In August of 2005, Amy Priestly, Sybila Valdivieso and Karen Ryan presented papers at the University of Windsor's Centre for Studies in Social Justice Conference. Below are the conference excerpt of Amy Priestly and Sybila Valdivieso:

Large, Liberal and Flexible? Systemic Racism against Aboriginal Peoples in the Numbered Treaties
by Amy Priestly

Abstract:

This paper examines systemic racism in Canada against Aboriginal peoples. Its focus is on treaty interpretation, specifically annuity payments in the numbered treaties. Throughout the twentieth century Aboriginal treaties have been interpreted more liberally to accommodate for the lack of equality between Aboriginal people and the Crown. However, treaty interpretation has been in the context of hunting and fishing rights, not in the context of annuity payments. Following the common law on treaty interpretation, as well as s. 35 and s. 25 of the Charter it seems logical that treaty annuity payments such as “medicine box clauses, education, and monetary annuity payments, be modernized. Annuity payments were meant to compensate Aboriginal people for the surrender of their land, therefore, modern treaty jurisprudence and justice indicates that amounts should be raised and that clauses be modernized to meet contemporary costs. The few attempts that have been made by Aboriginal peoples to have treaty annuities interpreted in a modern way have been unsuccessful. This is an example of systemic racism against Aboriginal peoples. Modernizing treaty annuities can close a sad chapter of poverty and despair in Aboriginal society, caused from the theft of their land, resources and identity.

A Double Dividend Incentive
by Sybila Valdivieso

Abstract:

This research explores the application of environmental policy to carbon emissions in Canada by looking at the environmental tax shift with a specific focus on the carbon tax. Sweden has used carbon taxes to raise more than a billion dollars per year and has used that revenue to advance renewable energy and public transit. As a result, renewable energy in Sweden accounts for 7.5% of electricity and by 2008 this contribution will increase to 17%. In contrast, Canada’s renewable energy provides 0.1% of all energy supply. Using the Swedish example, this paper looks at the possibility of the carbon tax in Canada being redirected to have a positive effect on welfare. The research uses and develops a macroeconomic general equilibrium model and argues that the revenue raised through the carbon tax can be redirected to decrease the payroll taxes of ordinary Canadians, which would lead to an increase in economic welfare.