IAE warning: if we care about the planet, we need to get off oil and other fossil fuels, and we need to do it fast
TORONTO—Under the Trudeau government, Canada has joined the ranks of nations pledged to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050—a necessary target if the world is to avoid catastrophic climate change. Since that announcement, Prime Minster Justin Trudeau has sharply upped Canada’s climate target for the current decade—in fact he has done it twice. […]
Feds risk falling behind on science investment, say policy experts, Naylor, as U.S., U.K., Germany forging ahead
The federal government’s 2021 budget, crafted in the middle of a debilitating pandemic, saw more than $2-billion allocated for the bio-manufacturing and life-sciences sector following a year where scientific capacity played centre stage in the lives of all Canadians. But a number of science policy experts say the federal budget, the first in more than […]
Where’s the plan? Budget needs better plan for the future
TORONTO—Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s first budget has come under strong criticism for, in the eyes of its critics, its failure to put the country on a strong growth path for sustained future prosperity. “I don’t think we really have a plan going forward and the budget is supposed to be a planning document,” David Dodge, […]
House Finance Committee dives into offshore tax havens again ‘to get answers for Canadians,’ says NDP MP Julian
The long-standing problems posed by the billions of dollars in offshore tax havens are once again on the front-burner in Canadian politics, following the release of the 2021 budget last month and the start of a study on the issue by the House Finance Committee. The work of the committee follows a report from the […]
Navigating the politics of basic income
Weeks before the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, the Basic Income Canada Network (BICN) published a detailed set of policy options for a Canadian basic income (BI). An unconditional, income-tested cash transfer from the state to individuals. Crucially, unrelated to work status. It would enable everyone to meet their basic needs while participating […]
Budget investments not enough to replace need for new round of COVID student benefits, says Green leader Paul
Though the budget was generally well received by post-secondary student advocates, the lack of a returning Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) is a gap that needs to be filled to avoid students ending up in the same rough spot as last year, says Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. The benefit was introduced last spring, providing […]
The 2021 budget: a disaster unlike any we have known
MONTREAL—Economics has always been a fascinating topic for me, although it has been a struggle. When I first arrived in Delhi on a diplomatic posting in 2009, I met with the economic analyst, a brilliant Indian woman who had a master’s degree in economics. At our first meeting, I peppered her with questions about Canada-India […]
Digital currencies bring new options for financial privacy
Digital money is on the minds of many in Canada. News stories about Bitcoin and other blockchain-based financial technologies are hard to escape. Facebook’s proposed digital currency Libra (recently rebranded as Diem) captured the attention and scrutiny of regulators around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has left some lawmakers pondering the possibility of government-based digital […]
Setting a path for the new data commissioner
In the April 2021 federal budget, the Canadian government announced the creation of a data commissioner who will “inform government and business approaches to data-driven issues to help protect people’s personal data and to encourage innovation in the digital marketplace.” The budget allocates $17.6-million over five years and $3.4-million annually afterwards to create the entity. […]
Billions for pensioners gets all-party support, but seniors hold highest net worth
The government’s 2021 budget promised billions for seniors, and opposition MPs are calling for more, but data from Statistics Canada suggests that not all seniors need the help. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s (University-Rosedale, Ont.) first budget set aside $12-billion over five years to increase payments to seniors over the age of 75 through the Old […]
