Think Tanks

Jun 4 2020 — Alex Whalen and Mackenzie Moir — Fraser Institute — The COVID pandemic has placed health care at the forefront of the national conversation, as Canadians work collectively to reduce transmission rates while debating next steps. Health-care professionals have worked tirelessly during these trying times, but our health-care system still faces major challenges. For example, due to COVID, some provincial governments have cancelled many elective […]

Jun 3 2020 — Eric Miller — Canadian Global Affairs Institute — Amid the horror of the COVID-19 pandemic, one is watching history turn in real time. The era of China’s unchallenged rise is now over. Forward progress on China’s growth as a superpower and quest for hegemony in East Asia and elsewhere will henceforth face significant resistance. China’s conduct domestically and internationally has created strong misgivings […]

May 26 2020 — Public Policy Forum — As younger Canadians endeavour to make a life for themselves, they are increasingly “squeezed” by stationary incomes, strain in procuring quality employment, high costs for services, and rising debts. In this episode, Dr. Kershaw, founder of Generation Squeeze joins host Edward Greenspon to make sense of the shocking labour force numbers affecting young people in […]

May 26 2020 — Drew Fagan — Public Policy Forum — In this featured Policy Speaking article, PPF Fellow Drew Fagan examines government spending during World War II and the current COVID-19 crisis.

May 21 2020 — Niels Veldhuis and Jake Fuss — Fraser Institute — At a time when the country faces momentous economic challenges, it’s hard to think of a more damaging policy than a capital gains tax hike. Yet rumours persist that prior to the COVID crisis and economic downturn, that’s exactly what the Trudeau government planned to do. It’s also why the government’s recent attempt to give […]

May 15 2020 — Public Policy Forum — Numbers reflect what is happening in the world around us. But how has COVID-19 impacted the shift? Lynn Barr-Telford, Canada’s Assistant Chief Statistician, responsible for social, health and labor statistics at Statistics Canada and Craig Alexander, Partner and Chief Economist at Deloitte join host Edward Greenspon to discuss labour force trends. Listen in as we […]

May 15 2020 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Endangered species day was established 15 years ago.  It is a day for us to learn about the wildlife, plants, animals and insects that are at risk of disappearing and perhaps most importantly, what we can do about it. Every nation has a unique role in saving our planet’s endangered species. As Canadians it’s important […]

May 12 2020 — Andrew Jackson — Broadbent Institute — The federal government has just announced a new program to expand loans to struggling non financial corporations – the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility. It’s role  deserves serious debate. The entirely legitimate intent is to save threatened jobs with Canada’s largest employers due to the COVID-19 crisis. Clearly, some corporations face huge financial losses which […]

May 11 2020 — Ken Boessenkool — CD Howe Institute — Three related facts about the COVID-19 economic recession are becoming clearer. The most affected sectors are public facing sectors – largely the service sector; the most affected income group is the poor; and the most affected demographic is women.

May 5 2020 — Public Policy Forum — The Covid-19 pandemic has shed light on pre-existing inequities in worker needs. Authors Shiva Mazrouei & Anjum Sultana explain that now is the time to re-imagine and reconstruct access to the labour market, enabling decent work for more Canadians.

Apr 23 2020 — Policy Options — The socio-economic inequalities in any given society will always be highlighted during a national crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Long before COVID-19 hit Canada, we could predict with a fair degree of certainty which groups would be most at risk.

Apr 23 2020 — Policy Options — As COVID-19 continues to sweep across the globe, governments are responding with various financial support programs to bridge both individuals and businesses while public health restrictions are in place. While much of the focus in Canada has been on policy responses from the federal and provincial governments, municipal governments also have an important role to […]

Apr 20 2020 — Niels Veldhuis and Elmira Aliakbari — Fraser Institute — After weeks of delay, on Friday the federal government finally announced its aid package for the energy sector. To say it’s underwhelming would be an understatement. More than anything, the package confirms that the Trudeau government sees one of Canada’s most important sectors as a “sunset” industry. The Trudeau government’s view of the industry has […]

Apr 17 2020 — Ken Boessenkool — CD Howe Institute — Canada’s social safety net has evolved slowly and carefully in an overlapping federal system of transfers and benefits. Ottawa has responsibility for the tax system and Employment Insurance (EI). The provinces have primary responsibility for most social assistance and disability programs. As these programs have developed and changed over the years, overlaps and conflicts have […]

Apr 16 2020 — Bill Blaikie — Broadbent Institute — In the early 1960’s, a CCF government (the CCF was the precursor to the NDP) in Saskatchewan successfully lit the path towards what we now know nationally as Medicare, a transformative event in Canadian history. This was done in the face of fierce and often bitter resistance from political opponents, from the medical community and […]