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Tuesday, October 21, 2025

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David Crane

David Crane is an award-winning journalist with special interests in the economics of globalization, innovation, sustainable development and social equity.

Can Carney ensure Canada is a true innovation nation?

  • Canada’s poor performance on innovation is apparent in the World Intellectual Property Organization's 2025 Global Innovation Report which ranks our nation in 17th spot, compared to 14th a
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 20, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney. While Canada has potential, the World Intellectual Property Organization's 2025 Global Innovation Report says it lags badly on high-tech exports, creative outputs from the business sector, industrial designs, trade marks, and other forms of intellectual property, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can Carney ensure Canada is a true innovation nation?

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 20, 2025
  • Canada’s poor performance on innovation is apparent in the World Intellectual Property Organization's 2025 Global Innovation Report which ranks our nation in 17th spot, compared to 14th a

Can Carney ensure Canada is a true innovation nation?

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 20, 2025
  • Canada’s poor performance on innovation is apparent in the World Intellectual Property Organization's 2025 Global Innovation Report which ranks our nation in 17th spot, compared to 14th a
Prime Minister Mark Carney. While Canada has potential, the World Intellectual Property Organization's 2025 Global Innovation Report says it lags badly on high-tech exports, creative outputs from the business sector, industrial designs, trade marks, and other forms of intellectual property, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney has an obligation to better define his priorities for the Canada-U.S. relationship

  • Meanwhile, we need much greater debate on our choices—and this is where Parliament is derelict in its duty. 
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 13, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump at the West Wing entrance of the White House on May 6, 2025. Photograph courtesy of White House photographer Daniel Torok

Carney has an obligation to better define his priorities for the Canada-U.S. relationship

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 13, 2025
  • Meanwhile, we need much greater debate on our choices—and this is where Parliament is derelict in its duty. 

Carney has an obligation to better define his priorities for the Canada-U.S. relationship

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 13, 2025
  • Meanwhile, we need much greater debate on our choices—and this is where Parliament is derelict in its duty. 
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump at the West Wing entrance of the White House on May 6, 2025. Photograph courtesy of White House photographer Daniel Torok

Current fiscal outlook has not put us on a precipice yet, but a rush to balance the budget is not the answer

  • Canada faces enormous challenges and disruptive change in transitioning to an economy that can thrive in a world of sweeping change in technologies, markets
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 6, 2025
The September Economic and Fiscal Outlook Report from Jason Jaques, pictured, the interim parliamentary budget officer, with its dire warning of unsustainable federal spending, deficits, and debt, should not be treated lightly. But it should not be taken as a call for an austerity budget next month, writes David Crane.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Current fiscal outlook has not put us on a precipice yet, but a rush to balance the budget is not the answer

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 6, 2025
  • Canada faces enormous challenges and disruptive change in transitioning to an economy that can thrive in a world of sweeping change in technologies, markets

Current fiscal outlook has not put us on a precipice yet, but a rush to balance the budget is not the answer

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 6, 2025
  • Canada faces enormous challenges and disruptive change in transitioning to an economy that can thrive in a world of sweeping change in technologies, markets
The September Economic and Fiscal Outlook Report from Jason Jaques, pictured, the interim parliamentary budget officer, with its dire warning of unsustainable federal spending, deficits, and debt, should not be treated lightly. But it should not be taken as a call for an austerity budget next month, writes David Crane.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s push to expand Canada’s exports to other countries won’t be easy

  • Canada has spent much of its history seeking to cement close ties with the U.S. while failing to seek opportunities elsewhere. We've failed to
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 29, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Indonesian President Prabowo Sugianto signed a trade agreement between the two countries in Ottawa on Sept. 24, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s push to expand Canada’s exports to other countries won’t be easy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 29, 2025
  • Canada has spent much of its history seeking to cement close ties with the U.S. while failing to seek opportunities elsewhere. We've failed to

Carney’s push to expand Canada’s exports to other countries won’t be easy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 29, 2025
  • Canada has spent much of its history seeking to cement close ties with the U.S. while failing to seek opportunities elsewhere. We've failed to
Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Indonesian President Prabowo Sugianto signed a trade agreement between the two countries in Ottawa on Sept. 24, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney still has to tell us what kind of economy he’s trying to create

  • What we need from the Carney government is a clear strategy to build up investments by the public and private sectors in the economy
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 18, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney heads into the Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa on Aug. 6, 2025. The seven government priorities listed in Carney's mandate letter to his cabinet ministers are worthwhile, yet insufficient. They fail to address Canada’s terrible productivity performance, writes David Crane.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney still has to tell us what kind of economy he’s trying to create

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 18, 2025
  • What we need from the Carney government is a clear strategy to build up investments by the public and private sectors in the economy

Carney still has to tell us what kind of economy he’s trying to create

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 18, 2025
  • What we need from the Carney government is a clear strategy to build up investments by the public and private sectors in the economy
Prime Minister Mark Carney heads into the Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa on Aug. 6, 2025. The seven government priorities listed in Carney's mandate letter to his cabinet ministers are worthwhile, yet insufficient. They fail to address Canada’s terrible productivity performance, writes David Crane.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On affordable housing, Ottawa should support bottom-up initiatives, not impose top-down solutions

  • This is a moment of opportunity. Former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson should listen to former Toronto mayor David Crombie. Cities are where things actually
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 15, 2025
Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, the former mayor of Vancouver, arrives for the Liberal caucus meeting in the West Block on June 11, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On affordable housing, Ottawa should support bottom-up initiatives, not impose top-down solutions

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 15, 2025
  • This is a moment of opportunity. Former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson should listen to former Toronto mayor David Crombie. Cities are where things actually

