Dr. Christine Saulnier

Nova Scotia Director, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Christine Saulnier serves as the Nova Scotia director for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Media

Visioning Nova Scotia in 2020 - Opening Remarks

In Nov. of 2009, the Nova Scotia office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives hosted a conference in Halifax. Its purpose was to identify the key issues facing the province, and envision the kind of policy decisions that would help solve those problems. In this clip, Christine Saulnier, Director of the CCPA-NS office, introduces the conference. Date: Nov. 6 2009

Visioning Nova Scotia in 2020: The Analysis

In Nov. of 2009, the Nova Scotia office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives hosted a conference in Halifax. Its purpose was to identify the key issues facing the province, and envision the kind of policy decisions that would help solve those problems. In this clip, Christine Saulnier, Director of the CCPA-NS office, provides an analysis of the numbers on poverty and the political situation in Nova Scotia.

Tax Havens

Public Talk by Alain Deneault about Tax Havens, hosted by the Dalhousie Department of Sociology and Anthropology, in partnership with CCPA-NS and Nova Scotians for Tax Fairness, January 30, 2015 - Captured Live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ccpa-nova-scotia

Immigration Policy in Nova Scotia

CCPA-Nova Scotia - Captured Live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ccpa-nova-scotia

Equal as citizens - Richard Starr: A Discussion

A discussion moderated by CCPA-NS Director Christine Saulnier about equalization in Canada with Nova Scotia author, Richard Starr and James Lorimer, the publisher of his book Equal as Citizens. How can we ensure all Canadians-regardless of where they live have equal access to benefits and opportunities? - Captured Live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ccpa-nova-scotia

Christine Saulnier, Canadian Ctr for Policy Alternatives

Budget NS

17-Panel on the Social and Economic Costs of Poverty - Christine Saulnier and Lucille Harper- 2 of 6

Women's Employment Outreach fights to keep provincial funding

CBC, February 29, 2016Online

URL: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/women-employment-outreach-nova-scotia-halifax-sydney-1.3469496

"We have a lot of work to do in our province," said Christine Saulnier, the Nova Scotia director for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "Sixty-one per cent of minimum wage workers are women." Saulnier said the wage gap between men and women has also widened in the last 10 years...

Nova Scotia interest groups react to the federal budget

CBC, March 22, 2016Online

URL: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ns-local-groups-react-federal-budget-1.3503097

Christine Saulnier, director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives — a group known for coming up with its own budgets — says this budget sends a "good signal" to Canadians. "We've gone through at least a decade where we haven't seen a lot of growth in terms of the kind of spending that was required in our provinces," said Saulnier...

CFIB asks small businesses to reconsider United Way donations after report

CBC, June 2, 2015Online

URL: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cfib-asks-small-businesses-to-reconsider-united-way-donations-after-report-1.3097207

"Their labour bill won't go up as much as they think," said Christine Saulnier with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "In the end, they may gain customers, which will help them." The CFIB's position is that businesses would pay employees more if they could afford it. "All businesses would like to pay their employees more," said Morgan. "They make these decisions based on their business model.… If a business isn't making money, then it isn't a business."...

Christine Saulnier: Consider this an Outcry about Special Needs Income Assistance in Nova Scotia

Halifax Media Co-op, July 26, 2013Online

URL: http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/blog/editor/18392

The government’s response to our recent report on special needs income assistance allowances requires a response on two counts in particular. First, the Minister of Community Services says: “the report stating these changes have hurt people is totally erroneous. That’s totally wrong.” That claim is unfounded...

$1-Billion spent on P3 schools and nothing to show for it

Halifax Examiner Examineradio, June 24, 2016Online

URL: https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/province-house/1-billion-spent-on-p3-schools-and-nothing-to-show-for-it-examineradio-episode-67/

In the 1990s, the Nova Scotia government entered into a public-private partnership in order to facilitate the construction of 39 schools across the province. Over the intervening years the total cost of those leases has been about a billion dollars. Over the next few years the 20-year leases are expiring and the province is faced with some tough choices: extend the leases another five years, walk away from the schools, or buy them outright for about $230 million. This week we speak with Christine Saulnier, Nova Scotia Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The CCPA recently released an in-depth examination of the P3 process for building schools and concluded it was a flawed process and that much of that billion dollars served to line the bank accounts of a handful of private developers with no real value to taxpayers.

Working for a Living, Not Living for Work

Published by The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

2015 This study uses the Canadian Living Wage Framework to calculate the living wage for Halifax. It takes into account major expenses as well as taxes and transfers for families raising young children in Halifax based on a 35 hour work week for 52 weeks. This calculation ensures a standard of living that promotes well-being and social inclusion for the diversity of families in our community, including single parent families and unattached individuals...

