Marc Lévesque
@marclevesqueeco.bsky.social
Former Chief Economist at Canada's Public Sector Pension Board, Former Chief Economics Strategist at TD Securities. Politically non-partisan: I just like good policy.
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
WARNER: Can you explain how it helps natl security or our trade balance - I loved your fancy Greek formula which was bad math on steroids - how with a trade surplus Australia got hit with a 10% tariff as well?
GREER: Australia has the lowest rate available
WARNER: We have a trade surplus!
GREER: Australia has the lowest rate available
WARNER: We have a trade surplus!
April 8, 2025 at 5:52 PM
WARNER: Can you explain how it helps natl security or our trade balance - I loved your fancy Greek formula which was bad math on steroids - how with a trade surplus Australia got hit with a 10% tariff as well?
GREER: Australia has the lowest rate available
WARNER: We have a trade surplus!
GREER: Australia has the lowest rate available
WARNER: We have a trade surplus!
More fundamentally, higher inventory levels mean less future production to satisfy demand.
What some people aren’t factoring into their analysis is the reality that companies were buying tons of inventory to beat the tariffs.
That’s cash taken from being able to invest or hire. In fact the probably cut costs and jobs as a result.
#econsky
That’s cash taken from being able to invest or hire. In fact the probably cut costs and jobs as a result.
#econsky
April 9, 2025 at 3:05 PM
More fundamentally, higher inventory levels mean less future production to satisfy demand.
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
My latest, on Preston Manning’s disgraceful foray into separatist blackmail: Vote Conservative, or we blow the place up. (Yeah? You got the numbers to back up that threat?)
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: If you’re going to threaten to secede, you might at least have the numbers to back it up
A piece by the former leader of the Reform Party of Canada, Preston Manning, had the substance of a ransom note
www.theglobeandmail.com
April 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
My latest, on Preston Manning’s disgraceful foray into separatist blackmail: Vote Conservative, or we blow the place up. (Yeah? You got the numbers to back up that threat?)
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
Good morning. The United States now has the highest tariff rates in the world.
April 9, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Good morning. The United States now has the highest tariff rates in the world.
There are reports that China is unloading US Treasuries, which would partly explain the surge in bond yields over the past few days. Some would argue that the rise in yields reflects inflation expectations, but that doesn't work: breakevens have actually fallen over the past few days.
April 9, 2025 at 2:48 PM
There are reports that China is unloading US Treasuries, which would partly explain the surge in bond yields over the past few days. Some would argue that the rise in yields reflects inflation expectations, but that doesn't work: breakevens have actually fallen over the past few days.
Just finished reading the complete paper. It is an excellent piece of work — the methodology is rigorous and its description is detailed and informative. Overall, a key contribution to the discussion on carbon pricing in Canada. 👏👏👏
How do carbon taxes affect food prices? In our latest paper, @dr_jen_winter and I analyze both direct and indirect impacts across the entire food supply chain: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5024885
It's the most detailed exploration of CTaxes and food yet! 🤓 #cdnecon #cdnpoli
It's the most detailed exploration of CTaxes and food yet! 🤓 #cdnecon #cdnpoli
November 26, 2024 at 8:17 PM
Just finished reading the complete paper. It is an excellent piece of work — the methodology is rigorous and its description is detailed and informative. Overall, a key contribution to the discussion on carbon pricing in Canada. 👏👏👏
This is bad politics because it reeks of desperation. And, it's bad economics: if you want to provide tax relief, balance the budget first and then provide across-the-board income tax cuts, not selective relief on consumption taxes.
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Trudeau to unveil GST relief in multibillion-dollar affordability announcement
NDP signals its support, but its statement did not specify if party will vote to end filibuster in the House
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 21, 2024 at 1:39 PM
This is bad politics because it reeks of desperation. And, it's bad economics: if you want to provide tax relief, balance the budget first and then provide across-the-board income tax cuts, not selective relief on consumption taxes.
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
I think he should have chosen Judge Judy instead of Matt Gaetz.
BREAKING: Donald Trump has picked TV personality Dr. Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
November 19, 2024 at 11:13 PM
I think he should have chosen Judge Judy instead of Matt Gaetz.
🤣
Trump Locks Bathroom Door So Elon Musk Can’t Follow Him In
theonion.com/trump-locks-...
theonion.com/trump-locks-...