On affordable housing, Ottawa should support bottom-up initiatives, not impose top-down solutions

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 15, 2025
  • This is a moment of opportunity. Former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson should listen to former Toronto mayor David Crombie. Cities are where things actually
Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, the former mayor of Vancouver, arrives for the Liberal caucus meeting in the West Block on June 11, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A dose of realism about Canada’s LNG plans

  • Despite the high-level drum-beating for Port of Churchill possibilities and especially for an LNG plant, an oil pipeline, or a hydrogen plant, none may
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 8, 2025
Energy Minister Tim Hodgson was recently in Germany touting Canada's LNG potential to prospective buyers, but David Crane writes that this government needs to be more realistic about that potential. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A dose of realism about Canada’s LNG plans

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 8, 2025
  • Despite the high-level drum-beating for Port of Churchill possibilities and especially for an LNG plant, an oil pipeline, or a hydrogen plant, none may

A dose of realism about Canada’s LNG plans

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 8, 2025
  • Despite the high-level drum-beating for Port of Churchill possibilities and especially for an LNG plant, an oil pipeline, or a hydrogen plant, none may
Energy Minister Tim Hodgson was recently in Germany touting Canada's LNG potential to prospective buyers, but David Crane writes that this government needs to be more realistic about that potential. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Any new industrial strategy must be an innovation strategy

  • Canada’s capacity for technological progress and scaling the industries of the future will be critical for our future growth prospects and much-needed gains in
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 1, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
On Aug. 22, Prime Minister Mark Carney promised in a statement that his government will soon announce a “comprehensive” industrial strategy that “protects Canadian jobs, boosts Canadian competitiveness, buys Canadian goods, and diversifies Canadian exports.” The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Any new industrial strategy must be an innovation strategy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 1, 2025
  • Canada’s capacity for technological progress and scaling the industries of the future will be critical for our future growth prospects and much-needed gains in

Any new industrial strategy must be an innovation strategy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 1, 2025
  • Canada’s capacity for technological progress and scaling the industries of the future will be critical for our future growth prospects and much-needed gains in
Mark Carney
On Aug. 22, Prime Minister Mark Carney promised in a statement that his government will soon announce a “comprehensive” industrial strategy that “protects Canadian jobs, boosts Canadian competitiveness, buys Canadian goods, and diversifies Canadian exports.” The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Carney was talking about Canada’s productivity problem in 2010. It’s now his job to fix it.

  • The challenge for the Carney government is to map a way out of this slow growth trap, which is why productivity, fueled by innovation
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 25, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke of Canada's lagging productivity in 2010 when he was governor of the Bank of Canada. Now as prime minister, it's up to him and his government to provide the answers, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney was talking about Canada’s productivity problem in 2010. It’s now his job to fix it.

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 25, 2025
  • The challenge for the Carney government is to map a way out of this slow growth trap, which is why productivity, fueled by innovation

Carney was talking about Canada’s productivity problem in 2010. It’s now his job to fix it.

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 25, 2025
  • The challenge for the Carney government is to map a way out of this slow growth trap, which is why productivity, fueled by innovation
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke of Canada's lagging productivity in 2010 when he was governor of the Bank of Canada. Now as prime minister, it's up to him and his government to provide the answers, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The feds have the tools they need to reshape the country. Will they use them?

  • The transition required in the months ahead will be disruptive, requiring an unprecedented level of leadership. Without such leadership, it will fail.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 20, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget has to focus on growth, but it also faces constraints since it must respond to the fallout from U.S. protectionism, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The feds have the tools they need to reshape the country. Will they use them?

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 20, 2025
  • The transition required in the months ahead will be disruptive, requiring an unprecedented level of leadership. Without such leadership, it will fail.

The feds have the tools they need to reshape the country. Will they use them?

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 20, 2025
  • The transition required in the months ahead will be disruptive, requiring an unprecedented level of leadership. Without such leadership, it will fail.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget has to focus on growth, but it also faces constraints since it must respond to the fallout from U.S. protectionism, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney better be sharp on Canada’s game-changing projects

  • Without the capacity for rigorous analysis of which projects make sense, and an ability to say 'no' to projects that cannot meet rigorous review,
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 18, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the West Block on Parliament Hill ahead of a meeting with a bipartisan delegation of United States Senators on July 21, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney better be sharp on Canada’s game-changing projects

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 18, 2025
  • Without the capacity for rigorous analysis of which projects make sense, and an ability to say 'no' to projects that cannot meet rigorous review,

Carney better be sharp on Canada’s game-changing projects

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 18, 2025
  • Without the capacity for rigorous analysis of which projects make sense, and an ability to say 'no' to projects that cannot meet rigorous review,
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the West Block on Parliament Hill ahead of a meeting with a bipartisan delegation of United States Senators on July 21, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney government has two duties to younger Canadians, and one is to offer real hope

  • First, it must closely monitor employment and housing trends for younger Canadians as it sets economic policy, and second, it must show that the
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 11, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney scrums with reporters before the Prime Minister’s First Nations summit on Bill C-5 in Gatineau, Que., on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney government has two duties to younger Canadians, and one is to offer real hope

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 11, 2025
  • First, it must closely monitor employment and housing trends for younger Canadians as it sets economic policy, and second, it must show that the

Carney government has two duties to younger Canadians, and one is to offer real hope

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 11, 2025
  • First, it must closely monitor employment and housing trends for younger Canadians as it sets economic policy, and second, it must show that the
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney scrums with reporters before the Prime Minister’s First Nations summit on Bill C-5 in Gatineau, Que., on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity, but we better not miss it this time