URL: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/working-living-not-living-work

The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia

Published by The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

2010 The Nova Scotia Government’s 2009 Poverty Reduction Strategy1 sets out dual goals of reducing poverty and creating opportunities for prosperity. Inherent in this vision is an understanding that when we help those in need, we make Nova Scotia a better place to live for everyone. As has been so aptly demonstrated by the research of Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett in their book The Spirit Level2, money spent on reducing poverty and inequality is an investment in all of our futures...

URL: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/%E2%80%89cost%E2%80%89%E2%80%89poverty%E2%80%89-nova%E2%80%89scotia

Public Disservice: The Impact of Federal Government Job Cuts In Atlantic Canada

Published by The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

2012 This report makes projections for federal public sector job loss in Atlantic Canada and discusses the breadth and depth of its impact in the region...

URL: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/public-disservice

Pathways Into and Out of Homelessness: Domestic Violence and Housing Security for Immigrant Women

Published by Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

2013 Housing insecurity is a major barrier to leaving domestic violence; it may force abused women to live in inadequate conditions or to return to their abusers. Immigrant women face additional barriers. Longitudinal interviews with 37 abused immigrant women living in three Canadian cities investigated key causes of housing insecurity. Results show a need to target systemic factors, a diversity of issues foregrounded along pathways into and out of homelessness, and complex indicators of risk. Advocacy is key to exiting abuse and ...

URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15562948.2013.801734

From Patchwork Quilt to Sturdy Foundation: Build a Seamless Early Learning and Child Care System Now

Published by The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

2015 On May 14, 2015, CCPA-NS Director Christine Saulnier, and CCPA-NS Research Associate Tammy Findlay, wrote this submission to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Regulated Child Care Review...

URL: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/patchwork-quilt-sturdy-foundation

Biography

Christine Saulnier has been the Nova Scotia Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA-NS) since November 2007. Her areas of expertise include fiscal policy, social policy, poverty, and women’s rights, with a primary focus on Nova Scotia, but also the impact of federal policies on the Atlantic region. She leads the work of the CCPA-NS to support policy development that advances social and economic justice, as well as environmental sustainability. Saulnier coordinates CCPA-NS’ annual provincial alternative budget. Previous to this position, she served as Senior Researcher and Research Manager at the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health. During this time, she was also Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University and had an appointment in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. She grew up in rural New Brunswick and moved back to the Maritimes in 2003 after completing her doctorate in Political Science at York University, specializing in Canadian Politics, and Women and Politics. Saulnier's dissertation focused on health policy development. She is active in several antipoverty organizations and sits on the board of the Nova Scotia Health Coalition, and Adsum for Women & Children.

Christine Saulnier est directrice du Centre Canadien des Politiques Alternatives (Nouvelle-Ecosse) depuis novembre 2007. Ses régions d’expertise portent sur la politique fiscale, la politique sociale, la pauvreté et les droits des femmes avec un intérêt particulier sur la Nouvelle-Ecosse. Un autre intérêt est l’impact des politiques fédérales sur la région atlantique. Elle soutient le travail de ccpa-ns pour influencer le développement des politiques qui avance la justice sociale et économique ainsi que la subsistance environnementale. Elle coordonne annuellement le budget alternatif provincial. Son poste précédent était recherchiste et gestionnaire de recherche pour le centre d’excellence pour la santé des femmes, Atlantique. En 2003 après avoir obtenu un doctorat en sciences politiques à l’université York avec spécialité en politique canadienne et la politique et les femmes. Sa dissertation avait le développement de la politique en matière de sante comme sujet d’étude. Elle est active dans plusieurs organisations anti-pauvreté et siège dans 2 organismes : Adsum et NS Health Coalition.

Additional Titles and Affiliations

Women's Committee Nova Scotia Federation of Labour: Member

UNIFOR Local 567: Member

NS Citizens' Health Care Network : Board of Directors

Member Women's Committee Nova Scotia Federation of Labour

Midwifery Coalition of NS : Member (Past Chair)

Legal Education and Action Fund NS : Member

Coalition to End Poverty NS: Steering Committee Member (Past)

Adsum for Women and Children : Board of Directors

Past Talks

Taking Stock of the Status of Women in Nova Scotia

NS Federation of Labour's International Women's Day Breakfast

Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 8, 2016

Stakeholder Perspectives on Seizing the Opportunity to Develop a Nova Scotian Approach to Carbon Pricing

Carbon Pricing Forum

Halifax, Nova Scotia, July 22, 2016

Income - Based Solutions to Poverty Alleviation

Poverty Summit, United Way Halifax

Halifax, Nova Scotia, May 31, 2016

Income Inequality: Reversing the Trend

Council of Canadians-South Shore Chapter, AGM

Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, June 3, 2016

Expertise

  • Women and Politics
  • Social Policy
  • Research
  • Canadian Public Policy
  • Antipoverty

Education/Éducation

  • York University
    Political Science
    Ph.D., 2003
  • University of Victoria
    Political Science
    M.A., 1995
  • University of Ottawa
    Political Science
    B.S.S., 1992