Aug 7 2020 — Kristina M.L. Acri — Fraser Institute — First, the good news. Symvivo Corporation, a Canadian company, currently has a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in phase one trials. But the bad news is that the Trudeau government is dismantling the incentives to find a vaccine. In the battle against the global pandemic, public- and private-sector actors both have essential roles to play. Governments are […]
Jul 30 2020 — Alex Whalen and Tegan Hill — Fraser Institute — Due largely to COVID-19, the big banks project negative growth for Nova Scotia’s economy in 2020, ranging from –5.5 per cent to –7.4 per cent. Without a strong rebound, such a steep recession could have a lasting impact on living standards in the province and Maritime region more broadly, which are already well below the […]
Jul 28 2020 — Macdonald-Laurier Institute — Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for giving me this opportunity to address you today on the shocking persecution of the Uyghur minority in China. I come to this from a slightly different angle than other people on the panel and other people who’ve testified. Some of you may know me. For many years, […]
Jul 24 2020 — Jake Fuss and Alex Whalen — Fraser Institute — Despite a federal budget deficit estimated to eclipse $340 billion this year, the Trudeau government this week announced it will increase the wages of 10,000 government workers. Specifically, the government plans to boost these wages by 6.6 per cent over a three-year period. Two weeks earlier, the government also raised wages (by the same percentage) […]
Jul 14 2020 — Ben Eisen — Fraser Institute — The Kenney government in Alberta recently announced plans to help encourage economic recovery and growth the province, including a plan to accelerate corporate income tax (CIT) reductions that were already in the works. Simply put, the CIT rate will drop from 10 per cent to 8 per cent immediately instead of gradually over the next […]
Jul 10 2020 — Public Policy Forum — A series of three major concurrent and overlapping crises, one about health, about the economy and about race, diversity and inclusion has brought society to a troubled place. Many of us have been forced to challenge our own roles. Edward Greenspon is joined by The Honourable Ahmed Hussen to examine the fight against anti-black racism […]
Jul 7 2020 — Public Policy Forum — COVID-19 has exacerbated many issues across many sectors including Canada’s higher education sector. With classes moving online and no clear end date, students face the challenge of education from home, some without skill or resource. In this article a number of esteemed authors compile an agenda from a policy perspective on what needs to be […]
Jul 6 2020 — Behind The Numbers — On July 8th, the federal government will release its first fiscal update since December 16, 2019. The aborted spring budget, which was set to be released on March 30th, 2020, was swept away in the need for emergency action to support Canadians as COVID-19 forced the shut down of our economy. Preliminary estimates from the […]
Jul 6 2020 — Policy Options — The global COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by a daunting array of baseless speculation about its origins. Uncertain times are fertile ground for disinformation, and conspiracy theories can have serious consequences — not only for individuals who believe them, but for public health in general.
Jun 30 2020 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Every nation plays an important role in stopping wildlife extinction. Here in Canada, we have an estimated 80,000 known wild species. They range from pygmy shrew to polar bear, and from stellate sedge to Sitka spruce. Canada plays a critical role in protecting many of these plants and animals. Most of the world’s lakeside daisies, narwhals and […]
Jun 30 2020 — Ashley Stedman and Elmira Aliakbari — Fraser Institute — Despite widespread need, particularly in Canada’s energy sector, the federal government’s Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (or LEEFF) program, meant to provide emergency funding to large companies, has yet to approve any applications. Why? To be eligible for LEEFF support, firms must agree to several environmental goals and conditions, including this government’s goal of reaching […]
Jun 30 2020 — Public Policy Forum — Three months into a pandemic and the Canadian economy finds itself in an induced coma with a long journey ahead to recovery. The Bank of Canada contests that we have a bumpy road to recuperation but few have been hit as hard as the Canadian energy sector. The Public Policy Forum has been working with […]
Jun 29 2020 — IRPP — The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a new vulnerability among firms that rely on human labour. In order to comply with public health directives on physical distancing, many businesses have had to completely shut down their operations for months. Others remained functional thanks to teleworking, which many intend to prolong and even adopt permanently. As experts […]
Jun 26 2020 — Macdonald-Laurier Institute — Dear Prime Minister, Canadian authorities lawfully detained Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in late December 2018, following an extradition request from the United States on charges of alleged fraud. In response China, among other aggressive actions, arbitrarily detained and has now charged Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor on completely spurious national security grounds. Since these […]
Jun 25 2020 — Jake Fuss, Tegan Hill and Alex Whalen — Fraser Institute — As the federal and provincial governments shift their focus to economic recovery, there will be heightened calls for fiscal stimulus in an attempt to kick-start the economy. However, a new study by the Fraser Institute demonstrates that, based on past experience, stimulus measures will almost certainly be ineffective. Fiscal stimulus refers to additional government spending […]