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Opinions

Feb 22, 2018

Risk-sharing, not equalization, is failing Alberta

February 22, 2018

In the weeks leading up to Family Day, Canada’s governments did what many families often do: argue about money. This year’s quibble focused on the Equalization program – and largely missed the mark.
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Nov 29, 2017

Technology will make government as we know it obsolete – and that’s a good thing

November 29, 2017

Tech advances should prompt government to radically increase efficiency and effectiveness of programs and services. Read More

Nov 27, 2017

Robarts’ leadership in unifying the country 50 years ago should be celebrated

November 27, 2017

The history books will say that the Confederation of Tomorrow conference was about the Constitution, the Quiet Revolution, official bilingualism, or the expansion of provincial powers. But at its heart, the conference was really about two things: leadership and dialogue. Read More

Nov 25, 2017

Talking is the Canadian way of life – we should export it

November 25, 2017

Has everyone suddenly forgotten how to negotiate?

Glance at the news headlines, and you’ll find a series of high-stakes talks that are either deadlocked or derailed.

Talks to re-negotiate NAFTA have barely begun and already there are fears that the largest player is about to walk away from the table (or never really wanted to reach a deal in the first place). Read More

Oct 10, 2017

Fixing Canada’s EI system is critical for the future of work

October 10, 2017

Canada’s employment insurance (EI) system is a major plank of the country’s social architecture. However, the system, now 75 years old, is failing to meet its original intent. EI was established to protect workers against income loss while temporarily out of work and to provide access to job opportunities through training. In order to meet those objectives today, EI needs major reforms. Indeed, the shortfalls that exist in 2017 will only be amplified as the employment landscape continues to change significantly in the decades ahead. Read More

Sep 27, 2017

Provinces should lead policy innovation on Canada’s defining issues – again

September 27, 2017

With political news focused on federal tax changes, a federal cabinet shuffle, and federally-led NAFTA renegotiations, it is easy to lose sight of the where the weight of governing falls in Canada. According to the OECD, Canada’s provincial, territorial and local governments account for nearly four out of every five public dollars spent – a level of decentralization unmatched by any other developed country. Read More

Aug 09, 2017

We’re speaking more languages, but is our landscape more diverse?

August 9, 2017

Each fresh wave of results from the 2016 Census brings a new appreciation for Canada’s deepening diversity, and last week’s release is no exception. As of 2016, 23 per cent of Canadians have a language other than English or French as their “mother tongue.” That figure rises to 29 per cent in Ontario and a remarkable 47 per cent – almost one in two – in Toronto. Read More

Jun 29, 2017

Future jobs: How we’ll earn a living 150 years from now

June 29, 2017

Canadians have seen the world of work rapidly reshape itself around them in the past 30 years. Globalization, technological change, declining unionization rates and new business strategies are among the forces that have combined to create a labour market characterized by stagnant wages and eroding job quality. Read More

May 16, 2017

A sum of all fears: How ‘rigid incrementality’ could be the number one threat to infrastructure spending in Canada

May 16, 2017

After decades of serial neglect, the last two federal budgets have together committed $180 billion over 12 years for investments in Canada’s beleaguered public infrastructure. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address a chronic infrastructure deficit that everyone agrees is a real barrier to our economic growth. Read More

Oct 28, 2016

An era of precarious employment calls for a new social architecture

October 28, 2016

Recently, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau elicited strong reactions by suggesting Canadians need to get used to precarious employment because it’s the new normal. But the reality could be much worse. Read More