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Tuesday, January 27, 2026

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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.

IMF report says Canada’s elevated trade uncertainty reinforces long-standing weaknesses in productivity and competitiveness

  • So while Mark Carney’s efforts to develop new markets and new partnerships around the world matter, without a corresponding effort to boost Canadian innovation
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 26, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking to expand Canada's exports to China by 50 per cent by 2030, or from about $30-billion to $45-billion. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

IMF report says Canada’s elevated trade uncertainty reinforces long-standing weaknesses in productivity and competitiveness

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 26, 2026
  • So while Mark Carney’s efforts to develop new markets and new partnerships around the world matter, without a corresponding effort to boost Canadian innovation

IMF report says Canada’s elevated trade uncertainty reinforces long-standing weaknesses in productivity and competitiveness

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 26, 2026
  • So while Mark Carney’s efforts to develop new markets and new partnerships around the world matter, without a corresponding effort to boost Canadian innovation
Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking to expand Canada's exports to China by 50 per cent by 2030, or from about $30-billion to $45-billion. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Canada now needs a backup plan for our auto industry

  • Canada is, by far, the U.S. auto industry’s largest export market and the cross-border value chains have worked well for all three countries. So
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 19, 2026
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly speaks at Canada's Competition Summit in Ottawa on Oct. 1, 2025. If Canada is to participate in the auto industry of the future, it should strive to do so through proprietary, and increasingly digital technology of Canadian firms, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada now needs a backup plan for our auto industry

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 19, 2026
  • Canada is, by far, the U.S. auto industry’s largest export market and the cross-border value chains have worked well for all three countries. So

Canada now needs a backup plan for our auto industry

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 19, 2026
  • Canada is, by far, the U.S. auto industry’s largest export market and the cross-border value chains have worked well for all three countries. So
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly speaks at Canada's Competition Summit in Ottawa on Oct. 1, 2025. If Canada is to participate in the auto industry of the future, it should strive to do so through proprietary, and increasingly digital technology of Canadian firms, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump wants to squeeze us hard enough so we come begging

  • Our test is to prove him wrong, and not sacrifice the future for the present.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 12, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump's pressures will aim to divide Canadians both between industries and between regions, that the U.S. seeks to dominate the Western Hemisphere, including Canada, and sees us as a vassal state. Canadian resolve will be sorely tested and there will be influential Canadians arguing for costly appeasement, writes David Crane.  Image courtesy of Pixabay/Gabriel Douglas

Trump wants to squeeze us hard enough so we come begging

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 12, 2026
  • Our test is to prove him wrong, and not sacrifice the future for the present.

Trump wants to squeeze us hard enough so we come begging

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | January 12, 2026
  • Our test is to prove him wrong, and not sacrifice the future for the present.
U.S. President Donald Trump's pressures will aim to divide Canadians both between industries and between regions, that the U.S. seeks to dominate the Western Hemisphere, including Canada, and sees us as a vassal state. Canadian resolve will be sorely tested and there will be influential Canadians arguing for costly appeasement, writes David Crane.  Image courtesy of Pixabay/Gabriel Douglas

Transforming Canada’s economy for a better future is an enormous challenge

  • But much will depend on the Carney government’s ability to persuade Canadians that current difficulties, and the risk of stagnant incomes as living costs
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 24, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to get Canada on a new growth path in our increasingly uncertain world by investing $1-trillion in public and private money over the next five years and a doubling of Canada’s non-U.S. exports of goods and services to $600-billion over the next 10 years, but it will not be easy, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Transforming Canada’s economy for a better future is an enormous challenge

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 24, 2025
  • But much will depend on the Carney government’s ability to persuade Canadians that current difficulties, and the risk of stagnant incomes as living costs

Transforming Canada’s economy for a better future is an enormous challenge

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 24, 2025
  • But much will depend on the Carney government’s ability to persuade Canadians that current difficulties, and the risk of stagnant incomes as living costs
Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to get Canada on a new growth path in our increasingly uncertain world by investing $1-trillion in public and private money over the next five years and a doubling of Canada’s non-U.S. exports of goods and services to $600-billion over the next 10 years, but it will not be easy, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s new national security strategy raises alarms, fears over threats posed to Canada’s sovereignty and prosperity

  • There will be little tolerance for countries pursuing policies that run counter to U.S. commercial interests and, in the Western Hemisphere, little hesitation in
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 15, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, pictured with Prime Minister Mark Carney on May 6, 2025, at the White House, has had Canada in his sights since assuming office last January. But if Canada is not to become the 51st U.S. state, then it must at least become, for him, a vassal state, subservient to U.S. interests, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of White House photographer Gabriel B. Kotico

