Feds get skills training right in budget
You don’t need to be an Uber driver or drone operator to see how technology is impacting professional life. New tools and techniques are changing what we do and how we do it. We’re already seeing how machine learning and artificial intelligence affect nearly all aspects of how we do our jobs, from the security […]
Liberals propose national school meal program as Canada remains back of pack on children’s nutrition
The Liberal government has proposed creating a national school meal program, which, if implemented, would see Canada join most other advanced economies in the world in having a countrywide school food initiative. In yesterday’s federal budget, the government announced its “intention to work with provinces and territories towards the creation of a National School Food […]
Feds pledge more than $4-billion in pre-election budget for Indigenous file
Indigenous issues held prominence in the Liberal government’s fourth budget, with plans to spend $4.5-billion on reconciliation efforts over the next five years. One entire chapter in the 464-page document tabled on March 19 centred on “advancing reconciliation.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) was elected in 2015 on a promise to renew the government’s relationship […]
Fair dealing is a right, not a privilege
This week at schools and campuses across the country, teachers, students, and librarians are celebrating Fair Dealing Week. This annual event increases awareness of a little-known—but well-used—feature of the Copyright Act: fair dealing. The Copyright Act touches all Canadians. At its core, copyright determines under what conditions artistic and literary works (including ebooks, computer software, […]
Time for the grown-ups to stand up against cyberbullies
Often when we talk about cyberbullying, we focus on children—and rightly so. Nearly half (42 per cent) of school-aged kids have experienced cyber abuse in the past four weeks, and 60 per cent have witnessed others being tormented online. In truth, though, cyberbullying can happen to anyone, including adults. Indeed, in this hyper-connected digital age, […]
How Canada is building a nation of innovators
The winds of change are powerful and persistent in the global economy. New technologies and new applications of data and digital tools are driving a fourth industrial revolution in economies and societies around the world. We can either put our heads in the sand and lose our opportunity for leadership, or we can take charge […]
Canada’s economy needs workers with global learning experiences
In a column published recently in The Hill Times, Perrin Beatty and Paul Davidson argued that Canada has to up its game when it comes to connecting post-secondary students with international learning experiences. “In our rapidly changing world,” they wrote, “Canadian employers need workers who are culturally aware, resilient, and adaptable—skilled in problem solving, communication, […]
Polytechnics and colleges, natural allies to businesses, deserve more access to government funding
Canada is at an innovation crossroads. Productivity measures have long lagged behind our international counterparts and, as a country of small businesses, our firms often lack the internal resources to fulfill their potential. Developing new prototypes, adopting new technologies, and designing new processes takes time, money, and human resources. As Canada’s economic engines, small- […]
Better education needed to warn youth of weed risks
The legalization of recreational marijuana on Oct. 17, 2018 was a popular move. The legislation’s attraction stems from the perceived advantages of legalization: getting organized crime out of the marijuana business, removing the heavy hand of the criminal justice system from large sections of the population, especially minors, and the proper regulation and control of […]
We need a holistic approach to health care
Looking back, I now realize that I learned many fundamental lessons of good health care at a very young age. The traditional life skills my people demonstrated while living off the land taught that responsibility and resilience through social capital (we-chi-e-twin) were instrumental to the concept of preventing sickness, starvation, and other ailments. I mimicked […]