November 19, 2024 at 5:09 PM
🤣
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
CIBC: pace of #inflation accelerated in #Canada in Oct, but this follows a string of reports that showed more muted #price pressures. The 0.4% m/m non-seasonally adjusted increase left annual inflation at 2% target, w both of those figures being a tick above consensus expectation #cdnecon #CanadaSky
November 19, 2024 at 2:31 PM
CIBC: pace of #inflation accelerated in #Canada in Oct, but this follows a string of reports that showed more muted #price pressures. The 0.4% m/m non-seasonally adjusted increase left annual inflation at 2% target, w both of those figures being a tick above consensus expectation #cdnecon #CanadaSky
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
deportations higher under obama than trump administration, then fell off a cliff under biden.
November 19, 2024 at 3:17 PM
deportations higher under obama than trump administration, then fell off a cliff under biden.
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
Sondages sur les appuis à la souveraineté du Québec dans la dernière année : des chiffres généralement stables, de faibles fluctuations de mois en mois.
Détails → qc125.com/sondages-sou...
Détails → qc125.com/sondages-sou...
November 16, 2024 at 5:12 PM
Sondages sur les appuis à la souveraineté du Québec dans la dernière année : des chiffres généralement stables, de faibles fluctuations de mois en mois.
Détails → qc125.com/sondages-sou...
Détails → qc125.com/sondages-sou...
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
"In the intelligence world, sound judgment and a firm grasp of reality are essential. Tulsi Gabbard has shown us, repeatedly, that she lacks both."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | Gabbard’s lack of judgment and flights from reality are disqualifying
You can’t believe foreign propaganda more than your intelligence agencies — and hope to run them.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 16, 2024 at 4:14 PM
"In the intelligence world, sound judgment and a firm grasp of reality are essential. Tulsi Gabbard has shown us, repeatedly, that she lacks both."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Hello everyone, Still trying to get used to this place (although the appearance is very Twitter-like, there are important differences). Is there a list, feed, grouping of economists and economic commentators?
November 16, 2024 at 4:58 PM
Hello everyone, Still trying to get used to this place (although the appearance is very Twitter-like, there are important differences). Is there a list, feed, grouping of economists and economic commentators?
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
I get why the panic around RFK Jr's appointment is focusing a lot on vaccines.
But I'm not sure we've full wrapped our heads around how much damage he could do to trans folks and people living with HIV/AIDS. There are *a lot* of medications he could target.
www.them.us/story/rfk-jr...
But I'm not sure we've full wrapped our heads around how much damage he could do to trans folks and people living with HIV/AIDS. There are *a lot* of medications he could target.
www.them.us/story/rfk-jr...
Just a Reminder That RFK Jr. Thinks Poppers Cause AIDS
Trump’s pick for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services also has claimed that chemicals in water turn kids gay and refers to puberty blockers as “castration drugs.”
www.them.us
November 16, 2024 at 4:18 PM
I get why the panic around RFK Jr's appointment is focusing a lot on vaccines.
But I'm not sure we've full wrapped our heads around how much damage he could do to trans folks and people living with HIV/AIDS. There are *a lot* of medications he could target.
www.them.us/story/rfk-jr...
But I'm not sure we've full wrapped our heads around how much damage he could do to trans folks and people living with HIV/AIDS. There are *a lot* of medications he could target.
www.them.us/story/rfk-jr...
Please develop an iPad app. Thank you.
November 16, 2024 at 1:50 PM
Please develop an iPad app. Thank you.
Reposted by Marc Lévesque
Very little of what Trump does these days amazes me.
Any one of the last three of Trump’s Cabinet-level picks (Gabbard as DNI, Gaetz as AG, RFK for HHS), standing alone, would arguably have been the worst in American history.
(1/2)
Any one of the last three of Trump’s Cabinet-level picks (Gabbard as DNI, Gaetz as AG, RFK for HHS), standing alone, would arguably have been the worst in American history.
(1/2)
November 14, 2024 at 9:02 PM
Very little of what Trump does these days amazes me.
Any one of the last three of Trump’s Cabinet-level picks (Gabbard as DNI, Gaetz as AG, RFK for HHS), standing alone, would arguably have been the worst in American history.
(1/2)
Any one of the last three of Trump’s Cabinet-level picks (Gabbard as DNI, Gaetz as AG, RFK for HHS), standing alone, would arguably have been the worst in American history.
(1/2)
This is insane. Completely insane. www.cnn.com/2024/11/14/p...
Trump picks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his Department of Health and Human Services secretary | CNN Politics
President-elect Donald Trump has picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, a choice that would add to Trump’s list of provocative picks whos...
www.cnn.com
November 14, 2024 at 9:43 PM
This is insane. Completely insane. www.cnn.com/2024/11/14/p...