Trump’s new national security strategy raises alarms, fears over threats posed to Canada’s sovereignty and prosperity

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 15, 2025
  • There will be little tolerance for countries pursuing policies that run counter to U.S. commercial interests and, in the Western Hemisphere, little hesitation in

Trump’s new national security strategy raises alarms, fears over threats posed to Canada’s sovereignty and prosperity

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 15, 2025
  • There will be little tolerance for countries pursuing policies that run counter to U.S. commercial interests and, in the Western Hemisphere, little hesitation in
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, pictured with Prime Minister Mark Carney on May 6, 2025, at the White House, has had Canada in his sights since assuming office last January. But if Canada is not to become the 51st U.S. state, then it must at least become, for him, a vassal state, subservient to U.S. interests, writes David Crane. Photograph courtesy of White House photographer Gabriel B. Kotico

Building up Canada’s defence sector will depend on long-term homegrown support

  • The promised defence industrial strategy offers a significant opportunity to advance Canada’s innovation performance and the high-value jobs that should go with it. The
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 8, 2025
Defence Minister David McGuinty, pictured third from left with Canada's Chief of Defence Jennie Carignan, right, is one of the ministers in charge of bolstering Canada’s defence capabilities. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Building up Canada’s defence sector will depend on long-term homegrown support

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 8, 2025
  • The promised defence industrial strategy offers a significant opportunity to advance Canada’s innovation performance and the high-value jobs that should go with it. The

Building up Canada’s defence sector will depend on long-term homegrown support

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 8, 2025
  • The promised defence industrial strategy offers a significant opportunity to advance Canada’s innovation performance and the high-value jobs that should go with it. The
Defence Minister David McGuinty, pictured third from left with Canada's Chief of Defence Jennie Carignan, right, is one of the ministers in charge of bolstering Canada’s defence capabilities. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Expanding exports to the rest of the world unlike anything Canada has tried to before

  • No previous prime minister has spent so much time in meeting world leaders, nor done so much so quickly. Yet spending this time is
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 1, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney has also made commitments to Britain, the European Union, various European countries including France, Germany, Poland and Sweden, Mexico, Korea, India, Indonesia, and other ASEAN nations, Brazil, and China.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Expanding exports to the rest of the world unlike anything Canada has tried to before

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 1, 2025
  • No previous prime minister has spent so much time in meeting world leaders, nor done so much so quickly. Yet spending this time is

Expanding exports to the rest of the world unlike anything Canada has tried to before

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | December 1, 2025
  • No previous prime minister has spent so much time in meeting world leaders, nor done so much so quickly. Yet spending this time is
Prime Minister Mark Carney has also made commitments to Britain, the European Union, various European countries including France, Germany, Poland and Sweden, Mexico, Korea, India, Indonesia, and other ASEAN nations, Brazil, and China.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget delivers measures to grow the economy, but fails to deliver urgently needed transformation and generational change

  • A new Council of Canadian Academies report underlines that bolder and more ambitious policies for innovation and productivity are needed now, more than ever.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 24, 2025
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne speaks to reporters in the House of Commons foyer after the vote on the 2025 federal budget passes on Nov. 17. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget delivers measures to grow the economy, but fails to deliver urgently needed transformation and generational change

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 24, 2025
  • A new Council of Canadian Academies report underlines that bolder and more ambitious policies for innovation and productivity are needed now, more than ever.

Budget delivers measures to grow the economy, but fails to deliver urgently needed transformation and generational change

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 24, 2025
  • A new Council of Canadian Academies report underlines that bolder and more ambitious policies for innovation and productivity are needed now, more than ever.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne speaks to reporters in the House of Commons foyer after the vote on the 2025 federal budget passes on Nov. 17. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget 2025 is more of the same

  • The budget has positive measures, but it fails to provide a credible plan for the future. What is the Carney government’s vision for the
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 17, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne prepare to present the 2025 budget in the House of Commons on Nov. 4. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget 2025 is more of the same

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 17, 2025
  • The budget has positive measures, but it fails to provide a credible plan for the future. What is the Carney government’s vision for the

Budget 2025 is more of the same

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 17, 2025
  • The budget has positive measures, but it fails to provide a credible plan for the future. What is the Carney government’s vision for the
Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne prepare to present the 2025 budget in the House of Commons on Nov. 4. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

First budget in years to tackle Canada’s dismal performance in innovation and investment, but we could still fall short: need guardrails

