May 29 2023 35 mins
Today’s generation feels maligned by the press and often ignored by politics. Priced out of home ownership, dealing with the growing impact of climate change, and criticized for not appreciating that life is hard and always has been—life doesn’t seem fair for young people in Canada.
But my guest this episode is bringing evidence, passion and a clarity of perspective to reveal the real ways in which life truly is harder for today’s younger generation. How hard work just isn’t paying off the way it did for previous generations—particularly for those who count themselves in the baby boom generation.
Through the Generation Squeeze think and change tank, Dr. Paul Kershaw is shedding light on the concrete ways that our fiscal realities are skewed against younger Canadians. We discuss the disparities between the perceptions of seniors and the challenges faced by young people today. We dive into the topics that exemplify these gaps in experiences and lived opportunities between generations.
Intergenerational solidarity is a central theme of Generation Squeeze, and Dr. Kershaw highlights the organization's success in fostering cross-generational understanding of these critical issues. We explore the importance of involving seniors in creating a more thoughtful approach to policy and financial structures.
About our guest:
Dr. Paul Kershaw is an award-winning professor at the University of BC, public speaker, regular media contributor and Founder of Generation Squeeze. Gen Squeeze is Canada’s leading voice on generational fairness. His work has directly influenced many policy areas, including $10/day childcare, the National Housing Strategy, pollution pricing, taxation of housing wealth, and commitments to generational fairness. Kershaw is the Director of the Masters of Public Health Program in the UBC School of Population & Public Health.
Additional links:
Generation Squeeze
Gen Squeeze’s Hard Truths Podcast
Conference Board of Canada: Inequality in Canada: Separating Fact from Fiction
Conference Board of Canada: 2023 Federal Budget Analysis