  • Building this capacity to implement innovation possibilities, in partnership with the private sector and our university-based research community, is the urgent pre-condition if we
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 4, 2025
Who is going to address the shortcomings in innovation policy, including access to capital, if our Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is preoccupied with saving the steel, aluminum, and auto industries, asks David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity, but we better not miss it this time

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 4, 2025
  • Building this capacity to implement innovation possibilities, in partnership with the private sector and our university-based research community, is the urgent pre-condition if we

Canada never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity, but we better not miss it this time

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 4, 2025
  • Building this capacity to implement innovation possibilities, in partnership with the private sector and our university-based research community, is the urgent pre-condition if we
Who is going to address the shortcomings in innovation policy, including access to capital, if our Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is preoccupied with saving the steel, aluminum, and auto industries, asks David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If we want a prosperous and sovereign nation, big disruptive change is needed right now

  • Building an economy for the future poses huge challenges that will require strong leadership and a focus on clearly set targets and timelines, co-operation
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 28, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney scrums with reporters before the Prime Minister’s First Nations summit on Bill C-5 in Gatineau, Que. on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney scrums with reporters before the Prime Minister’s First Nations summit on Bill C-5 in Gatineau, Que. on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured July 17, 2025, in Gatineau, Que. The credibility of the upcoming budget will be test number one for the building an economy for the future. Implementation will be test number two. Success is urgent. And some early deliverables are vital for ongoing public support. It’s all about our future, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If we want a prosperous and sovereign nation, big disruptive change is needed right now

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 28, 2025
  • Building an economy for the future poses huge challenges that will require strong leadership and a focus on clearly set targets and timelines, co-operation

If we want a prosperous and sovereign nation, big disruptive change is needed right now

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 28, 2025
  • Building an economy for the future poses huge challenges that will require strong leadership and a focus on clearly set targets and timelines, co-operation
Prime Minister Mark Carney scrums with reporters before the Prime Minister’s First Nations summit on Bill C-5 in Gatineau, Que. on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured July 17, 2025, in Gatineau, Que. The credibility of the upcoming budget will be test number one for the building an economy for the future. Implementation will be test number two. Success is urgent. And some early deliverables are vital for ongoing public support. It’s all about our future, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s fall budget could be the toughest one Canadians have ever faced in peacetime

  • Mark Carney will still face a domestic economy with weak growth prospects while having no choice but to act quickly to bring fiscal discipline to
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 21, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney gives opening remarks at the Prime Minister’s First Nations Summit on Bill C-5 at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s fall budget could be the toughest one Canadians have ever faced in peacetime

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 21, 2025
  • Mark Carney will still face a domestic economy with weak growth prospects while having no choice but to act quickly to bring fiscal discipline to

Carney’s fall budget could be the toughest one Canadians have ever faced in peacetime

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 21, 2025
  • Mark Carney will still face a domestic economy with weak growth prospects while having no choice but to act quickly to bring fiscal discipline to
Prime Minister Mark Carney gives opening remarks at the Prime Minister’s First Nations Summit on Bill C-5 at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on July 17, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

BC Ferries story reveals Canada’s confused policy on China

  • What basic message are we sending as we condemn the purchase of Chinese-made ferries while profiting from our sale of goods and services to
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 14, 2025
In comments to the House of Commons on June 18, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland seemed to imply that the ferries could have been purchased from a Canadian company, yet no Canadian shipyard responded when BC Ferries sought proposals last year, David Crane writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

BC Ferries story reveals Canada’s confused policy on China

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 14, 2025
  • What basic message are we sending as we condemn the purchase of Chinese-made ferries while profiting from our sale of goods and services to

BC Ferries story reveals Canada’s confused policy on China

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 14, 2025
  • What basic message are we sending as we condemn the purchase of Chinese-made ferries while profiting from our sale of goods and services to
In comments to the House of Commons on June 18, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland seemed to imply that the ferries could have been purchased from a Canadian company, yet no Canadian shipyard responded when BC Ferries sought proposals last year, David Crane writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada can’t ignore climate change just because the U.S. is missing in action

  • At some point, the U.S. will again become a responsible stakeholder, but its failure to assume its responsibility is no excuse for Canada or
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 7, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House's Oval Office on May 6, 2025. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Canada can’t ignore climate change just because the U.S. is missing in action

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 7, 2025
  • At some point, the U.S. will again become a responsible stakeholder, but its failure to assume its responsibility is no excuse for Canada or

Canada can’t ignore climate change just because the U.S. is missing in action

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 7, 2025
  • At some point, the U.S. will again become a responsible stakeholder, but its failure to assume its responsibility is no excuse for Canada or
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House's Oval Office on May 6, 2025. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Canada’s government and banks are stuck on oil—and this is a problem

  • Economic success will only succeed if we become an innovation nation, not a petrostate. We have great talent in Canada and many ambitious entrepreneurs
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 27, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne at a press conference in the West Block on June 19, 2025. The challenge for the Carney government is to get Canada's banks and other financial institutions to think beyond pipelines to new sources of economic growth that are based on ideas, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s government and banks are stuck on oil—and this is a problem

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 27, 2025
  • Economic success will only succeed if we become an innovation nation, not a petrostate. We have great talent in Canada and many ambitious entrepreneurs

Canada’s government and banks are stuck on oil—and this is a problem

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 27, 2025
  • Economic success will only succeed if we become an innovation nation, not a petrostate. We have great talent in Canada and many ambitious entrepreneurs
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne at a press conference in the West Block on June 19, 2025. The challenge for the Carney government is to get Canada's banks and other financial institutions to think beyond pipelines to new sources of economic growth that are based on ideas, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s riding high right now, but his real tests are yet to come