  • We need to truly transform our economy when so much around us is changing so fast. We need an arm’s length council to independently
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 10, 2025
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured inside the media budget lockup in the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive in Ottawa before holding his press conference on the budget on Nov. 4, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

First budget in years to tackle Canada’s dismal performance in innovation and investment, but we could still fall short: need guardrails

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 10, 2025
  • We need to truly transform our economy when so much around us is changing so fast. We need an arm’s length council to independently

First budget in years to tackle Canada’s dismal performance in innovation and investment, but we could still fall short: need guardrails

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 10, 2025
  • We need to truly transform our economy when so much around us is changing so fast. We need an arm’s length council to independently
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured inside the media budget lockup in the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive in Ottawa before holding his press conference on the budget on Nov. 4, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As Trump tries to destroy our economy, Carney should be selling Canada as a nation of leading tech and innovation to the world, not as an energy superpower

  • Canada lacks the capacity for transformative change. If the Nov. 4 budget fails to change that, our nation will be more of a bystander
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 3, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, second right, pictured on Oct. 7, 2025, with U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and other top Canadian and American politicians and officials in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. Photograph courtesy of the White House

As Trump tries to destroy our economy, Carney should be selling Canada as a nation of leading tech and innovation to the world, not as an energy superpower

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 3, 2025
  • Canada lacks the capacity for transformative change. If the Nov. 4 budget fails to change that, our nation will be more of a bystander

As Trump tries to destroy our economy, Carney should be selling Canada as a nation of leading tech and innovation to the world, not as an energy superpower

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | November 3, 2025
  • Canada lacks the capacity for transformative change. If the Nov. 4 budget fails to change that, our nation will be more of a bystander
Prime Minister Mark Carney, second right, pictured on Oct. 7, 2025, with U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and other top Canadian and American politicians and officials in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. Photograph courtesy of the White House

Carney’s big promises all hinge on Canadians’ trust

  • The real test will come with the delivery of Liberal commitments, which makes next month’s budget so important.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 27, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney's biggest challenge is to win Canadians' trust, to convince them that he's on the right track, and that he's pursuing a short-term-pain-for-long-term-gain strategy that is in Canada’s best interests, David Crane writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s big promises all hinge on Canadians’ trust

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 27, 2025
  • The real test will come with the delivery of Liberal commitments, which makes next month’s budget so important.

Carney’s big promises all hinge on Canadians’ trust

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | October 27, 2025
  • The real test will come with the delivery of Liberal commitments, which makes next month’s budget so important.
Prime Minister Mark Carney's biggest challenge is to win Canadians' trust, to convince them that he's on the right track, and that he's pursuing a short-term-pain-for-long-term-gain strategy that is in Canada’s best interests, David Crane writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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
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We need a serious growth plan for Canada, like the EU’s

  • The European Union's recent report sets out priorities, a plan, and an estimated cost. This is what we need: something solid and serious for
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 23, 2024
Tiff Macklem
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

We need a serious growth plan for Canada, like the EU’s

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 23, 2024
  • The European Union's recent report sets out priorities, a plan, and an estimated cost. This is what we need: something solid and serious for

We need a serious growth plan for Canada, like the EU’s

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 23, 2024
  • The European Union's recent report sets out priorities, a plan, and an estimated cost. This is what we need: something solid and serious for
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

Economic challenges need more than pages for next Liberal platform

  • Mark Carney’s task force may improve things at the margins, but we will need much more than a short-term project.
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

Economic challenges need more than pages for next Liberal platform

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 16, 2024
  • Mark Carney’s task force may improve things at the margins, but we will need much more than a short-term project.

Economic challenges need more than pages for next Liberal platform

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 16, 2024
  • Mark Carney’s task force may improve things at the margins, but we will need much more than a short-term project.
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

Canada sends message that we are part of ‘America First’

  • On EVs, the feds ignored the process of implementing trade defensive measures, and instead adopted a secretive process to simply appropriate an arbitrary U.S.
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

Canada sends message that we are part of ‘America First’

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 9, 2024
  • On EVs, the feds ignored the process of implementing trade defensive measures, and instead adopted a secretive process to simply appropriate an arbitrary U.S.

Canada sends message that we are part of ‘America First’

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 9, 2024
  • On EVs, the feds ignored the process of implementing trade defensive measures, and instead adopted a secretive process to simply appropriate an arbitrary U.S.
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

Protectionism is not the answer on Chinese EVs

  • Our government, supported by the official opposition, is doing more harm than good by ignoring due process and undermining the global rules-based system.
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

Protectionism is not the answer on Chinese EVs

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 2, 2024
  • Our government, supported by the official opposition, is doing more harm than good by ignoring due process and undermining the global rules-based system.

