024. Public TV and radio, like the CBC, have seen little change (either positive or negative)

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