Policy Options

Jul 21 2021 — Martha Friendly and Lynell Anderson — Policy Options — The April 2021 federal budget was momentous for Canadian child care, committing significant federal dollars to building a national system of accessible, affordable, high quality, inclusive child care for all. Among its policy elements was a recognition that meeting this long-term goal will require “working with provinces and territories to support primarily not-for-profit sector child […]

Jul 20 2021 — Natalia Mishagina — Policy Options — The majority of Canadians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, setting the stage for the gradual reopening of the economy. With this in mind, policy-makers are starting to turn their attention to the post-pandemic recovery and helping displaced workers adjust to new economic realities.

Jun 19 2021 — Policy Options — This past April, the Liberal government announced the first federal budget since 2019. In hopes of a strong pandemic recovery, the budget promises massive policy measures. With transformative spending and net debt now reaching an unbelievable $1 trillion, it’s shocking what little say we actually have in the budget process. In fact, when it comes […]

Jun 11 2021 — Cindy Blackstock — Policy Options — Two hundred and fifteen children were buried in unmarked graves on the grounds of the Kamloops Residential School, which was operated by Canada and run by the Catholic Church. They likely died alone, away from their families and in very scary circumstances.

May 28 2021 — Erin Crandall — Policy Options — What is a provincial constitution and how do we amend it? The question seems deceptively simple, but like so many things in Canadian politics, it’s a complicated issue that we’ve done a good job of ignoring. Last week, our ability to kick the constitutional can down the road came to an end. With Quebec’s tabling […]

May 26 2021 — Sarah Stoodley — Policy Options — The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how elections in Canada can be run, requiring candidates to campaign differently. Provincial elections in British Columbia, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan in fall 2020 were executed relatively smoothly. But in early 2021, it was a completely different situation in Newfoundland and Labrador. The provincial election was impacted by a sudden […]

May 24 2021 — Various — Policy Options — Policy-making occurs where opposing ideas, differing values about who should do what, and debate about power dynamics over who should benefit and under what conditions flourish. Some policy issues are more easily resolved and receive broad consensus, if not total agreement. They operate in a virtuous cycle. In contrast, some policy areas never get to […]

May 18 2021 — Policy Options — 2030 is being dubbed the new 2050. Countries and companies are not only pledging net zero climate targets by mid-century, but are also promising deep carbon-emission reductions in this decade. The Paris climate agreement is based on action by developed and developing countries alike. Yet the economic emergency facing a growing number of developing countries […]

May 17 2021 — David Longworth and Frank Milne — Policy Options — Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it became evident that public health authorities and governments in Canada were not well-prepared. The lack of preparation included dealing with the spread of the disease itself and broader health issues. But it also encompassed government policy issues related to providing income and loan supports, as well as implementing various […]

May 17 2021 — Pat Armstrong — Policy Options — Although vaccinations have dramatically reduced COVID-19 cases and deaths among long-term care (LTC) home residents during the pandemic’s third wave, the main danger going forward for Canada’s frail older adults is that the lessons learned from this crisis will not lead to the major reforms. These lessons are not new to policy-makers – they’ve been […]

May 7 2021 — Françoise Baylisand and Natalie Kofler — Policy Options — In late April, European Union member states agreed on the technical specifications for their proposed Digital Green Certificate. This certificate, often colloquially described as a vaccine passport, aims to restore free and safe movement within the European Union. Within days of this news, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen suggested in […]

May 4 2021 — Sophie Mathieu — Policy Options — What do Pauline Marois and Chrystia Freeland have in common? Though separated by an almost 25-year interval, Quebec’s former education minister (who became premier in 2012) and Canada’s current finance minister and Deputy Prime Minister both managed to convince their respective political parties that low-cost child care was relevant and important.

Apr 30 2021 — Zara Liaqat — Policy Options — A report on household economics, issued by Statistics Canada in March, presented a snapshot of key indicators about how the financial well-being of Canadians evolved during the pandemic. Driven by record increases in government support measures, the lowest-income households saw a rise in income of almost 37 per cent over the first three quarters of […]

Apr 28 2021 — Amélie Lecompte and Mark Lambert — Policy Options — The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the need for modern, agile IT systems as both the public and private sectors grapple with a suddenly remote workforce. Cloud platforms are the backbone of modern IT infrastructure, providing scalability, speed, and remote access, and are secure without the expense of physical infrastructure. Yet less than 10 per […]

Apr 23 2021 — Paisley Sim — Policy Options — Across the country, renewed provincial restrictions have been enacted with the goal of containing a seemingly out-of-control, variant-fueled third COVID-19 wave. But public health officials, labour advocates and the public alike are asking why provincially legislated employer-paid sick leave is not on the table. Fifty-eight per cent of workers report having no employer-paid sick leave […]