Protectionism is not the answer on Chinese EVs

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | September 2, 2024
  • Our government, supported by the official opposition, is doing more harm than good by ignoring due process and undermining the global rules-based system.
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

Green transition offers a chance for Canadian wealth creation

  • Providing patient, long-term capital for our future winners is critical.
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

Green transition offers a chance for Canadian wealth creation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 26, 2024
  • Providing patient, long-term capital for our future winners is critical.

Green transition offers a chance for Canadian wealth creation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 26, 2024
  • Providing patient, long-term capital for our future winners is critical.
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

Canada needs a new growth agenda

  • More Canadian talent will be motivated to move south unless we can do much better on innovation and productivity.
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

Canada needs a new growth agenda

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 19, 2024
  • More Canadian talent will be motivated to move south unless we can do much better on innovation and productivity.

Canada needs a new growth agenda

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 19, 2024
  • More Canadian talent will be motivated to move south unless we can do much better on innovation and productivity.
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

Canada has to focus on becoming a genuine innovation nation

  • If Canadians want a better-performing economy, then much more attention will have to be focused on innovation-driven productivity, skills training, and bringing more Canadians
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

Canada has to focus on becoming a genuine innovation nation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 12, 2024
  • If Canadians want a better-performing economy, then much more attention will have to be focused on innovation-driven productivity, skills training, and bringing more Canadians

Canada has to focus on becoming a genuine innovation nation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 12, 2024
  • If Canadians want a better-performing economy, then much more attention will have to be focused on innovation-driven productivity, skills training, and bringing more Canadians
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

Trump administration would put ‘robust emphasis’ on fossil fuels

  • Donald Trump would once again pull the U.S. out of global climate commitments and negotiations under the 2015 Paris Accord, recently calling it a 'rip-off
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

Trump administration would put ‘robust emphasis’ on fossil fuels

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 1, 2024
  • Donald Trump would once again pull the U.S. out of global climate commitments and negotiations under the 2015 Paris Accord, recently calling it a 'rip-off

Trump administration would put ‘robust emphasis’ on fossil fuels

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | August 1, 2024
  • Donald Trump would once again pull the U.S. out of global climate commitments and negotiations under the 2015 Paris Accord, recently calling it a 'rip-off
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

We need to seize our potential now for young Canadians

  • There remain too many troubling signs that the concern is still not enough to redefine our priorities to ensure young Canadians have good cause
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

We need to seize our potential now for young Canadians

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 29, 2024
  • There remain too many troubling signs that the concern is still not enough to redefine our priorities to ensure young Canadians have good cause

We need to seize our potential now for young Canadians

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 29, 2024
  • There remain too many troubling signs that the concern is still not enough to redefine our priorities to ensure young Canadians have good cause
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

Is Canada broken? The IMF says no, but we do need to boost our productivity

  • A new IMF report provides a balanced view of where Canada is at than the mangled exchanges and accusations between our supposedly adult parliamentarians.
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 22, 2024
Peace Towe
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

Is Canada broken? The IMF says no, but we do need to boost our productivity

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 22, 2024
  • A new IMF report provides a balanced view of where Canada is at than the mangled exchanges and accusations between our supposedly adult parliamentarians.

Is Canada broken? The IMF says no, but we do need to boost our productivity

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 22, 2024
  • A new IMF report provides a balanced view of where Canada is at than the mangled exchanges and accusations between our supposedly adult parliamentarians.
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

Canada needs a fresh approach on innovation

  • Innovation is about bringing new ideas to market. This, built on technological progress and investment in intangibles, is the key source of productivity-boosting economic
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 15, 2024
Minister François-Philippe Champagne
Minister François-Philippe Champagne
Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne pictured recently in a Hill scrum. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada needs a fresh approach on innovation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 15, 2024
  • Innovation is about bringing new ideas to market. This, built on technological progress and investment in intangibles, is the key source of productivity-boosting economic

Canada needs a fresh approach on innovation

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 15, 2024
  • Innovation is about bringing new ideas to market. This, built on technological progress and investment in intangibles, is the key source of productivity-boosting economic
Minister François-Philippe Champagne
Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne pictured recently in a Hill scrum. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bumpy road ahead for CUSMA negotiations

  • Would it be better to have a bad deal than no deal at all? The very question would test Canadian unity.
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

Bumpy road ahead for CUSMA negotiations

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 8, 2024
  • Would it be better to have a bad deal than no deal at all? The very question would test Canadian unity.

