Liberal government must end COVID-19 vaccine secrecy

Canadians cannot fight COVID-19 in the dark. Experience has demonstrated that an effective pandemic response requires clear, transparent, and open communication from governments at all levels. This is essential for maintaining public confidence in recovery plans and the legitimacy of the institutions implementing them. Unfortunately, the Trudeau government has demonstrated a disturbing tendency to operate […]
Throne Speech represents a critical opportunity to tackle the challenges defining our generation

In a few short months, COVID has provided a snapshot of the types of disruptions to social and economic systems that experts warn are coming if global climate action is not urgently scaled up. It has also demonstrated how quickly political will and vast resources can be mobilized to respond to an imminent threat. Herein […]
Biotechnology Policy Briefing

Top doc cautions against getting ahead of review into Canada’s public health threat alert system

Canada’s chief public health officer says she will wait for the findings of an upcoming review before commenting on who bears responsibility for sidelining the country’s pandemic early warning system. Speaking to reporters in the afternoon of Sept. 11, Dr. Theresa Tam said she looks forward to the probe. “I know that there are managers […]
Linking science, health and policy more effectively: foresight for the next normal

OTTAWA—Hindsight is 20/20—or so they say today. But what happened to foresight? It’s Nov. 7, 2001. The place is Ottawa. The meeting is with health ministers and officials from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the U.K., the U.S., and the EU. The topic is health security and bioterrorism—a few months following the events of […]
Donald Trump’s miracle vaccine

LONDON, U.K.—Nine of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies have just promised not to apply for regulatory approval for any new COVID-19 vaccine before it has gone through all three phases of clinical study. Why would they do such a thing? You’d be surprised if brain surgeons got together and promised not to operate while drunk, […]
Feds should focus on gauging ‘wariness’ of COVID measures, says strategist, after public opinion research spending dip in 2019-20

The Liberal government spent $11.3-million on public opinion research studies in the last year, but those efforts didn’t capture much of the public’s reaction to COVID-19 spending, and in turn, experts say Ottawa’s efforts should now shift to gauging Canadians’ evaluation of its relief efforts. The feds commissioned a total of 121 projects spanning 30 […]
Key chapter in Canada’s COVID story begins as kids return to school

OTTAWA—Yes, yes, the speech from the throne coming on Sept. 23 is fast approaching and we will see if, somehow, we get catapulted into an election. I still rate the odds of that slim, but 2020 has been the year when normal thinking does not apply. Speaking of normal, how intimate will it be for […]
‘Significant need’ for more fulsome fiscal plan, update from feds this fall, says Page

A speech from the throne will set out the Liberal government’s new policy agenda on Sept. 23, and, with no federal budget yet tabled for 2020, former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page says there’s now a “significant need” for the feds to quickly follow up with longer-term fiscal plans as a matter of public confidence. […]
Post-pandemic recovery offers chance to make a real difference in lives of Canadian kids

As parents and children continue to adjust to new school realities this September, Canada has a stark choice: do we let COVID-19 disrupt one year in our kids’ lives, or do we allow it to damage their future forever? Canada’s political leaders and public health officials have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic at record speed, […]