Linda McQuaig – författare

National bestseller It’s the Crude, Dude is back — with a slick new title and updated material.In War, Big Oil, and the Fight for the Planet, McQuaig focuses on a truly planetary issue: the cataclysmic effects our addiction to oil is having on our environment and our ability to co-exist in the world. McQuaig’s research, analysis, and eye for detail combine to produce a riveting tale about the battle over oil that shapes our times and will determine our future. Readers of all political stripes will find this book provocative, timely, and impossible to put down.From the Trade Paperback edition.

As the Bush administration has turned the United States into a belligerent and lawless force in the world, the Canadian government has followed in close step. Attempting to please our powerful neighbour, Ottawa has abandoned Canada’s traditional role as a leading peacekeeping nation, and instead adopted a more militaristic, warlike stance, battling insurgents in Afghanistan as a junior partner in the U.S. "war on terror."Ottawa has also abandoned Canada’s traditional attempt to be a fair-minded mediator and conciliator, most notably in the Middle East conflict. And, under the government of Stephen Harper, Canada has joined the United States in becoming a leading obstructionist in worldwide efforts to deal with climate change — perhaps the most urgent issue on the international agenda. The switch in direction evident in these positions has redefined the way Canada operates in the world, transforming our country into a helpful assistant to an aggressive U.S. power, increasingly out of sync with our European allies and with the rest of the world.As in all her previous books, Linda McQuaig strips away the comforting illusions peddled by those in our elite. With her trademark combination of research, analysis, irreverence and passion, McQuaig shows how the elite has pushed us down a path with far-reaching consequences for us as a nation, and for our ability to find our own way in the world.From the Hardcover edition.

Why are we selling off the impressive public enterprises we often battled as a nation to create?In the early 1900s, thousands of Canadians battled wealthy interests, winning control of Niagara Falls and creating a public power company. Another popular movement succeeded in creating Canada's public broadcasting system to counter American dominance of the airwaves. And a Canadian doctor established a publicly owned laboratory that saved countless lives by producing affordable medications, contributing to medical breakthroughs and helping to eradicate smallpox throughout the world.But in recent decades, we have allowed our inspiring public enterprises to be privatized and our vital public programs downsized, leaving us increasingly dominated by the forces of private greed that rule the marketplace.In The Sport and Prey of Capitalists, Linda McQuaig challenges the dogma of privatization, which has defined our political era. She argues that now more than ever, as we grapple with climate change and income inequality, we need to expand, not shrink, our public sphere.

Why are we selling off the impressive public enterprises we often battled as a nation to create?In the early 1900s, thousands of Canadians battled wealthy interests, winning control of Niagara Falls and creating a public power company. Another popular movement succeeded in creating Canada's public broadcasting system to counter American dominance of the airwaves. And a Canadian doctor established a publicly owned laboratory that saved countless lives by producing affordable medications, contributing to medical breakthroughs and helping to eradicate smallpox throughout the world.But in recent decades, we have allowed our inspiring public enterprises to be privatized and our vital public programs downsized, leaving us increasingly dominated by the forces of private greed that rule the marketplace.In The Sport and Prey of Capitalists, Linda McQuaig challenges the dogma of privatization, which has defined our political era. She argues that now more than ever, as we grapple with climate change and income inequality, we need to expand, not shrink, our public sphere.

A jarring portrait of a deeply unequal Canada and how a Wealth Tax could rein in the destructive power wielded by today’s billionaires.In recent years, a tiny wealthy elite has pulled far ahead of all other Canadians. Amassing wealth at a faster pace than ever before — even faster than their U.S. counterparts — Canada’s billionaires are siphoning off for themselves an ever-larger share of the nation’s wealth, at the expense of the rest of us.Furthermore, they are part of a new global elite that dominates the world to a degree unimaginable even a decade ago. The super-rich have always commanded the lion’s share of resources, but they are now also driving us towards climate catastrophe, with the power to determine whether the Earth will even remain habitable.The best hope for stopping this train wreck and distributing resources more widely is a Wealth Tax, aimed exclusively at the super-rich. Polls show it’s wildly popular with Canadians. Billionaires have managed to keep it off the political agenda so far, but the authors argue now is the time for change.

A GLOBE AND MAIL BESTSELLERA jarring portrait of a deeply unequal Canada and how a wealth tax could rein in the destructive power wielded by today's billionaires.As the ultra-wealthy siphon off an ever-larger share of the world's wealth, they now dominate us to a degree unimaginable even a decade ago. With their voracious consumption, unbridled resource exploitation, and relentless obstruction of climate action, they are rapidly undermining democracy and destroying the very viability of the earth for human life.Their staggering power and hoarding of wealth have prompted a number of G20 nations to consider imposing a wealth tax, aimed exclusively at the super-rich. In Canada, such a tax would apply only to those with wealth above $25 million. Yet it could collect $40 billion a year funding public programs that could immensely improve the lives of millions of Canadians while clipping the wings of the super-rich.Billionaires would threaten to depart. But as they left the country that had nourished them and enabled them to grow so wildly rich, they d face a hefty exit tax on the way out.Yes, change is possible.

