Department of Economics
HÂþ» University
6214 University Avenue
PO Box 15000
Halifax, NS B3H 4R2
Research Topics:
Labour economics
Income and wealth distribution
Current Research
Measurement and determinants of social exclusion and poverty
Measurement of economic well-beingÂ
Leisure co-ordination and economic well-being
Time use and economic development
Economic insecurity
Teaching Experience
McCulloch Professor of Economics, July 1, 1995-- Present
Professor with Tenure, Department of Economics, 1985-- Present
University Research Professor – July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2010
Associate Professor with Tenure, Department of Economics, 1981-1985
Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, HÂþ» University, 1977-80
Selected Awards and Honours
Galbraith Prize, Progressive Economics Forum, May 2014
Mike McCracken Award for Economic Statistics
Canadian Economics Association, May, 2015
Doug Purvis Memorial Prize, 2019
Selected Publications
“Job Insecurity and Mental Health in Canada†with Barry Watson Applied Economics published online February 21, 2018
“On the limitations of some current usages of the Gini Index†Review of Income and Wealth, Series 63, No. 3, September 2017, Pages 574 to 584, (published online 28 September 2016 DOI: 10.1111/roiw.12256)
“Unequal Opportunities and Public Policy: The Impact of Parental Disability Benefits on Child Post-Secondary Attendance†with Kelly Chen and Shelley Phipps revise and resubmit, Canadian Journal of Economics
“Healing and/or Breaking? The Mental Health Implications of Repeated Economic Insecurity†with Barry Watson forthcoming Social Science and Medicine
“Is It Vulnerability or Economic Insecurity that matters for Health?†with Nick Rohde, Prasada Rao and K.K. Tang Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 2017, 134: 307-319
“The Self-Reinforcing Dynamics of Economic Insecurity and Obesity†with Nick Rohde and K.K.Tang Applied Economics 49:17 1668-1678 November, 2016online version: DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2016.1223826
“How Accurately does 70% Final Earnings Replacement Measure Retirement Income (In)Adequacy? Introducing the Living Standards Replacement Rate (LSRR)†with Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald and Kevin Moore ASTIN Bulletin - The Journal of the International Actuarial Association 2016, vol. 46, issue 03, pages 627-676
“On the limitations of some current usages of the Gini Index†Review of Income and Wealth published online 28 September 2016 DOI: 10.1111/roiw.12256
“Economic Insecurity and the Weight Gain of Canadian Adults: A Natural Experiment Approach†with Barry Watson and Shelley Phipps, Canadian Public Policy June 2016 Pp.115-131,
“The Effect of Economic Insecurity on Mental Health: Recent Evidence from Australian Panel Data†with Nick Rohde, Prasada Rao and K.K. Tang (2016) Social Science & Medicine Vol.151, February 2016, Pp. 250-258
“Prevalence, Frequency and Persistence of Being Bullied for Canadian Adolescents: A Longitudinal Analysis†with Lihui Zhang and Shelley Phipps revise and resubmit Social Science Journal
“Inter-generational effects of disability benefits: evidence from Canadian social assistance programs†with Kelly Chen and Shelley Phipps, Journal of Population Economics Volume 28, Number 4, October 2015, Pp. 873-910