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Friday, December 13, 2024
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Friday, December 13, 2024 | Latest Paper

Canada & The 21st Century

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 9, 2024
The response from Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured, sounded promising. The industrial benefits policy, Champagne said, reflected “the importance of fostering homegrown innovation and developing our industrial capacity, given industry’s critical role in supporting Canada’s national security,' writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 9, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 9, 2024
The response from Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured, sounded promising. The industrial benefits policy, Champagne said, reflected “the importance of fostering homegrown innovation and developing our industrial capacity, given industry’s critical role in supporting Canada’s national security,' writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 2, 2024
While Donald Trump will have much capacity to do harm and bring severe risks to the North American and global economies and to elevate geopolitical risks, it would be a huge mistake for Canada and other nations to surrender in advance, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 2, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 2, 2024
While Donald Trump will have much capacity to do harm and bring severe risks to the North American and global economies and to elevate geopolitical risks, it would be a huge mistake for Canada and other nations to surrender in advance, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 25, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. Freeland heads the new Canada-U.S. Cabinet Committee, and LeBlanc is the vice-chair. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 25, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 25, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. Freeland heads the new Canada-U.S. Cabinet Committee, and LeBlanc is the vice-chair. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 18, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, far right, said she shares concerns about whether Mexico is 'aligned' with Canada and the U.S. on trade policy. Americans care about their country and push hard for its interests. It’s time for Canadians to feel just as strongly about our own country’s interests and future, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 18, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 18, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, far right, said she shares concerns about whether Mexico is 'aligned' with Canada and the U.S. on trade policy. Americans care about their country and push hard for its interests. It’s time for Canadians to feel just as strongly about our own country’s interests and future, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 7, 2024
Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House may be what it finally takes to shake Canada out of its complacency and too easy reliance on the U.S., for trade, finance, technology or defence, forcing our own businesses to be more innovative, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 7, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 7, 2024
Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House may be what it finally takes to shake Canada out of its complacency and too easy reliance on the U.S., for trade, finance, technology or defence, forcing our own businesses to be more innovative, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 4, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The transition to a new energy world will not be cheap or easy. But it will deliver great economic opportunity and a more environmentally sustainable world. We need to be part of that world, but we are not there yet, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 4, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 4, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The transition to a new energy world will not be cheap or easy. But it will deliver great economic opportunity and a more environmentally sustainable world. We need to be part of that world, but we are not there yet, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 28, 2024
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters before the Liberal cabinet meeting in West Block on Feb. 6, 2024.
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Canada needs to approach innovation and productivity from a much better base starting with a better institutional framework for policymaking and performance review, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 28, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 28, 2024
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters before the Liberal cabinet meeting in West Block on Feb. 6, 2024.
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Canada needs to approach innovation and productivity from a much better base starting with a better institutional framework for policymaking and performance review, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 18, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured on the Hill last May, spends much of his time paying foreign multinationals to locate here and too little time helping to build Canadian successes, writes David Crane, based on Shopify president Harley Finkelstein's recent comments. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 18, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 18, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured on the Hill last May, spends much of his time paying foreign multinationals to locate here and too little time helping to build Canadian successes, writes David Crane, based on Shopify president Harley Finkelstein's recent comments. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 14, 2024
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters before the Liberal cabinet meeting in West Block on Feb. 6, 2024.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. While Canada has moved up a notch in the global innovation rankings in two key categories, we have quite disappointing outcomes, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 14, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 14, 2024
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters before the Liberal cabinet meeting in West Block on Feb. 6, 2024.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. While Canada has moved up a notch in the global innovation rankings in two key categories, we have quite disappointing outcomes, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 7, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne at BIOTECanada's BIONation conference in Ottawa on Sept. 24, 2024. Overall, Canada needs a new, independent, arm’s length body that can monitor how well our innovation programs are working, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 7, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 7, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne at BIOTECanada's BIONation conference in Ottawa on Sept. 24, 2024. Overall, Canada needs a new, independent, arm’s length body that can monitor how well our innovation programs are working, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 30, 2024
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge. Canada is far from alone from wanting to create content for its own productions, stories and narratives, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 30, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 30, 2024
