Christine Saulnier
Nova Scotia Director | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Halifax, NS, CANADA
Christine Saulnier serves as the Nova Scotia director for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
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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. She 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. Her 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.
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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.
Industry Expertise (1)
Public Policy
Areas of Expertise (5)
Research
Women and Politics
Canadian Public Policy
Social Policy
Antipoverty
Education (3)
York University: Ph.D., Political Science 2003
University of Victoria: M.A., Political Science 1995
University of Ottawa: B.S.S., Political Science 1992
Affiliations (8)
- Adsum for Women and Children : Board of Directors
- NS Citizens' Health Care Network : Board of Directors
- Women's Committee Nova Scotia Federation of Labour: Member
- UNIFOR Local 567: Member
- Legal Education and Action Fund NS : Member
- Midwifery Coalition of NS : Member (Past Chair)
- Coalition to End Poverty NS: Steering Committee Member (Past)
- Member Women's Committee Nova Scotia Federation of Labour
Links (2)
Languages (1)
- French
Media Appearances (5)
$1-Billion spent on P3 schools and nothing to show for it
Halifax Examiner Examineradio online
2016-06-24
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.
CFIB asks small businesses to reconsider United Way donations after report
CBC online
2015-06-02
"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."...
Nova Scotia interest groups react to the federal budget
CBC online
2016-03-22
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...
Women's Employment Outreach fights to keep provincial funding
CBC online
2016-02-29
"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...
Christine Saulnier: Consider this an Outcry about Special Needs Income Assistance in Nova Scotia
Halifax Media Co-op online
2013-07-26
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...
Event Appearances (4)
Stakeholder Perspectives on Seizing the Opportunity to Develop a Nova Scotian Approach to Carbon Pricing
Carbon Pricing Forum Halifax, Nova Scotia
2016-07-22
Income - Based Solutions to Poverty Alleviation
Poverty Summit, United Way Halifax Halifax, Nova Scotia
2016-05-31
Income Inequality: Reversing the Trend
Council of Canadians-South Shore Chapter, AGM Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia
2016-06-03
Taking Stock of the Status of Women in Nova Scotia
NS Federation of Labour's International Women's Day Breakfast Halifax, Nova Scotia
2016-03-08
Articles (5)
Working for a Living, Not Living for Work
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives2015 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...
From Patchwork Quilt to Sturdy Foundation: Build a Seamless Early Learning and Child Care System Now
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives2015 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...
Pathways Into and Out of Homelessness: Domestic Violence and Housing Security for Immigrant Women
Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies2013 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 ...
Public Disservice: The Impact of Federal Government Job Cuts In Atlantic Canada
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives2012 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...
The Cost of Poverty in Nova Scotia
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives2010 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...
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