Jamie Swift

Inequality is up. Decent work is down. Free market fundamentalism has been exposed as a tragic failure. In a job market upended by COVID-19--with Canadians caught in the grip of precarious labour, stagnant wages, a climate crisis, and the steady creep of automation--an ever-louder chorus of voices calls for a liveable and obligation-free basic income.Could a basic income guarantee be the way forward to democratize security and intervene where the market economy and social programs fail? Jamie Swift and Elaine Power scrutinize the politics and the potential behind a radical proposal in a post-pandemic world: that wealth should be built by a society, not individuals. And that we all have an unconditional right to a fair share.In these pages, Swift and Power bring to the forefront the deeply personal stories of Canadians who participated in the 2017-2019 Ontario Basic Income Pilot; examine the essential literature and history behind the movement; and answer basic income's critics from both the right and left.

The Vimy Trap provides a powerful probe of commemoration cultures. This subtle, fast-paced work of public history-combining scholarly insight with sharp-eyed journalism, and based on primary sources and school textbooks, battlefield visits and war art-explains both how and why peace and war remain contested terrain in ever-changing landscapes

Once known for peacekeeping, Canada is becoming a militarized nation whose apostles-the New Warriors-are fighting to shift public opinion. New Warrior zealots seek to transform postwar Canada's central myth-symbols. Peaceable kingdom. Just society. Multicultural tolerance. Reasoned public debate. Their replacements? A warrior nation. Authoritarian leadership. Permanent political polarization. The tales cast a vivid light on a story that is crucial to Canada's future; yet they are also compelling history. Swashbuckling marauder William Stairs, the Royal Military College graduate who helped make the Congo safe for European pillage. Vimy Ridge veteran and Second World War general Tommy Burns, leader of the UN's first big peacekeeping operation, a soldier who would come to call imperialism 'the monster of the age.' Governor General John Buchan, a concentration camp developer and race theorist who is exalted in the Harper government's new Citizenship Guide. And that uniquely Canadian paradox, Lester Pearson. "Warrior Nation" is an essential read for those concerned by the relentless effort to conscript Canadian history. Watch the "Warrior Nation" video book trailer here! Watch the Warrior Nation

Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition's 2010 social audit report.

Hi-tech tactics during a strike at a dockside factory in Montreal. A workplace cancer tragedy in Sarnia, Ontario. Immigrant workers sticking with their union at the chocolate factory. A struggle for pay equity in the courts and on the streets. A campaign to create jobs by cutting hours of work in B.C. An organizing drive 350 kilometres out into the frigid Atlantic. These are some of the fascinating stories told by Jamie Swift in his chronicle of the first ten eventful years of one of the most dynamic labour unions in North America. A strength of the book is its national scope, and the range of jobs portrayed, drawing on stories from every region of the country. "We had a little war there," laughed Alain. "One of the first internet strikes. We'd just entered a new century and with it a new level of struggle using new technology." "Unions are always accused of looking out for ourselves," said Mike. At 47, he was one of the youngest pipefitters at the mill. "We're trying to reduce the work week to keep people employed, and not just our own members."

Written by Mack C. Shelley, Jamie Swift, and Steffen W. Schmidt, this reader is updated to include the latest issues in American political debate. You will find numerous readings that deal with controversial issues, legal conflicts, and ethical judgment calls directly related to academia and students. Some topics include diversity on trial, politicians on the web, campaign reform, and war in cyberspace. These topics will generate an exciting and productive debate on important issues facing Americans which will ultimately enhance students’' critical thinking skills, the ability to engage in group or teamwork projects, active learning motivation, and communication skills, as well as foster a liberal education and stimulate positive, informed citizenship. Two to four articles per chapter.