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge. Canada is far from alone from wanting to create content for its own productions, stories and narratives, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 23, 2024
Tiff Macklem
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, left, and Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers on the Hill on Feb. 1, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 23, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 23, 2024
Tiff Macklem
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, left, and Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers on the Hill on Feb. 1, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 16, 2024
Appointing Mark Carney to a Leader’s Task Force on Economic Growth smacks of desperation, with a government urgently in search of something that will keep it in power, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 16, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 16, 2024
Appointing Mark Carney to a Leader’s Task Force on Economic Growth smacks of desperation, with a government urgently in search of something that will keep it in power, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 9, 2024
Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland has said that ongoing talks could lead to additional protectionist measures in other sectors, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 9, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 9, 2024
Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland has said that ongoing talks could lead to additional protectionist measures in other sectors, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 2, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that Canada will match the United States in tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles shows the top priority in our foreign policy is to keep the Americans happy, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 2, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 2, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that Canada will match the United States in tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles shows the top priority in our foreign policy is to keep the Americans happy, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 26, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. It’s vital for government to be a source of patient capital if we are to successfully grow our promising firms, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 26, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 26, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. It’s vital for government to be a source of patient capital if we are to successfully grow our promising firms, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 19, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. Dynamic growth should be our national priority. We know we have much talent and potential in the Canadian population for remarkable innovation, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 19, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 19, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. Dynamic growth should be our national priority. We know we have much talent and potential in the Canadian population for remarkable innovation, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 12, 2024
Another Statistics Canada study published earlier this year—Canada’s Gross Domestic Product Per Capita: Perspectives on the Return to Trend—underlined that improvements in real GDP per capita can come from three sources: labour productivity, the number of hours worked, and the percentage of the population that is working, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 12, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 12, 2024
Another Statistics Canada study published earlier this year—Canada’s Gross Domestic Product Per Capita: Perspectives on the Return to Trend—underlined that improvements in real GDP per capita can come from three sources: labour productivity, the number of hours worked, and the percentage of the population that is working, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 1, 2024
Both the U.S. presidential contender, Donald Trump, left, and Canada’s potential new prime minister, Pierre Poilievre, have a record of downplaying the seriousness of climate change and favouring the interests of the oil and gas industry, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 1, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 1, 2024
Both the U.S. presidential contender, Donald Trump, left, and Canada’s potential new prime minister, Pierre Poilievre, have a record of downplaying the seriousness of climate change and favouring the interests of the oil and gas industry, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 29, 2024
The latest Bank of Canada quarterly survey of the business outlook found that the majority of businesses are lowering planned wage increases over the next 12 months. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 29, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 29, 2024
The latest Bank of Canada quarterly survey of the business outlook found that the majority of businesses are lowering planned wage increases over the next 12 months. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 22, 2024
Peace Towe
Each year, the IMF—under Article IV of the IMF Articles of Agreement—sends a staff team to Canada to collect financial and economic information, talks to officials and others, and makes an assessment of our performance and policies. It latest report on Canada—Staff Report for the 2024 Article IV Consultation—has just been published. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 22, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 22, 2024
Peace Towe
Each year, the IMF—under Article IV of the IMF Articles of Agreement—sends a staff team to Canada to collect financial and economic information, talks to officials and others, and makes an assessment of our performance and policies. It latest report on Canada—Staff Report for the 2024 Article IV Consultation—has just been published. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 15, 2024
Minister François-Philippe Champagne
Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne pictured recently in a Hill scrum. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 15, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 15, 2024
Minister François-Philippe Champagne
Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne pictured recently in a Hill scrum. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 8, 2024
Presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden. A Trump administration may be quite ready to get rid of CUSMA, while a Biden—or other Democratic—administration would nonetheless push hard for more and more concessions by Canada, writes David Crane. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 8, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 8, 2024
Presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden. A Trump administration may be quite ready to get rid of CUSMA, while a Biden—or other Democratic—administration would nonetheless push hard for more and more concessions by Canada, writes David Crane. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 1, 2024
A parachuter, pictured July 1, 2022, in Ottawa. In a memorable 1999 speech, former prime minister John Turner, spoke as a Canadian patriot. 'It is our good fortune as Canadians to occupy the most beautiful land on earth.' But 'it is our good sense which has made this country one of the most free and open democracies in the world.' The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 1, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 1, 2024
