AltAusterity Digest #5: July 13-19, 2017

Republicans reject a proposal for federal funding to clean up the Great Lakes. Trump has requested that the $300 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative be completely scrapped, drawing criticisms from environmentalists and politicians in both Canada and the U.S.

The British Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) says that “health” is by far the biggest risk to the country’s spending plans. An ageing population, rising dissatisfaction over public sector pay, and high costs in technological advances will all add to the health bill in an environment of “austerity fatigue.”

Manitoba unions are waging a court battle with the province claiming that a recent motion to freeze public sector wages is unconstitutional. The government says the law is needed to balance the provinces’ budget. The unions claim that bargaining was not done in good faith, and rather that the freeze was imposed unilaterally. The government has 20 days to respond.

An IMF press release from Managing Director Christine Lagarde emphasized five target areas for global growth. These included trade liberalization, infrastructure investment, increasing access to finance, advancing human capital, and labour market flexibilization.

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