  • Canadians will need clear evidence that there is a strategy to deliver real change and the political stamina to withstand a process that will
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 23, 2025
European Council President Antonio Costa, front left, Japan’s PM Shigeru Ishiba, Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Canada’s PM Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. PM Keir Starmer, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on June 16, 2025. Photograph courtesy of the Government of Canada

Carney’s riding high right now, but his real tests are yet to come

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 23, 2025
  • Canadians will need clear evidence that there is a strategy to deliver real change and the political stamina to withstand a process that will

Carney’s riding high right now, but his real tests are yet to come

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 23, 2025
  • Canadians will need clear evidence that there is a strategy to deliver real change and the political stamina to withstand a process that will
European Council President Antonio Costa, front left, Japan’s PM Shigeru Ishiba, Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Canada’s PM Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. PM Keir Starmer, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on June 16, 2025. Photograph courtesy of the Government of Canada

Achieving a pragmatic working relationship with China must be a foreign policy priority for Canada

  • There is much to gain from a stable and inclusive world that is not undone by competing muscle-flexing superpowers.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 16, 2025
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping
China's President Xi Jinping, pictured, was not invited to the G7 Leaders' Summit in Alberta, but Canada is making it quite clear that China has an important and positive role to play if our country is going to be economically less dependent on the United States, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Achieving a pragmatic working relationship with China must be a foreign policy priority for Canada

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 16, 2025
  • There is much to gain from a stable and inclusive world that is not undone by competing muscle-flexing superpowers.

Achieving a pragmatic working relationship with China must be a foreign policy priority for Canada

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 16, 2025
  • There is much to gain from a stable and inclusive world that is not undone by competing muscle-flexing superpowers.
Xi Jinping
China's President Xi Jinping, pictured, was not invited to the G7 Leaders' Summit in Alberta, but Canada is making it quite clear that China has an important and positive role to play if our country is going to be economically less dependent on the United States, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Carney must be rigorous and not succumb to extortion on viability of new nation-building projects

  • There is much we can do to advance nation building, but the choices must be transparent and Canadians must feel that the projects chosen
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 9, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured May 25, 2025, addressing the Liberal caucus on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney must be rigorous and not succumb to extortion on viability of new nation-building projects

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 9, 2025
  • There is much we can do to advance nation building, but the choices must be transparent and Canadians must feel that the projects chosen

Carney must be rigorous and not succumb to extortion on viability of new nation-building projects

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 9, 2025
  • There is much we can do to advance nation building, but the choices must be transparent and Canadians must feel that the projects chosen
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured May 25, 2025, addressing the Liberal caucus on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

King Charles delivered the message, now Carney’s got to deliver the goods

  • The Throne Speech was right to set out great opportunities and ambitions. But without some seriously clear-headed leadership and radical changes in public policies, it
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 2, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney
If we want to keep our country, we cannot afford yet another failure. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has to deliver a plan that will achieve success this time. Action not just words. And with much urgency, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

King Charles delivered the message, now Carney’s got to deliver the goods

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 2, 2025
  • The Throne Speech was right to set out great opportunities and ambitions. But without some seriously clear-headed leadership and radical changes in public policies, it

King Charles delivered the message, now Carney’s got to deliver the goods

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 2, 2025
  • The Throne Speech was right to set out great opportunities and ambitions. But without some seriously clear-headed leadership and radical changes in public policies, it
Prime Minister Mark Carney
If we want to keep our country, we cannot afford yet another failure. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has to deliver a plan that will achieve success this time. Action not just words. And with much urgency, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney will need to get a clear agreement on Canada’s future relationship with the U.S.

  • Despite our efforts to build a more independent economy, we are still going to need some kind of agreement with the U.S., a market
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 26, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House's Oval Office on May 6, 2025. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Carney will need to get a clear agreement on Canada’s future relationship with the U.S.

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 26, 2025
  • Despite our efforts to build a more independent economy, we are still going to need some kind of agreement with the U.S., a market

Carney will need to get a clear agreement on Canada’s future relationship with the U.S.

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 26, 2025
  • Despite our efforts to build a more independent economy, we are still going to need some kind of agreement with the U.S., a market
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House's Oval Office on May 6, 2025. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Champagne should give a state-of-the-economy update when the House gets back

  • It’s unlikely that Carney and his new cabinet will have much time for summer holidays if they are to deliver a more resilient and
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 19, 2025
François-Philippe Champagne
François-Philippe Champagne
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said there will be a fall economic statement, but no federal budget before the summer, which is being slammed by the opposition parties. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Champagne should give a state-of-the-economy update when the House gets back

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 19, 2025
  • It’s unlikely that Carney and his new cabinet will have much time for summer holidays if they are to deliver a more resilient and

Champagne should give a state-of-the-economy update when the House gets back

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 19, 2025
  • It’s unlikely that Carney and his new cabinet will have much time for summer holidays if they are to deliver a more resilient and
François-Philippe Champagne
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said there will be a fall economic statement, but no federal budget before the summer, which is being slammed by the opposition parties. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney must lead efforts to transform Canada’s economy

  • While dealing with the U.S. on our future relationship is critical, the effort to create a new Canadian economy is even more important.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 12, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that economy would become the strongest 'in the G7.' No matter the outcome of Canada-U.S. negotiations, this new economy matters even more, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney must lead efforts to transform Canada’s economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 12, 2025
  • While dealing with the U.S. on our future relationship is critical, the effort to create a new Canadian economy is even more important.

Carney must lead efforts to transform Canada’s economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 12, 2025
  • While dealing with the U.S. on our future relationship is critical, the effort to create a new Canadian economy is even more important.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that economy would become the strongest 'in the G7.' No matter the outcome of Canada-U.S. negotiations, this new economy matters even more, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Digital is the future, and Carney should name a minister for Canadian digital sovereignty

  • Canada must become a global digital superpower. This is the future and we must be part of that future.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 5, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet will face a mind-boggling agenda far beyond the typical demands facing a new government, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Digital is the future, and Carney should name a minister for Canadian digital sovereignty

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 5, 2025
  • Canada must become a global digital superpower. This is the future and we must be part of that future.

