Issue 84 – 26, January 4th, 2026
Taking Too Much Wealth Hurts Everyone
Have you ever wondered what happens when a few people get extremely rich while others struggle? The facts show that when the wealthy take too much, it causes problems for everyone.
In Canada, the top 100 highest-paid CEOs already earned more money by 9:23 a.m. on January 2nd than the average worker will make all year.
- The highest-paid CEO in Canadian history earned $205.5 million in 2024.
- The average pay for the top 100 CEOs is now $16.2 million.
- To get on the top 100 list, a CEO had to make at least $7.2 million.
- The biggest pay gap: CEOs make 248 times more than the average worker.
Since 2020, CEO pay has gone up by 49%, while workers’ pay only increased by 15%. Meanwhile, the prices of things we buy, like food, rent, and utilities, have gone up even faster.
Prices Are Going Up Fast
- Beef prices increased by 39%.
- Chicken prices went up by 27%.
- Bacon’s price rose by 29%.
- Pasta costs 47% more.
- Rent increased by 26%.
- Buying a home or paying for utilities also got more expensive.
Big companies are making more money than ever, over $600 billion a year. Most of the CEO bonuses are based on these profits. In 2024, 84% of CEO pay came from bonuses, not just a salary.
In 2008, CEOs made about 170 times more than workers. Now, they make 248 times more. That means the gap is getting bigger. In 2024, the average worker earned $65,548.
When a few people have most of the money, it can hurt everyone. As CEO pay increases faster than workers’ pay, many families struggle to pay for basic needs like food and housing. More people rely on food banks, and fewer can afford homes.
Some ideas include higher taxes on the very rich or a wealth tax, where the wealthiest pay a small percentage of their huge net worth each year. This money could help pay for things everyone needs, like healthcare and education.
Read more - Living the high life: A record-breaking year for CEO pay in Canada - CCPA
Why Universal Health Care
While it’s true that people today live longer than before, the reason isn’t because of wealth or capitalism.
History tells the story.
A long time ago, most people lived very difficult lives under a system called serfdom. Serfdom was a harsh system where peasants had little control over their land and had to work very hard for little pay. However, around the 14th and 15th centuries, peasants across Europe fought back. They organized rebellions and gained more control over their land and resources. Because of this, their lives improved, wages doubled, and people ate better food.
But then, something bad happened. Rich landowners forced peasants off the land by enclosing the common areas, making it harder for peasants to survive on their own. They wanted to pay workers less money. As a result, wages dropped, and many people became poor and sick. Between the 1500s and 1700s, life expectancy in England fell from around 43 years to just over 30. Famine and poor health were common.
This period was hard for most people. It was also very violent and full of suffering. Yet, some stories about progress skip over these facts and jump straight to the modern era.
When industrial capitalism started in the 1800s, many believed that life would get better quickly. But research shows that at first, life got worse. In places, life expectancy dropped even more during the early industrial years.
The suffering was huge. Many people lost their homes and were forced to work in terrible conditions. But, despite all this, some stories don’t mention these struggles.
It wasn’t until the late 1800s that life expectancy began to increase again in Europe. What caused this change? It was public health efforts, especially sanitation. People learned that cleaning up sewage and keeping drinking water safe made a big difference in health. But, at first, wealthy landlords and factory owners resisted building sanitation systems because they didn’t want to spend money or give up control.
It was only when workers organized into unions and gained voting rights that they could push governments to improve public health. These efforts led to the building of sanitation systems, hospitals, education, and housing. These improvements helped people live longer.
Research shows that the real reason people live longer isn’t money. It’s education and access to healthcare, things that require less money if the government supports them.
Today, countries like Cuba and Costa Rica have higher life expectancy than the United States, even though they have less money. How? Because they focus on providing universal healthcare and education to everyone. They achieved this by making sure everyone could see a doctor and get education.
The key point is that economic growth alone doesn’t automatically make people healthier or help them live longer. Instead, it’s the political choices that decide how resources are used. When governments and communities push for public health and social services, people tend to live longer.
It’s because of public health programs, education, and social support systems that help everyone. These are the real reasons behind longer, healthier lives.
One of the most important leaders in this movement was Tommy Douglas, a little guy with an idea, a politician. He fought for universal Medicare, health care that is available to everyone, no matter how much money they have. Thanks to his efforts, Canada became one of the first countries to provide free health care for all its people. This made a huge difference in helping people stay healthy and live longer.
These social and political changes didn’t happen by chance. They came from protests, voting rights, and people demanding better services. As more people gained influence, governments invested in health care, education, and public housing. These improvements helped many people live healthier, longer lives.
It’s clear that political movements and policies that focus on helping everyone, not just economic growth, are the key to longer, healthier lives. When people unite and demand better health and social services, everyone benefits.
Let’s be honest, Danielle Smith’s, Alberta UCP policy choices will not help us live longer. These choices are about letting profiteers guide our health care, they are about letting Trump have access to our healthcare.
We must take this in the context of the American health system. Trade agreements only protect public healthcare if it remains public. This law goes against Canadian values, which say we should take care of each other, treat everyone fairly, and ensure that people get healthcare based on need, not how much money they have.
This is our biggest fight for all generations, we need to work together across Canada to fight this threat.