Bumpy road ahead for CUSMA negotiations

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 8, 2024
  • Would it be better to have a bad deal than no deal at all? The very question would test Canadian unity.
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

What this country needs is more pride and hope, especially right now

  • What's missing is a strong sense of patriotism—a pride in what we have accomplished as a country, a love of country, and a commitment
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

What this country needs is more pride and hope, especially right now

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 1, 2024
  • What's missing is a strong sense of patriotism—a pride in what we have accomplished as a country, a love of country, and a commitment

What this country needs is more pride and hope, especially right now

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | July 1, 2024
  • What's missing is a strong sense of patriotism—a pride in what we have accomplished as a country, a love of country, and a commitment
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

New report shows Canada’s economic weaknesses date back to 2006, covering Harper and Trudeau years

  • The Bennett Jones report sets out some directions in taxation, competition, immigration, investment, and the green energy transition, but no policy map. It also
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

New report shows Canada’s economic weaknesses date back to 2006, covering Harper and Trudeau years

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 24, 2024
  • The Bennett Jones report sets out some directions in taxation, competition, immigration, investment, and the green energy transition, but no policy map. It also

New report shows Canada’s economic weaknesses date back to 2006, covering Harper and Trudeau years

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 24, 2024
  • The Bennett Jones report sets out some directions in taxation, competition, immigration, investment, and the green energy transition, but no policy map. It also
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

Our political leaders are afraid to confront Canadians with the challenges we face for a better future

  • The big issues facing Canada will likely be sidelined since neither Liberals nor Conservatives want to face up to them even though this country’s
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 13, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Our political leaders are afraid to confront Canadians with the challenges we face for a better future

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 13, 2024
  • The big issues facing Canada will likely be sidelined since neither Liberals nor Conservatives want to face up to them even though this country’s

Our political leaders are afraid to confront Canadians with the challenges we face for a better future

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 13, 2024
  • The big issues facing Canada will likely be sidelined since neither Liberals nor Conservatives want to face up to them even though this country’s
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Prime Minister Justin. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Canada can do better than just being a branch-plant economy

  • We need to be more innovative. But innovation takes place in companies, and if you don’t have them, you don’t have the innovation. That’s our
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

Canada can do better than just being a branch-plant economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 10, 2024
  • We need to be more innovative. But innovation takes place in companies, and if you don’t have them, you don’t have the innovation. That’s our

Canada can do better than just being a branch-plant economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 10, 2024
  • We need to be more innovative. But innovation takes place in companies, and if you don’t have them, you don’t have the innovation. That’s our
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

Longer-term trends on climate change are truly ominous

  • We know that life on Earth will become more difficult if we fail to act with a heightened sense of urgency,  But we also
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

Longer-term trends on climate change are truly ominous

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 3, 2024
  • We know that life on Earth will become more difficult if we fail to act with a heightened sense of urgency,  But we also

Longer-term trends on climate change are truly ominous

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | June 3, 2024
  • We know that life on Earth will become more difficult if we fail to act with a heightened sense of urgency,  But we also
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

Canada faces a dangerous tipping point on its economy

  • We are not developing the kind of industries—and hence the kind of jobs, productivity and wealth—we need to preserve, sustain and improve the kind
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

Canada faces a dangerous tipping point on its economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 27, 2024
  • We are not developing the kind of industries—and hence the kind of jobs, productivity and wealth—we need to preserve, sustain and improve the kind

Canada faces a dangerous tipping point on its economy

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 27, 2024
  • We are not developing the kind of industries—and hence the kind of jobs, productivity and wealth—we need to preserve, sustain and improve the kind
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

Innovation will continue with or without capital gains tax hike

  • It’s unlikely that Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, or any of their early-stage investors were fixated on the capital gains tax rate when
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

Innovation will continue with or without capital gains tax hike

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 20, 2024
  • It’s unlikely that Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, or any of their early-stage investors were fixated on the capital gains tax rate when

Innovation will continue with or without capital gains tax hike

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 20, 2024
  • It’s unlikely that Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, or any of their early-stage investors were fixated on the capital gains tax rate when
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

Freeland should find a better way to achieve tax reform

  • Chrystia Freeland's tax changes smack much more of poetical expediency or desperation, dressed up as a campaign to single out the richest for not
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

Freeland should find a better way to achieve tax reform

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 13, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland's tax changes smack much more of poetical expediency or desperation, dressed up as a campaign to single out the richest for not

Freeland should find a better way to achieve tax reform

Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | May 13, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland's tax changes smack much more of poetical expediency or desperation, dressed up as a campaign to single out the richest for not
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

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