Digital is the future, and Carney should name a minister for Canadian digital sovereignty

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 5, 2025
  • Canada must become a global digital superpower. This is the future and we must be part of that future.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet will face a mind-boggling agenda far beyond the typical demands facing a new government, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Election campaign got it wrong, new government must get it right

  • Designing a far-reaching innovation/productivity strategy must be the core priority for the new government, and one that must preoccupy our newly elected prime minister
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 24, 2025
A person walks past the Queen’s Gate on April 23, 2025.
A person walks past the Queen’s Gate on April 23, 2025.
A person walks past the Queen’s Gate on April 23, 2025. Canada proclaims to be a world leader in AI, but Stanford University’s AI index ranking countries on various key indicators does not rank Canada in the top 10 AI nations, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Election campaign got it wrong, new government must get it right

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 24, 2025
  • Designing a far-reaching innovation/productivity strategy must be the core priority for the new government, and one that must preoccupy our newly elected prime minister

Election campaign got it wrong, new government must get it right

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 24, 2025
  • Designing a far-reaching innovation/productivity strategy must be the core priority for the new government, and one that must preoccupy our newly elected prime minister
A person walks past the Queen’s Gate on April 23, 2025.
A person walks past the Queen’s Gate on April 23, 2025. Canada proclaims to be a world leader in AI, but Stanford University’s AI index ranking countries on various key indicators does not rank Canada in the top 10 AI nations, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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We need more details on feds’ ‘build-back-better’ plan

  • TORONTO—One part of the Trudeau government’s fall economic statement was designed to reassure Canadians that support programs for families and small businesses will continue
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 7, 2020
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Sept. 15, 2020, on the Hill. Part of the fall economic statement was encouraging, but the government's outline of how it plans its 'build-back-better' promise, failed to deliver on the future direction, structural changes we need for a stronger economy. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We need more details on feds’ ‘build-back-better’ plan

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 7, 2020
  • TORONTO—One part of the Trudeau government’s fall economic statement was designed to reassure Canadians that support programs for families and small businesses will continue

We need more details on feds’ ‘build-back-better’ plan

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 7, 2020
  • TORONTO—One part of the Trudeau government’s fall economic statement was designed to reassure Canadians that support programs for families and small businesses will continue
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Sept. 15, 2020, on the Hill. Part of the fall economic statement was encouraging, but the government's outline of how it plans its 'build-back-better' promise, failed to deliver on the future direction, structural changes we need for a stronger economy. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Post-pandemic world will be different

  • TORONTO—At a time when Canada faces such big and difficult challenges, you’d think MPs and commentators would have something better to do than spin
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 30, 2020
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s forthcoming fiscal report is an opportunity for the federal government to set out the overarching enabling framework for a successful reset. So far, the Trudeau’s government's actions have been mixed, with both successes and failures, weakened by a lack of transparency behind its policies and a woeful absence of analytical support for its innovation, climate change, and other structural policies, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Post-pandemic world will be different

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 30, 2020
  • TORONTO—At a time when Canada faces such big and difficult challenges, you’d think MPs and commentators would have something better to do than spin

Post-pandemic world will be different

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 30, 2020
  • TORONTO—At a time when Canada faces such big and difficult challenges, you’d think MPs and commentators would have something better to do than spin
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s forthcoming fiscal report is an opportunity for the federal government to set out the overarching enabling framework for a successful reset. So far, the Trudeau’s government's actions have been mixed, with both successes and failures, weakened by a lack of transparency behind its policies and a woeful absence of analytical support for its innovation, climate change, and other structural policies, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Where are the serious leaders from Canada’s business community, the big-picture thinkers about the country’s future?

  • TORONTO—As we struggle to devise a strategy to successfully recover and rebuild the post-pandemic economy, someone is missing from the debate. Where are serious
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 23, 2020
In a somewhat condescending letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, left, on her appointment as minister of finance, Goldy Hyder, centre, president of the Business Council, reminded her that 'the government’s fiscal capacity is not unlimited,' and warned that Canada could face a repeat of the early 1990s fiscal crisis, which led to a sharp cut in federal spending, a prospect roundly dismissed by former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge, right, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and file photographs

Where are the serious leaders from Canada’s business community, the big-picture thinkers about the country’s future?

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 23, 2020
  • TORONTO—As we struggle to devise a strategy to successfully recover and rebuild the post-pandemic economy, someone is missing from the debate. Where are serious

Where are the serious leaders from Canada’s business community, the big-picture thinkers about the country’s future?

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 23, 2020
  • TORONTO—As we struggle to devise a strategy to successfully recover and rebuild the post-pandemic economy, someone is missing from the debate. Where are serious
In a somewhat condescending letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, left, on her appointment as minister of finance, Goldy Hyder, centre, president of the Business Council, reminded her that 'the government’s fiscal capacity is not unlimited,' and warned that Canada could face a repeat of the early 1990s fiscal crisis, which led to a sharp cut in federal spending, a prospect roundly dismissed by former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge, right, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and file photographs

We need to get serious about our future

  • TORONTO—We are still waiting for a serious statement from the Trudeau government on the country’s road forward, on how it plans to rebuild the
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 16, 2020
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Sept. 15, 2020, on the Hill. Canada needs a clear and credible fiscal update, followed early on by a budget, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We need to get serious about our future

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 16, 2020
  • TORONTO—We are still waiting for a serious statement from the Trudeau government on the country’s road forward, on how it plans to rebuild the

