Capability-centred innovation in post-pandemic Canada more important than ever
Digitization has become a reality for Canadians a lot quicker than the experts would have predicted only a few weeks ago. Digital cafés, Google meet-ups, and other virtual remote work arrangements have enabled us to continue to be productive and social. However, we often overlook the fact that the reason a significant percentage of Canadians […]
Fast funding, fast decisions, fast research, and later, a need for a pause
CALGARY—The COVID-19 pandemic is a societal grand challenge—a biological phenomenon that has been jarring in its sudden appearance, quick propagation, and steady march across the globe, sparing no country. Responses have been remarkable. Governments have decisively implemented drastic measures: shut-downs with significant economic effects and limits to personal freedoms, health system adaptations to accommodate a […]
Canada is tapping into ingenuity of businesses and manufacturers to help fight COVID-19
COVID-19 has presented all Canadians with unprecedented challenges. The magnitude and scale of the fight against COVID-19 has proven all-encompassing, leading the Government of Canada to commit to a whole-of-government, all-hands-on-deck approach to fighting this pandemic. Needless to say, the public health impacts of COVID-19 are paramount, compelling us all to marvel at the tremendous […]
Canada will have to prepare for a much tougher competitive environment
TORONTO—In the post-pandemic world, Canada will have to prepare for a much tougher competitive environment. Countries around the world will be focusing on creating competitive advantage in skills and technology for their future prosperity. The best jobs and the biggest gains in wealth creation will go to those countries that are most successful in developing […]
Lockdown-exit plans missing three key elements
What seemed like merely a tantalizing possibility mere weeks ago is slowly and carefully becoming a reality in Canada: provinces are moving to gradually ease COVID-19 lockdowns. Political leaders are taking what they believe is a responsible, staged approach. No one wants an echo pandemic, after all. But for all their care, leaders must also […]
Canada should welcome refugee claimants from Hong Kong
On May 3, The Globe and Mail reported that nearly 50 Hong Kong residents are seeking refuge in Canada, citing harassment and police brutality following the massive pro-democracy demonstrations that have rocked Hong Kong. The article quoted Vancouver-based immigration lawyer Richard Kurland, who says that refugee claimants may struggle to prove that they face persecution […]
Workers should be front and centre in feds’ relief efforts for aviation, hospitality sectors
If you have ever grabbed a cup of coffee rushing through Ottawa International Airport, eaten a meal on an Air Canada flight, or checked in to a hotel in any number of cities and towns across Canada, chances are you were served by one of our members. The woman who greeted you, prepared your meal […]
From disposable to indispensable: providing foreign migrant workers with a pathway to permanent residency
The COVID-19 pandemic reveals how foreign migrant workers contribute to Canada’s economy and society by doing the jobs that too few Canadians want. Their work ensures that our food industry thrives, that young, elderly, and at-risk Canadians receive proper care, and that families have much-needed support. The pandemic also enhances the vulnerability of these vital […]
Conservative leadership candidates face new challenges
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that world leaders are beginning to grapple with the thorny question of reopening their economies after weeks of COVID-19 lockdowns, it seems appropriate that the Conservative Party should also begin reviving their comatose leadership race. Indeed, many prominent voices within the party and in the media, citing alleged weaknesses of lame duck Conservative […]
Some reasons to hope
You don’t feel like reading about the plague today? Good. I don’t feel like writing about it again either. So here’s some reasons to hope, none of which are even remotely related to the coronavirus. First, they have found not one but three new ways to combat malaria, just as the problem of growing resistance […]
