Christine Lagarde will now be facing a trial in France for "negligence" after allowing a compensation payment of close to US$600 million to a French politician and businessman. Canadians would not accept that a politician, being tried for something like this, remain in power while the trial was going on.

Two remarkable developments during the past 10 days that could have a significant impact in many countries are worth a lot more attention in Canada and the United States. First, a major research document published by five top economists at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) admitted that the strong pro-capitalist policies at the centre of its activities in developing countries for the past 30 years do not work.

The World Bank's ambitious goal to end poverty by 2030 requires large transformations in the global political economy so everyone has a chance for a better life. According to World Bank President, Jim Kim, defeating poverty requires a surmounting push from $131 billion dedicated to development, to a trillion dollars.