We need to get serious about our future

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 16, 2020
  • TORONTO—We are still waiting for a serious statement from the Trudeau government on the country’s road forward, on how it plans to rebuild the
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Sept. 15, 2020, on the Hill. Canada needs a clear and credible fiscal update, followed early on by a budget, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole’s big challenge will be to walk his talk

  • TORONTO—Are  Conservative parties now populist parties, shedding their traditional role as the advocates of balanced budgets, low taxes, light regulation, and free trade? It
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 9, 2020
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, pictured on Oct. 28, 2020, arriving for the Conservative party caucus meeting at Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa. Mr. O’Toole’s efforts, despite divisive language, to become a more populist politician will lead all of our political parties to focus on genuine grievances of large numbers of Canadians. If so, this could mean the average Canadian will be better off, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole’s big challenge will be to walk his talk

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 9, 2020
  • TORONTO—Are  Conservative parties now populist parties, shedding their traditional role as the advocates of balanced budgets, low taxes, light regulation, and free trade? It

O’Toole’s big challenge will be to walk his talk

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 9, 2020
  • TORONTO—Are  Conservative parties now populist parties, shedding their traditional role as the advocates of balanced budgets, low taxes, light regulation, and free trade? It
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, pictured on Oct. 28, 2020, arriving for the Conservative party caucus meeting at Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa. Mr. O’Toole’s efforts, despite divisive language, to become a more populist politician will lead all of our political parties to focus on genuine grievances of large numbers of Canadians. If so, this could mean the average Canadian will be better off, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Who will be the best leader to restore society after the pandemic? That’s the question

  • TORONTO—For the next election, the dividing line between the Liberals and Conservatives is becoming clearer. The overriding issue for many voters will be who
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 2, 2020
Who's got the right stuff: The overriding issue for many voters will be who will be the best leader going forward, Justin Trudeau or Erin O’Toole? And that means who will have the best ideas, and capacity to implement them, to rebuild, and restore after the pandemic? The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Who will be the best leader to restore society after the pandemic? That’s the question

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 2, 2020
  • TORONTO—For the next election, the dividing line between the Liberals and Conservatives is becoming clearer. The overriding issue for many voters will be who

Who will be the best leader to restore society after the pandemic? That’s the question

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 2, 2020
  • TORONTO—For the next election, the dividing line between the Liberals and Conservatives is becoming clearer. The overriding issue for many voters will be who
Who's got the right stuff: The overriding issue for many voters will be who will be the best leader going forward, Justin Trudeau or Erin O’Toole? And that means who will have the best ideas, and capacity to implement them, to rebuild, and restore after the pandemic? The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Retaining Ford and FCA assembly plants will bring some stability to Canada’s auto industry when it’s badly needed

  • TORONTO—There was an understandable—and huge—sigh of relief when both Ford Motor Co. and FCA announced they would convert their Ontario assembly plants to electric
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 26, 2020
Industry Minister Navdeep Bains cited the announcements as 'one story in a chapter in a book called the new, smart industrial policy.' But it looked more like just another chapter in a book called the old, industrial strategy because the federal and Ontario governments may end up providing  some $1-billion in subsidies to retain the two assembly plants, at a level of subsidy well above past supports for the industry, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Retaining Ford and FCA assembly plants will bring some stability to Canada’s auto industry when it’s badly needed

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 26, 2020
  • TORONTO—There was an understandable—and huge—sigh of relief when both Ford Motor Co. and FCA announced they would convert their Ontario assembly plants to electric

Retaining Ford and FCA assembly plants will bring some stability to Canada’s auto industry when it’s badly needed

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 26, 2020
  • TORONTO—There was an understandable—and huge—sigh of relief when both Ford Motor Co. and FCA announced they would convert their Ontario assembly plants to electric
Industry Minister Navdeep Bains cited the announcements as 'one story in a chapter in a book called the new, smart industrial policy.' But it looked more like just another chapter in a book called the old, industrial strategy because the federal and Ontario governments may end up providing  some $1-billion in subsidies to retain the two assembly plants, at a level of subsidy well above past supports for the industry, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds need to provide the analytical basis for new programs, like the superclusters project

  • TORONTO—In predicting that the promised economic benefits from the centrepiece of the government’s innovation strategy will fall far short of what Industry Minister Navdeep
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 19, 2020
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains, pictured on Oct. 8, 2020. The superclusters initiative is investing up to $950-million in public funds over five years, matched by an equal amount from business, universities, and other players, in five so-called superclusters—the ocean economy, artificial intelligence-powered supply chains, advanced manufacturing, protein industries, and digital technology, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds need to provide the analytical basis for new programs, like the superclusters project

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 19, 2020
  • TORONTO—In predicting that the promised economic benefits from the centrepiece of the government’s innovation strategy will fall far short of what Industry Minister Navdeep

Feds need to provide the analytical basis for new programs, like the superclusters project

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 19, 2020
  • TORONTO—In predicting that the promised economic benefits from the centrepiece of the government’s innovation strategy will fall far short of what Industry Minister Navdeep
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains, pictured on Oct. 8, 2020. The superclusters initiative is investing up to $950-million in public funds over five years, matched by an equal amount from business, universities, and other players, in five so-called superclusters—the ocean economy, artificial intelligence-powered supply chains, advanced manufacturing, protein industries, and digital technology, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Forget the deficit doomsters, the IMF’s got it right

  • TORONTO—With a projected federal budget deficit in the range of $350-billion in the current fiscal year, there are understandable worries over whether we are
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 12, 2020
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured in Ottawa on Aug. 18, 2020. With a projected federal budget deficit in the range of $350-billion in the current fiscal year, there are understandable worries over whether we are pushing ourselves over a fiscal cliff. While that is always a risk, the evidence suggests the answer is 'no,' so long as we make sure that we are careful in how we spend and what we spend, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Forget the deficit doomsters, the IMF’s got it right

