Economic recovery in the time of COVID
Canada is deep in recession. Social distancing and the halt to non-essential activity were policy actions necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 but the economic implications of the shutdown are becoming evident. In March and April, Canada lost three million jobs—15.6 per cent of our workforce. The total number of hours worked, a truer […]
Where we were is no longer there
TORONTO—If things go well as we gradually reopen the economy, by the end of 2021 we should be back to where we were at the end of 2019. That’s progress of sorts. But individual Canadians will, on average, be poorer and many businesses which survived will be weaker than they were two years ago. Individuals, […]
Epidemics and resistance: maintaining public trust in a time of unrest
WINNIPEG—Perhaps the most potent symbol yet of COVID-19’s relationship to inequality, and to resistance, is the mask worn by some of those demonstrating against racism and police violence, inscribed by hand with the words “I Can’t Breathe.” The mask alludes to the pleas of a Black man dying at the hands of state violence; and, […]
As we brace for COVID’s second wave, some simple lessons from Taiwan and South Korea
Taiwan and South Korea successfully managed the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, stemming the spread of the coronavirus and minimizing the number of deaths, all the while keeping their economies running. To date, there have been more than 11,000 confirmed COVID cases in Korea, though fewer than 300 deaths. Taiwan has recorded fewer than 500 COVID cases and just seven deaths. Neither government imposed a lockdown. […]
How to restart our economy? Boost an entrepreneurial mindset
Ninety-eight per cent of Canadian businesses have fewer than 500 employees. These small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical to our economy. Furthermore, Canada has some of the highest rates of early-stage entrepreneurship in the OECD. With approximately 15 per cent of the Canadian working-age population having undertaken a business startup in the last three […]
Second wave of virus could cut GDP by nearly 10 per cent, experts looks to future of relief programs
A recent Léger poll suggests the public is picking up on what public health officials have been warning for months: a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is possible, even likely, if existing preventative measures aren’t kept in place. Fear of a second wave is widespread, with 76 per cent of respondents to the poll […]
What’s wrong with a Great Rebuilding of the economy post-COVID-19
The extraordinary increase in government spending and deficits in response to the coronavirus pandemic apparently does not deter some from seeing an opportunity to restructure Canada’s economy. After all, it is tempting to ask, if we can command the huge resources needed to contain the pandemic, why not use the occasion to make fundamental changes […]
More pandemic help for seniors coming this summer: Seniors Minister Deb Schulte
Seniors in Canada have experienced some of the most negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, staying safe at home has meant added expenses. Deliveries come at a premium and some groceries are costing more. Prescription dispensing fees have increased in many provinces. The Government of Canada responded early. In April, more than four […]
To protect our privacy rights, COVID-19 surveillance measures need a squeaky wheel
OTTAWA—In a bid to enforce COVID-19 quarantines and isolation measures, governments around the world are turning to increasingly intrusive surveillance measures. These include, most notably, laws that allow them to track people through their phone data, as well as measures granting them access to private medical records. Among the governments considering such measures are not […]
Mapping the road to recovery: nine key challenges
In the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic, it is difficult for Canadians, our families, businesses and governments to look beyond confronting the immediate effects of COVID-19. However, even as Canadians continue supporting each other today, we must also begin looking over the horizon to the post-COVID-19 world to start planning how our country and economy […]