A GLOBE AND MAIL BESTSELLERA jarring portrait of a deeply unequal Canada and how a wealth tax could rein in the destructive power wielded by today's billionaires.As the ultra-wealthy siphon off an ever-larger share of the world's wealth, they now dominate us to a degree unimaginable even a decade ago. With their voracious consumption, unbridled resource exploitation, and relentless obstruction of climate action, they are rapidly undermining democracy and destroying the very viability of the earth for human life.Their staggering power and hoarding of wealth have prompted a number of G20 nations to consider imposing a wealth tax, aimed exclusively at the super-rich. In Canada, such a tax would apply only to those with wealth above $25 million. Yet it could collect $40 billion a year funding public programs that could immensely improve the lives of millions of Canadians while clipping the wings of the super-rich.Billionaires would threaten to depart. But as they left the country that had nourished them and enabled them to grow so wildly rich, they d face a hefty exit tax on the way out.Yes, change is possible.

A tale of love, deception, and betrayal unfolds against the backdrop of the 1837 rebellion in Upper Canada.In rural Scotland in the 1830s, fifteen-year-old Callandra is devastated by her father's unexpected death. To save her family from destitution, she reluctantly agrees to marry Norbert Scott, a clergyman from a wealthy Glasgow family. But when her new husband and family turn out to be cruel and disdainful toward her, Callandra's only solace in their cold, cavernous mansion is her close friendship with a household servant, Lottie.Callandra faces more personal upheaval when her husband accepts a posting as a clergyman in the remote town of Goderich in Upper Canada. Thankfully, Lottie will accompany them to their new home, but so will her brother Sam, a carpenter whom Callandra mistrusts. After a perilous journey, they are greeted warmly by the townsfolk of Goderich, who are particularly delighted when their new pastor stands up for them in defiance of the hated colonial authorities.But an unintentional lie spins into a web of deceit. As the sparks of rebellion flare, there are growing suspicions about the town's charismatic new clergyman that threaten to destroy the fragile happiness Callandra has unexpectedly found.

A tale of love, deception, and betrayal unfolds against the backdrop of the 1837 rebellion in Upper Canada.In rural Scotland in the 1830s, fifteen-year-old Callandra is devastated by her father's unexpected death. To save her family from destitution, she reluctantly agrees to marry Norbert Scott, a clergyman from a wealthy Glasgow family. But when her new husband and family turn out to be cruel and disdainful toward her, Callandra's only solace in their cold, cavernous mansion is her close friendship with a household servant, Lottie.Callandra faces more personal upheaval when her husband accepts a posting as a clergyman in the remote town of Goderich in Upper Canada. Thankfully, Lottie will accompany them to their new home, but so will her brother Sam, a carpenter whom Callandra mistrusts. After a perilous journey, they are greeted warmly by the townsfolk of Goderich, who are particularly delighted when their new pastor stands up for them in defiance of the hated colonial authorities.But an unintentional lie spins into a web of deceit. As the sparks of rebellion flare, there are growing suspicions about the town's charismatic new clergyman that threaten to destroy the fragile happiness Callandra has unexpectedly found.

In this searing and entertaining indictment of the super-rich, Linda McQuaig and Neil Brooks challenge the idea that today’s cavernous income inequality is the result of merit, and reveal how the global economic system has been hijacked by the wealthiest, with disastrous consequences for us all.The high taxes and strong social programmes of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s gave us sky-high economic growth and rising equality. In recent years, however, we’ve been constantly told that taxes and government spending are bad. McQuaig and Brooks systematically debunk these claims. As their research shows, not only do lower taxes correlate with worse societal outcomes – from health to the environment – they also fail to produce economic prosperity. A daring challenge to the conventional wisdom, The Trouble with Billionaires provides the most compelling case yet for rejecting the Coalition’s mean-spirited mix of tax breaks for the rich and austerity for the rest.

Entre 1980 y 2008 los ingresos del 90% de los estadounidenses crecieron un mísero 1%, mientras que los de los grandes multimillonarios (el 0,01% de la población) crecían un 403%. Una sociedad descompensada en la parte superior de la pirámide puede parecer un paraíso de la movilidad ascendente, pero en realidad se parece más a un cementerio de sueños rotos para todos excepto para unos pocos afortunados. Las grandes fortunas del capitalista filantrópico Bill Gates, los infames hermanos Koch o el barón de la equidad privada Stephen Schwarzman son presentadas como pruebas de una meritocracia, pero más bien parecen el resultado de un sistema legal y económico diseñado para ello. Un sistema que amenaza seriamente nuestra calidad de vida y, en definitiva, el funcionamiento mismo del estado de derecho.En esta divertida acusación, McQuaig y Brooks desafían la idea de que la desigualdad de ingresos de hoy es el resultado del mérito, revelan cómo los multimillonarios han secuestrado el sistema económico global con consecuencias desastrosas para el resto de la sociedad, y exponen un atrevido rechazo a la cobarde mezcla de roturas fiscales para el rico y austeridad para el resto de la sociedad.

Why are we selling off the impressive public enterprises we often battled as a nation to create?In the early 1900s, thousands of Canadians battled wealthy interests, winning control of Niagara Falls and creating a public power company. Another popular movement succeeded in creating Canada’s public broadcasting system to counter American dominance of the airwaves. And a Canadian doctor established a publicly owned laboratory that saved countless lives by producing affordable medications, contributing to medical breakthroughs and helping to eradicate smallpox throughout the world.But in recent decades, we have allowed our inspiring public enterprises to be privatized and our vital public programs downsized, leaving us increasingly dominated by the forces of private greed that rule the marketplace.In The Sport and Prey of Capitalists, Linda McQuaig challenges the dogma of privatization, which has defined our political era. She argues that now more than ever, as we grapple with climate change and income inequality, we need to expand, not shrink, our public sphere.