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 12, 2020
  • TORONTO—With a projected federal budget deficit in the range of $350-billion in the current fiscal year, there are understandable worries over whether we are

Forget the deficit doomsters, the IMF’s got it right

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 12, 2020
  • TORONTO—With a projected federal budget deficit in the range of $350-billion in the current fiscal year, there are understandable worries over whether we are
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured in Ottawa on Aug. 18, 2020. With a projected federal budget deficit in the range of $350-billion in the current fiscal year, there are understandable worries over whether we are pushing ourselves over a fiscal cliff. While that is always a risk, the evidence suggests the answer is 'no,' so long as we make sure that we are careful in how we spend and what we spend, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bold aspirations are not enough

  • TORONTO—It is quite a promise. But in its recent Throne Speech the Trudeau government pledged it would “ensure Canada is the most competitive jurisdiction
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 5, 2020
Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, pictured on Sept. 23, 2020, reading the Throne Speech. Pursuing the green economy is the right way for Canada to go. But we need much clearer priorities—including the development of Canadian companies—and ongoing review and improved transparency to track the value that various policies are supposed to deliver. We don’t see that today, writes David Crane. Image courtesy of CPAC screen capture

Bold aspirations are not enough

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 5, 2020
  • TORONTO—It is quite a promise. But in its recent Throne Speech the Trudeau government pledged it would “ensure Canada is the most competitive jurisdiction

Bold aspirations are not enough

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 5, 2020
  • TORONTO—It is quite a promise. But in its recent Throne Speech the Trudeau government pledged it would “ensure Canada is the most competitive jurisdiction
Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, pictured on Sept. 23, 2020, reading the Throne Speech. Pursuing the green economy is the right way for Canada to go. But we need much clearer priorities—including the development of Canadian companies—and ongoing review and improved transparency to track the value that various policies are supposed to deliver. We don’t see that today, writes David Crane. Image courtesy of CPAC screen capture

Throne Speech fails to set out a credible plan for the future economy

  • TORONTO—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had been promising an ambitious Throne Speech. For those of us hoping he would include bold plans for building back
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 28, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Sept. 23, 2020, on the Hill before the Throne Speech. While there was a welcome sense of urgency in the Throne Speech in trying to avert a new upsurge in the deadly COVID-19 virus, and a commitment to continue fiscal supports through the crisis, the necessary measures to achieve a successful 'build back better' economy are still missing, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Throne Speech fails to set out a credible plan for the future economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 28, 2020
  • TORONTO—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had been promising an ambitious Throne Speech. For those of us hoping he would include bold plans for building back

Throne Speech fails to set out a credible plan for the future economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 28, 2020
  • TORONTO—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had been promising an ambitious Throne Speech. For those of us hoping he would include bold plans for building back
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Sept. 23, 2020, on the Hill before the Throne Speech. While there was a welcome sense of urgency in the Throne Speech in trying to avert a new upsurge in the deadly COVID-19 virus, and a commitment to continue fiscal supports through the crisis, the necessary measures to achieve a successful 'build back better' economy are still missing, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Liberals should heed David Dodge’s plan to fix the economy

  • TORONTO—David Dodge has done Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland a huge favour. The former deputy minister of finance and governor
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 21, 2020
Former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge released a paper in September recommending a plan to get Canada's stagnant economy on track. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is in charge of crafting the government's plan, which will be unveiled in the upcoming Throne Speech and the next budget. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, file photograph

Liberals should heed David Dodge’s plan to fix the economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 21, 2020
  • TORONTO—David Dodge has done Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland a huge favour. The former deputy minister of finance and governor

Liberals should heed David Dodge’s plan to fix the economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 21, 2020
  • TORONTO—David Dodge has done Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland a huge favour. The former deputy minister of finance and governor
Former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge released a paper in September recommending a plan to get Canada's stagnant economy on track. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is in charge of crafting the government's plan, which will be unveiled in the upcoming Throne Speech and the next budget. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, file photograph

Canada needs better ways to transform early stage companies into future global champions

  • TORONTO—Writing in the Global Innovation Index 2020 report, Yaron Daniely of Israel’s aMoon Venture Fund, worries that his country—highlighted in the best-selling book, Start-Up
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 14, 2020
Canadian taxpayers invest billions of dollars to train tech talent, fund university-based scientific research and provide grants and tax incentives for early stage tech companies. But if much of this effort ends up simply expanding jobs, intellectual property and, consequently, tax revenues in other countries, what’s the benefit for Canada, writes David Crane. Image courtesy of Pexels.com

Canada needs better ways to transform early stage companies into future global champions

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 14, 2020
  • TORONTO—Writing in the Global Innovation Index 2020 report, Yaron Daniely of Israel’s aMoon Venture Fund, worries that his country—highlighted in the best-selling book, Start-Up

Canada needs better ways to transform early stage companies into future global champions

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 14, 2020
  • TORONTO—Writing in the Global Innovation Index 2020 report, Yaron Daniely of Israel’s aMoon Venture Fund, worries that his country—highlighted in the best-selling book, Start-Up
Canadian taxpayers invest billions of dollars to train tech talent, fund university-based scientific research and provide grants and tax incentives for early stage tech companies. But if much of this effort ends up simply expanding jobs, intellectual property and, consequently, tax revenues in other countries, what’s the benefit for Canada, writes David Crane. Image courtesy of Pexels.com

