Experts question role of data commissioner as feds finally earmark funds
Buried in the 2021 federal budget is little more than a paragraph on creating a new regulator aimed at balancing the interests of personal privacy and companies trying to operate in a big data economy in the next few years. The budget proposed establishing a “data commissioner” with $17.6-million over five years starting in 2021-22, […]
For those with fetal alcohol disorders, budget isn’t quite as inclusive as it claims
Inclusivity appears to be the mandate of the 2021 budget, as the federal government claims it to be an “inclusive plan” that will support “full economic participation for all Canadians.” How is it then, that four per cent of Canadians, once again, find themselves left out of this year’s budget? Not one cent of that […]
A pragmatic view on aviation’s restart in Canada
With the Canadian COVID-19 vaccination programs hitting full stride in recent days, a renewed optimism is being felt throughout the hospitality industry about better times ahead. And no better harbinger of such optimism is the action of Canada’s airlines as they announce significant increases in their services for the summer months. WestJet’s return to Atlantic […]
Canadian airlines: an industry in crisis
COVID-19 has tremendously affected the airline industry in Canada. As the COVID-19 crisis took shape airlines around the globe suffered and at one point were brought to a halt. For Air Canada this could not have come at a worse time, as it was experiencing at the same time a major crisis due to the […]
Feds’ push to drive down costs of wireless services requires better data tracking
As the House Industry Committee digs into Rogers’ proposed acquisition of Shaw Communications, it would be useful for them to know that cellular service prices have fallen 25 per cent over the past five years, a decline that aligns with Ottawa’s promised wireless rate cut. This is important and surprising news for both Canadian consumers […]
Canada must be more ambitious in supporting key industries
Canada’s largest trading partner enters the 2020s with an ambitious agenda, which could reshape our nation’s prospects for prosperity in the post-pandemic economy. How we adjust our trade, investment, and business policies in the coming months will be critical. The United States wants to restore its manufacturing might and, in turn, reverse decades of job […]
Time for Canada to up our innovation game
The good news is Canada moved up in the Bloomberg 2021 Innovation Index. The bad news is we moved from 22nd to 21st—barely overtaking Slovenia. Proof that complacency breeds mediocrity. The question is: what are we going to do to really up our innovation game? More of the same will not get Canada into the […]
Forewarned, forearmed: to be prepared is half the victory against the next pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how ruefully unprepared we were. However, we must forgo the blame game. We must make sure we learned the lessons, have in hand what is needed, and protect those at risk. How a society treats its most vulnerable is the measure of its humanity. In the aftermath, we see […]
Fight to save proposed Line 5 shutdown needs Team Canada approach, provinces say
Three provincial energy ministers are urging the federal government to intervene in a legal dispute between the state of Michigan and Enbridge Inc. and “keep all options on the table” to avoid the threatened shutdown of the Line 5 pipeline. The representatives for Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan told a parliamentary committee Tuesday there would be […]
Ethical AI can unlock social and economic opportunity for Canada
Imagine that you are about to begin an important university exam. You sit down in front of your computer, already stressed because all learning and evaluations are now online due to COVID-19. Moments before the exam is about to begin, the university’s proctoring software, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to confirm each person’s identity, […]
