Artifice Intelligence

Nothing up my Sleeve

CEO hunting season in Canada opens each year in January. Targets are selected from a compilation of annual CEO compensation, generally available as part of annual financial reporting by corporations. Munitions are calibrated with the assistance of random calculations (earnings per second, per hour) juxtaposed against the earnings of the average Canadian worker. The predictable disparity exposed by creative arithmetic is pronounced to be unfair and a campaign is launched in furtherance of public shaming. In charge of gunnery is the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

One might think the CCPA, being Canadian and focused on policy and its alternatives, would be a reliable source of criticism. Prepare for disappointment. On close examination, one finds the CCPA packaging masks the contents, its message opinionated, poorly developed, and degraded by bias. The primary objective, angering the public, is assisted by a compliant media that ensures the conclusions published by the CCPA are unmolested by contrary views.

The CCPA web site claims, “The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives?is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental justice. The CCPA delivers original, independent, peer-reviewed, non-partisan research and analysis.”

Sounds promising.

So, who are these non-partisan, community minded and independent souls seeking to expose rapacious greed and the bloody-minded capitalism of Canadian CEOs? Well, there are 12 on the CCPA Board of Directors, 36 on the Member’s Council and 13 on the National Office Steering Committee. Of the Board of Directors, 12 of 12 directors are directly employed or affiliated with Labor Unions; of the Member’s Council 36 of 36 members are employed by or affiliated with Labor Unions; and, on the National Committee,13 of 13 members are employed by or affiliated with Labor Unions.

Hmmm.

And who funds the CCPA? Hard to say. Details are scant, the last available report on funding is 7 years old. However, the 2016 report reveals organizations contributing $15,000 or more to the CCPA were all unions or union affiliated.

Interestingly, Charity Intelligence Canada rates the CCPA at 1 Star out of 5 noting particularly poor marks for financial transparency and the fact 46% of all funds raised are spent on administration.

In addition to targeting the E Suite, the CCPA has worked up other policy alternatives. You might enjoy Updates on a Living Wage, Seeking a Better Deal for Low-Wage Workers”, or if climate change is more your bag, there is the Climate Justice Project, described as a discussion on “tackling global warming with fairness and equity”. ?Another page turner “Opposition Parties Need to Stand Firm Against Tax Cuts for the Rich” expands the battle lines to implicate an undefined class, presumably anyone not considered an average Canadian worker.

CEO’s shouldn’t be immune to criticism and the CCPA has every right to call them to account. But there is mischief in the CCPA’s slight of hand, communicating half-truth and obfuscation, presenting opinion as balanced analysis. The CCPA wants to win an argument rather than make one. Claiming to be independent and non-partisan, hiding behind a misleading name, the CCPA’s mission is to skew public opinion to favor its position, 15 minutes of fame bought at the expense of reputation.?

The CCPA isn’t alone in putting its finger on the scale; honesty is out of fashion. But misleading public opinion through self serving propaganda is not a victimless crime. Misinformation erodes trust, retards understanding of important issues, drives bad policy and encourages poor choices.

The following suggestions on how to get to independence and no-partisanship are offered to the CCPA free of charge.

1.???? Consider alternative policies in a broader range of subjects; the value of reducing big government, analyse the economic impact of limits on the welfare state and consider if reducing high taxes might improve take home pay for the average Canadian worker. Have a look at the cost benefit of awarding public works contracts to non-union labor. Investigate two tier public health care, analyse the brain-drain impact of carping about CEO pay, advocate for getting government debt under control.

2.???? Level with the public and brand the organization to accurately reflect its philosophy. Perhaps it could be called the “Canadian Left of Centre”, “The Canadian Centre for Envy and Covetousness” or “The Canadian Centre for Polly Want A Cracker”. Such honesty might prove liberating and, importantly, help the over-worked media choose its sources more wisely.

3.???? Offer courses in Capitalism. Start with the value of owning property, which could be illustrated through the $162 million of land and buildings owned by The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Segway into the right to accumulate capital such as the $315 million on CUPE’s balance sheet. Add a lecture on good corporate governance so union boards are independent and all union financial statements are made public. Publish a report on the salaries and wages paid to union executives and provide a detailed report on how union dues are spent. Maybe an essay on the value of competition would be useful, a discussion on how having multiple supermarket brands helps improve choice and keep prices low for the average Canadian worker.

4.???? To add legitimacy to the argument for curtailing CEO pay, become a shareholder of companies guilty of overpaying and advocate for fair compensation participating in the risk compensation decisions may impact the value of the investment.

5.???? Broaden the scope of attacks to include shifty celebrities who aren’t paying their fair share. Have a crack at Connor McDavid; better still, Nathan McKinnon. Each of these miscreants makes roughly $71,000 every 20 minutes…and they aren’t even on the ice the whole time. Talk about unfair to the average Canadian worker.

6.???? Expand the mandate. To the pursuit and shaming of business executives such as the CEO of Restaurant Brands (Tim Hortons, Burger King) add demands for a reduction in the price of the Whopper and pressure the company to bring back the Apple Fritter…real value for the average Canadian worker.

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Presenting itself as an independent arbiter, a servant to the general public, the CCPA’s real intention is to mislead, starting with its name. “Canada’s New Gilded Age”, the report on CEO pay is not just opinion presented as analysis, it is an embarrassing collection of broad generalizations, selective research and self-serving conclusions. It is transparently deceitful. Decide for yourself The Monitor | Canada's new gilded age (monitormag.ca).