Time for a bold changes to foster innovation

  • TORONTO—Much of the speculation over the forthcoming Throne Speech suggests the Trudeau government plans a significant focus on social policy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 7, 2020
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains. His Innovation, Science and Economic Development department has cast Canada as a rising innovation superstar, but the data tells a different story, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time for a bold changes to foster innovation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 7, 2020
  • TORONTO—Much of the speculation over the forthcoming Throne Speech suggests the Trudeau government plans a significant focus on social policy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Time for a bold changes to foster innovation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 7, 2020
  • TORONTO—Much of the speculation over the forthcoming Throne Speech suggests the Trudeau government plans a significant focus on social policy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains. His Innovation, Science and Economic Development department has cast Canada as a rising innovation superstar, but the data tells a different story, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s economy is stalled, and old-fashioned corporate handouts won’t help us

  • TORONTO—“This is a crisis like no other and will have a recovery like no other,” warns Gita Gopinatch, the head of research at the
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 31, 2020
Any policies Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduces to put Canada's economy back on track must demonstrably improve economic and social well-being. This is no time for political pandering by throwing money at favoured groups, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s economy is stalled, and old-fashioned corporate handouts won’t help us

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 31, 2020
  • TORONTO—“This is a crisis like no other and will have a recovery like no other,” warns Gita Gopinatch, the head of research at the

Canada’s economy is stalled, and old-fashioned corporate handouts won’t help us

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 31, 2020
  • TORONTO—“This is a crisis like no other and will have a recovery like no other,” warns Gita Gopinatch, the head of research at the
Any policies Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduces to put Canada's economy back on track must demonstrably improve economic and social well-being. This is no time for political pandering by throwing money at favoured groups, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Stronger social policies help all of us, not only the poor

  • TORONTO—The COVID-19 pandemic clearly shows how dependent our society is on frontline workers. Caregivers in nursing homes, grocery clerks, and warehouse and delivery workers
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 24, 2020
Activists marched to Parliament Hill in 2017 to protest the government's social housing program. The event was organized by the Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) and supported by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Stronger social policies help all of us, not only the poor

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 24, 2020
  • TORONTO—The COVID-19 pandemic clearly shows how dependent our society is on frontline workers. Caregivers in nursing homes, grocery clerks, and warehouse and delivery workers

Stronger social policies help all of us, not only the poor

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 24, 2020
  • TORONTO—The COVID-19 pandemic clearly shows how dependent our society is on frontline workers. Caregivers in nursing homes, grocery clerks, and warehouse and delivery workers
Activists marched to Parliament Hill in 2017 to protest the government's social housing program. The event was organized by the Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) and supported by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Last thing the world needs is a new Cold War, this time with China

  • TORONTO—Global Affairs Canada says that Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne has “called for a new framework for Canada-China relations.” But when will we see
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 10, 2020
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has argued, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent inflammatory speech denouncing China as the latest example, that U.S. president Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger accomplished nothing in establishing diplomatic relations with China. Instead, the Trump administration seeks to isolate China and force it to bend to America’s will, writes David Crane. Photographs courtesy of Flickr

Last thing the world needs is a new Cold War, this time with China

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 10, 2020
  • TORONTO—Global Affairs Canada says that Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne has “called for a new framework for Canada-China relations.” But when will we see

Last thing the world needs is a new Cold War, this time with China

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 10, 2020
  • TORONTO—Global Affairs Canada says that Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne has “called for a new framework for Canada-China relations.” But when will we see
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has argued, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent inflammatory speech denouncing China as the latest example, that U.S. president Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger accomplished nothing in establishing diplomatic relations with China. Instead, the Trump administration seeks to isolate China and force it to bend to America’s will, writes David Crane. Photographs courtesy of Flickr

Canada cannot be drawn into a false choice between United States and China

  • TORONTO—Oct. 13 will be the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Canada and China. But how will the Trudeau government mark
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 3, 2020
Canadians Michael Spavor, left, and Michael Kovrig, been detained by Chinese authorities since December 2018. Canada cannot allow itself to be drawn into a false choice between the United States and China. Despite differences with China in many areas—Canada has to restore a relationship with China, which probably will not be possible until the two Michaels episode is resolved, writes David Crane. Photographs courtesy of Twitter and the International Crisis Group

Canada cannot be drawn into a false choice between United States and China

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 3, 2020
  • TORONTO—Oct. 13 will be the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Canada and China. But how will the Trudeau government mark

Canada cannot be drawn into a false choice between United States and China

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 3, 2020
  • TORONTO—Oct. 13 will be the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Canada and China. But how will the Trudeau government mark
Canadians Michael Spavor, left, and Michael Kovrig, been detained by Chinese authorities since December 2018. Canada cannot allow itself to be drawn into a false choice between the United States and China. Despite differences with China in many areas—Canada has to restore a relationship with China, which probably will not be possible until the two Michaels episode is resolved, writes David Crane. Photographs courtesy of Twitter and the International Crisis Group

Rebuilding our way out of COVID-19 pandemic won’t be easy

  • TORONTO—Rebuilding our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic will not be easy. We will need an economy that can deliver good jobs, produce high-value
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 27, 2020
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured July 22, 2020, leaving the West Block on Parliament Hill. There are many opportunities facing us, but also many challenges in the post-pandemic future, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Rebuilding our way out of COVID-19 pandemic won’t be easy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 27, 2020
  • TORONTO—Rebuilding our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic will not be easy. We will need an economy that can deliver good jobs, produce high-value

Rebuilding our way out of COVID-19 pandemic won’t be easy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 27, 2020
  • TORONTO—Rebuilding our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic will not be easy. We will need an economy that can deliver good jobs, produce high-value
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured July 22, 2020, leaving the West Block on Parliament Hill. There are many opportunities facing us, but also many challenges in the post-pandemic future, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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