A parachuter, pictured July 1, 2022, in Ottawa. In a memorable 1999 speech, former prime minister John Turner, spoke as a Canadian patriot. 'It is our good fortune as Canadians to occupy the most beautiful land on earth.' But 'it is our good sense which has made this country one of the most free and open democracies in the world.' The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 24, 2024
Despite some gaps, a recent Bennett Jones report gets it right when it calls for a 'laser-focused' strategy for productivity growth in Canada, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 24, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 24, 2024
Despite some gaps, a recent Bennett Jones report gets it right when it calls for a 'laser-focused' strategy for productivity growth in Canada, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 13, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 13, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 13, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 10, 2024
Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. 'The problem is that Canada is pursuing an alternative economic strategy—relying on foreign multinationals to locate here in return for massive taxpayer subsidies,' writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 10, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 10, 2024
Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. 'The problem is that Canada is pursuing an alternative economic strategy—relying on foreign multinationals to locate here in return for massive taxpayer subsidies,' writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 3, 2024
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault at the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Ottawa on April 23, 2024. Guilbeault said in a 2023 report that 'Climate scientists are unequivocally telling us that we must drastically reduce our emissions by 2030 … if we are to leave a habitable world to our children.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 3, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 3, 2024
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault at the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Ottawa on April 23, 2024. Guilbeault said in a 2023 report that 'Climate scientists are unequivocally telling us that we must drastically reduce our emissions by 2030 … if we are to leave a habitable world to our children.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 27, 2024
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters outside the Liberal caucus meeting in the West Block on May 8, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 27, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 27, 2024
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters outside the Liberal caucus meeting in the West Block on May 8, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 20, 2024
The current scare-mongering on capital gains is a needless distortion, but that doesn’t let Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured, off the hook, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 20, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 20, 2024
The current scare-mongering on capital gains is a needless distortion, but that doesn’t let Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured, off the hook, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 13, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released the 2024 federal budget last month. The venture-capital industry and tech companies argue her tax measures will lead to a decline in capital available to aspiring tech firms. So far, they have offered little hard evidence that Freeland’s plan would discourage investment, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 13, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 13, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released the 2024 federal budget last month. The venture-capital industry and tech companies argue her tax measures will lead to a decline in capital available to aspiring tech firms. So far, they have offered little hard evidence that Freeland’s plan would discourage investment, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 2, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freland recently boasted Canada is ‘driving the kind of economic growth that will ensure every generation of Canadians can reach their full potential.’ I am not convinced, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 2, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 2, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freland recently boasted Canada is ‘driving the kind of economic growth that will ensure every generation of Canadians can reach their full potential.’ I am not convinced, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 29, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne. The $2.4-billion the budget proposes to spend on AI is a long-overdue investment to boost computing power essential to keep us in the AI game, not a bold statement of AI leadership, writes David Crane.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 29, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 29, 2024
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne. The $2.4-billion the budget proposes to spend on AI is a long-overdue investment to boost computing power essential to keep us in the AI game, not a bold statement of AI leadership, writes David Crane.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 22, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland presented a budget on April 16 that failed to spell out to Canadians the reality of the challenges we face, and what is required to make things better. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 22, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 22, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland presented a budget on April 16 that failed to spell out to Canadians the reality of the challenges we face, and what is required to make things better. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 8, 2024
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada appears to be more fixated on the "wheat and steel" economy rather than the intangibles economy, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 8, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 8, 2024
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada appears to be more fixated on the "wheat and steel" economy rather than the intangibles economy, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 1, 2024
Housing Minister Sean Fraser. Younger Canadians may be giving up on the aspiration of home ownership because of high costs, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 1, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 1, 2024
Housing Minister Sean Fraser. Younger Canadians may be giving up on the aspiration of home ownership because of high costs, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | March 25, 2024
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge. It is critical that the role of independent Canadian producers be enhanced, and that the ownership of copyright go to domestic production companies, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | March 25, 2024
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | March 25, 2024
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge. It is critical that the role of independent Canadian producers be enhanced, and that the ownership of copyright go to domestic production companies, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade