C.D. Howe Institute: Recent Episodes
C.D. Howe Institute
The C.D. Howe Institute is an independent not-for-profit research institute whose mission is to raise living standards by fostering economically sound public policies. Widely considered to be Canada's most influential think tank, the Institute is a trusted source of essential policy intelligence, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review.
Building more LTC facilities won’t solve Canada’s long-term care crisis. The C.D. Howe Institute’s Rosalie Wyonch tells host Michael Hainsworth that the solution involves rethinking the way we deliver care, and each province could benefit from the lessons learned by their neighbours.
If you care about the direction of the country, you mustcare about tax reform. That’s the sentiment from the Canadian Tax Foundation’s Heather Evans who warns “fiscal pollution” is clouding our ability to attract business development. But is a 2 percent increase in the GST the solution?
Populist budgets don’t get A+ grades. But why? And what’s wrong with the budget Ontario’s Conservative government recently tabled? The C.D. Howe Institute’s Bill Robson tells Michael Hainsworth that it’s about morethan just deficit spending.
Ottawa has rolled out the first stage of its national pharmacare program. But it’s a far cry from what the NDP required to prop-up the minority government. Former federal health minister Dr. Jane Philpott joins former Alberta health minister Fred Horne and the Institute’s Rosalie Wyonch to discuss why $1.5 billion isn’t anywhere near enough to pay for the medications Canadians consume today, and how likely the program is to survive.
Securing Canada’s supply chains comes with risk. HEC Montréal Professor and C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-In-Residence Ari Van Assche debunks COVID-era theories about why we ran out of masks, toilet paper, and bicycles as well as how we can avoid the same fate in the future.
Raise the GST and luxury taxes. Balance the budget. End SupplyManagement for the dairy industry. In the C.D. Howe Institute’s Shadow Budget 2024, Bill Robson and Don Drummond warn that we’ll suffer more later if we don’t take the fiscal medicine now.
Curing what ails Canada’s healthcare system requires us taking the financial bull by the privatization horns. Dalhousie University political science Professor Katherine Fierlbeck and host Michael Hainsworth discuss the importance of accurately framing the nature of our system so we can understand it’s expectations – and limitations.
The Deep Freeze has put Albertans on notice: The fear of rolling blackouts is real. As a recent massive cold front from the Northwest Territories that flooded the province and its neighbours led to concerns about its citizens' ability to keep the lights on, and the furnaces too. Kent Fellows, a C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-In-Residence,Assistant Professor of Economics and Associate Program Director of the Canadian Northern Corridor Research Program at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, joins us to discuss.
Can Canada’s fraying social safety net catch new immigrants? And if not, what’s the solution as headlines reveal many are sleeping in shifts, dying on the streets, and not able to leverage their skillset in their new homeland? Former Ontario MPP Mitzie Hunter, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Toronto Mayor John Tory join Michael Hainsworth to revisit an engaging and entertaining Regent Debate.
How would the price of milk threaten Canada’s auto industry? Bill C-282 risks upturning trade negotiations with the world, especially our biggest trading partner. And if Donald Trump returns to the White House, Martha Hall Findlay tells the Institute’s Bill Robson and Michael Hainsworth that all bets are off.
Inflation acts as an additional tax on Canadians, and when inflation is high, the pain is exacerbated. So what’s the solution? Host Michael Hainsworth speaks to C.D. Howe Institute CEO Bill Robson and Director of Research Alexandre Laurin to understand how Ottawa can ease the pain no matter the inflation rate.
Why does it seem politics today is stuck in neutral? Veteranpolitical journalist and award winning author Paul Wells explains the increasing divide between policymakers and the public they serve, why short-term thinking sabotages long-term goals, and why valuable institutional knowledge is leaving the public service.
If Ottawa is to play a role in solving the housing crisis, it must be strategic and stay out of the way of municipalities. The C.D. Howe Institute's Benjamin Dachis tells host Michael Hainsworth that changing the tax treatment for both homeowners and rental developers would go a long way towards encouraging more construction.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a threat to democracy. Yoshua Bengio, Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Operations Research at the Universite de Montreal and the Scientific Director of the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms joins host Michael Hainsworth to discuss how we should deploy AI in government, for national security and to benefit humanity.
Join host Michael Hainsworth in this enlightening discussion as we delve deep into Canada's housing crisis. In this episode, we hear from Romy Bowers, President and CEO of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Bob Dugan, CMHC's Chief Economist. Discover the challenges facing Canada's housing market and the promising solutions these experts bring to the table.
You wouldn’t let your contractor go over budget without asking why. So why should we give Ottawa a pass? Neil Moss of The Hill Times joins C.D. Howe Institute CEO Bill Robson and host Michael Hainsworth to discuss why MPs weren’t keeping an eye on spending during the pandemic – or today.
We’ve been complaining about Canada’s productivity problem for 50 years. One of the secrets to solving our problem is by creating companies that scale up from start up to world class. According to Charles Plant, C.D. Howe Institute author and Founder of The Narwhal Project, the solution isn’t throwing more money at the problem: it’s turning Canadians into salespeople.
2022 Donner Prize winner Ryan Manucha and Michael Hainsworth discuss booze, cigarettes, and interprovincial trade in a growing isolationist environment around the world, and the politics at play as we try to remove those barriers to growth.
When you’ve got more than 2,500 international investor agreements worldwide, you’re bound to have disputes. But as trade lawyer and C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow Lawrence Herman points out, reforms to the dispute resolution mechanisms need reformation for greater transparency – and to ensure foreign investors still trust that their capital is being respected.
Could the Bank of Canada seen the inflation beast coming? C.D. Howe Institute's Jeremy Kronick and Steve Ambler tell host Michael Hainsworth that the Institute saw several signs of it rearing its ugly head long before the Bank raised borrowing costs. But what about now?
Privatized healthcare isn’t new to Canada. But for Medcan CEO and Chair Shaun Francis, breaking the government monopoly on how we’re cared for requires competition – and patient education.
The economics of supply chain politics doesn’t add up. C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-In-Residence Dan Ciuriak tells host Michael Hainsworth that meeting geopolitical goals by binding the invisible hand of the markets only ties it behind a country’s back.
You’re at risk of running out of money in retirement. On episode eight of the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast, CEO Bill Robson tells host Michael Hainsworth why we need to change the rules regarding RRIFs today to ensure Canadians live long – and prosper.
As we come out on the other side of COVID-19, Canada’s labour shortage is quickly improving. However, as C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-In-Residence and University of Waterloo Economics Professor Mikal Skuterud tells us on episode seven, the fuel for the economic recovery requires targeted immigration.
Solar and wind won’t get us all the way to Net Zero by 2050. On episode six of the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast, Simon Fraser University's John Richards and OPG’s Gary Rose tell host Michael Hainsworth that Small Modular Reactors are the solution, and they’re coming sooner than you think.
What does the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in California mean for Canada? In episode five of the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast, Elevate Export Finance’s Peter Hall tells host Michael Hainsworth that SVB can learn a lot from our financial expertise, and that Canadian banks may benefit from the need for capital in Silicon Valley.
When it comes to reaching “net zero” emissions by 2050, Canada has a plan – to have a plan to reduce carbon in homes and businesses. That’s according to the University of Calgary's Brian Livingston and Erica Myers in the fourth episode of the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast. Learn how we’d be better off spending a fraction of money reducing our home’s carbon footprint than buying an electric car.
In episode three of the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast, we ask what should Federal Budget 2023 look like? According to the C.D. Howe Institute’s CEO Bill Robson and Fellow-in-Residence Don Drummond, Ottawa needs to reign-in spending or risk re-accelerating inflation. But what about climbing debt loads, a healthcare system in crisis, and the constant march of climate change?
What should healthcare in Canada look like after COVID-19? Dr. Robert Bell and William Falk join the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast for our second episode to discuss privatization and the future of telemedicine.
What will 2023 bring for inflation, the housing market and healthcare? In episode one of the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast’s fifth season, the Globe & Mail’s Andrew Coyne joins host Michael Hainsworth for insight into the year ahead.
Women find it substantially harder to get back into the workforce than men. But why? According to economics professors Ana Ferrer and Tammy Schirle, when the Employment Insurance system was built in 1940, it didn’t have working women in mind. But there are four key solutions to the problem.
The patient wasn't in stable condition even before the pandemic hit. The prognosis for Canada's healthcare system isn’t good – but there’s a cure. C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-in-Residence and Queen's University Adjunct Professor Don Drummond joins registered nurse Jillian Gratton and host Michael Hainsworth to discuss.
Canada’s small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) face numerous challenges to scaling-up to compete on the world stage. There are ways to remove those barriers to financing and deepen capital markets. Michael Denham, National Bank of Canada’s Vice Chair of Commercial and Financial Markets, tells C.D. Howe Institute Podcast Host Michael Hainsworth that there are three key hurdles to overcome.
The Bank of Canada’s balance sheet has ballooned under COVID-19. The C.D. Howe Institute’s Jeremy Kronick and Steve Ambler join host Michael Hainsworth to discuss why, why it won’t be coming down any time soon, and how taxpayers may be on the hook as interest rates skyrocket.
Ottawa wants to slash greenhouse gas emissions from Canadian home heating. But is the goal little more than hot air? The C.D. Howe Institute's Charles DeLand tells host Michael Hainsworth that cutting emissions to 0% by 2050 will cost more than $6 billion a year and we need to start renovating homes now.
COVID-19 has intensified the need for digital and STEM skills, but Canada lags in this area. Why? For insight into the solutions to a generational problem, Jayson Hilchie of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada joins C.D. Howe Institute CEO Bill Robson and host Michael Hainsworth to discuss the two paths Canada must take to remain competitive and fuel our economy.
Canada's Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) is missing details required to make informed decisions about a way forward. And 2030 is right around the corner. But C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-in-Residence Kent Fellows tells host Michael Hainsworth he’s optimistic Canada’s oil patch will remain competitive for years to come even if the ERP doesn’t factor it in.
The economic fall out of COVID-19 could be permanent for Canada’s youth. The Institute’s Parisa Mahboubi tells Michael Hainsworth they’ve been hit with a one two punch of diminished education and poorer job prospects.
The economic fall-out of COVID-19 could be permanent for Canada’s youth. The Institute’s Parisa Mahboubi tells Michael Hainsworth they’ve been hit with a one-two punch of diminished education and poorer job prospects.
COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the continuing collapse of Canada's healthcare system. But the pandemic is only a symptom of an underlying problem. The C.D. Howe Institute's Rosalie Wyonch tells C.D. Howe Institute Podcast host Michael Hainsworth that bold changes are needed – and we can look to the Dutch model for inspiration.
Raising interest rates to cool inflation is only part of the solution. But as the C.D. Howe Institute's Bill Robson and Jeremy Kronick tell host Michael Hainsworth, fiscal policy that increases corporate Canada's productive capacity to meet demand isn’t likely, leaving the central bank with the task of dousing the inflationary fire from 2 years of COVID-19 spending.
With more than 100 days into the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, how do we avoid climate change from becoming just the latest casualty? RBC’s Colin Goldman, Pembina’s Jan Gorsk, and the The CD Howe Institute’s Charles Deland tell our Michael Hainsworth how we can keep our goals on-track.
Inflation is at a new 31 year high and the Bank of Canada is taking the unusual step of warning that interest rates are set to substantially rise. Former Bank of Canada governors David Dodge and Stephen Poloz sat down with Michael Hainsworth to discuss what’s different this time around, and why fiscal policy needs to take the wheel when monetary policy has only one lever to pull.
The economic consequences of the Ukraine-Russia War are in the trillions. What does it mean for Canada, energy security and climate change? Dan Ciuriak and Monica Gattinger of the University of Ottawa tell Michael Hainsworth the fall-out has only just begun.
Cutting-off Vladimir Putin and his enablers from global finance is the world’s primary weapon against the #UkraineRussiaWar. But as Kevin Comeau writes in his latest Intelligence Memo, it’s a weapon weakened by bureaucracy in Canada.
It’s time to get serious about paying for COVID-19 and preparing for the next crisis. The C.D. Howe Institute’s Bill Robson tells Michael Hainsworth it’s time to talk about spending cuts and tax increases. #podcast #cdnpoi #caneco
COVID-19 has left its mark on Canadian retailers. However, what does this mean for your favourite "touchless" commerce? Retail analyst Bruce Winder joins Michael Hainsworth and the C.D. Howe Institute's Vice President, Research Daniel Schwanen to discuss his new report.
Canada's healthcare system is failing. With the elderly population three times greater than when Tommy Douglas proposed Medicare, Queen's University's Don Drummond and Duncan Sinclair discuss why the Canada Health Act is failing against its five famous principles, and what to do about it.
Elementary school students educated primarily online during the pandemic are falling behind by as much as an entire letter grade, according to a study delivered by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Brown University Professor of Economics Emily Oster says it’s enough of an impact that policy makers need to consider student performance when making decisions on school closures.
Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments have over the last 20 years routinely blown their budgets. Senior governments have overshot their spending targets by a combined $119B, while underestimating tax revenue by as much as $143B. C.D. Howe Institute CEO Bill Robson joins Michael Hainsworth to discuss why governments are so far off their mark and what can be done to fix budgetary disconnects.
If most Canadians want to die at home, why don't we? Two out of three will die in a hospital and the cost is enormous. Doctors James Downar and Kieran Quinn offer solutions to cut costs and give us the end of life we want.
We welcome back RBC's John Stackhouse and Cynthia Leach to discuss how an estimated $280B saved by Canadian households during the pandemic will impact economic recovery, and what role public policy should play in guiding Canada out of the pandemic tunnel and into the light.
In part one of a two-part series, RBC’s John Stackhouse and Cynthia Leach join our Michael Hainsworth to discuss the road to reducing Canada's 730 million tonnes GHG to net-zero. With COP26 now behind us, the hard work of selling climate change action at home begins and Canada’s biggest bank has spent the last year investigating how best to shift to a net zero policy by 2050, or sooner, and calls it “The $2T Transition”.
The gig economy worker has been doing much of the heavy lifting during COVID-19, delivering everything from shopping packages to dinner. But when one loses their job, they fall through Employment Insurance holes in Canada’s social safety net. Author David Gray asks: should gig workers be covered by the EI regime? The answer, not surprisingly, is complicated.
In the home-stretch of Election 2021, how have the key parties fared? The NDP’s Jagmeet Singh and the PPC’s Maxime Bernier stole some of the thunder from the Liberals and Conservatives. Strategists Jenni Byrne and Scott Reid join the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast to discuss what’s going on in the final days.
Is now the time to pay for COVID-19 and to raise interest rates? Queen's University Stauffer-Dunning Fellow and Adjunct Professor Don Drummond is worried about saddling the next generation with today's debt, while University of British Columbia Professor Kevin Milligan believes a harsh cure may do more damage than good.
How will the US Federal Reserve normalize central bank policy without crashing the economy? Dallas Federal Reserve President and CEO Robert S. Kaplan tells Michael Hainsworth why he’s not focused on raising interest rates any time soon, and the role the Delta variant of COVID-19 may play.
As the Delta variant fuels a fourth wave of Coronavirus, small business in Canada is worried about another lockdown. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business reports only one third of businesses are back to "normal" and it fears Ottawa is moving too fast on winding-down support programs. President and CEO Dan Kelly joins the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast's Michael Hainsworth to discuss his petition calling for a plan to help SMB's stay open - and avoid further restrictions.
As the debate over vaccine passports continues, time is slipping away. In the report “Vaccine Ins and Outs: An Exploration of the Legal Issues Raised by Vaccine Passports,” two of its authors joined the C.D. Howe Institute Podcast to explain why a well designed passport will work – and is critical to putting COVID-19 behind us.
With most of Canada partially vaccinated and 41% going into a “two dose summer”, is now the time to pull back on COVID-19 related stimulus spending? The Institute’s Bill Robson and Jeremy Kronick tell Michael Hainsworth that the economic data support the move as consumers prepare to open their wallets wide.
Bill C-10’s attempts to amend Canada’s Broadcasting Act has it performing a high-wire act of its own. Globe & Mail columnist Andrew Coyne and Youtube’s Jeanette Patell sit down with Michael Hainsworth to discuss criticism around Canadian content requirements, and why they feel the bill’s foundational concern is flawed: that the playing field requires leveling in the first place.
The 1st anniversary of CUSMA is around the corner. But what does the future look like for the Canadian automotive industry in a post-CUSMA, and a post-COVID world? We turned to KPMG Canada’s Joy Nott and Transport Canada’s Megan Nichols to learn how much the breakdown in supply chain management over the last 15 months and a new trade deal will change the sector forever.
Cigarette smoking is the single largest cause of avoidable premature death in Canada. It’s estimated to cut 10 years off a smoker’s life. Cigarettes have gotten a 21st century makeover since they were first introduced in the 19th century. Concordia University economics professor Ian Irvine says Ottawa should tax vape-based products as a harm reduction strategy aimed at kicking the habit. But by how much?
Meeting Ottawa’s climate plan requires our cars and light trucks to cut GHG by 34 percent over the next decade. What’s it going to take to make the transportation sector do the heavy-lifting on reducing Canada’s carbon footprint? Host Michael Hainsworth learns there’s no “silver bullet,” it’s more like “silver buckshot.”
Ottawa is kicking the cost of COVID-19 down the road and crossing its fingers we don’t encounter any additional economic or health crises between now and 2055. The Institute’s CEO Bill Robson is joined by Director of Research Alex Laurin and Senior Fellow Don Drummond to discuss the implications, why we can’t grow our way out of the fiscal hole like we did after the Second World War, and why a consumption tax would be a more effective tool than a wealth tax.
With vaccinations ramping up, our attention turns to the post-pandemic recovery. But how can the country recover without women in the workforce? Dr. Jennifer Robson of Carleton University and McGill’s Ken Boessenkool tell Michael Hainsworth that now is not the time to build a national childcare program from scratch, but work needs to begin now on providing more accessible and affordable childcare, building on structures already in place.
Times of crisis open the door to new economic theories. As governments inflate debt to address them, talk about Modern Monetary Theory has grown into a chorus in some circles – particularly as the Americans discuss the “Green New Deal.” But as report authors Farah Omran and Mark Zelmer tell host Michael Hainsworth, Modern Monetary Theory has a serious flaw: relying on politicians to do the right thing.
Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s plan to pay for the pandemic is to tax the companies that benefitted the most from the coronavirus response. It would inject more than $5B into Canada’s coffers. Taxing big business is one thing, but how will the NDP help small businesses weather the third wave of infections and beyond? Host Michael Hainsworth found the party leader is preparing for an election he doesn’t want.
The explosive growth in demand for green bonds is expected to return post-COVID. C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow Glen Hodgson tells Michael Hainsworth the pandemic has given the oil patch, foreign investors, and Ottawa an opportunity to rebuild the economy around green thinking.
Governments are increasingly using industrial policy to give their Industry 4.0 economies a competitive edge. How should Canada respond after past failures in guiding the invisible hand of the markets? C.D. Howe Institute VP of Research Daniel Schwanen and Fellow-in-Residence Dan Ciuriak on lessons learned, and why we can’t fear the future.
The shift to remote work during COVID-19 has shone the spotlight on Canada’s infrastructure – and its digital divide. It comes at a time when the world is making a major shift to 5G. But unlike the previous generation, this one will trigger the next industrial revolution. Host Michael Hainsworth speaks to Shaw's SVP Brian O'Shaughnessy, Telus' Chief Customer Officer Tony Geheran, and Rogers' SVP Luciano Ramos for insight into how Canada stays competitive and bridges the geographic and economic divide.
The US President has scrapped the Keystone XL pipeline. Is this the end of the southbound extension for TC Energy and the province of Alberta? The University of Calgary’s Kristen van de Biezenbos warns the White House isn’t the biggest threat to the oil rich province: it’s the states.
In the midst of the worst pandemic in 100 years, addressing gaps in access to healthcare services in Canada has become a priority. The problem of a fractured provincial-based healthcare system has been exacerbated by COVID-19. With as many as 11,000 cancer, gynecologic, and other elective surgeries postponed each week in Ontario alone, the solution is in part more bodies. But as we learn from the C.D. Howe Institute’s Rosalie Wyonch and Doctor John Kingdom of Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, we can’t just throw more money at doctors to fill the gaps.
2020 will be known as “the year of unprecedented times.” As COVID-19 vaccine injections begin, we look back at how Canada handled the pandemic – what we did right and what we did wrong – with crisis communications expert David Herle of The Gandalf Group, and the C.D. Howe Institute’s CEO Bill Robson.
Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca says if made premier, he would make education his top priority. But by 2022 it’s expected COVID will be behind us as vaccines are distributed through the course of next year. So what’s his plan to get the economy back on track? And is now even the time to talk about that? Del Duca believes the time to set aside partisan politics in the COVID fight has come — and tells host Michael Hainsworth that the tipping point was Ford’s lack of focus on a safe return to the classroom.
The second wave of COVID-19 is upon us, and hard lessons learned over the spring aren’t necessarily being applied today. So how do we flatten the curve going into the holidays? Hear insights from Colleen M. Flood, University of Ottawa Research Chair in Health Law & Policy; Paul Jenkins, former Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada; and C.D. Howe Institute policy analyst Rosalie Wyonch.
What will it take to put Canada on the path to prosperity in a post-COVID world? The economy is forecast to rise in 2021 but it’s a case of “one step forward, two steps back.” Taxing our way out of Coronavirus debt isn’t the solution, warn Goldy Hyder and Robert Asselin of the Business Council of Canada. And Deloitte’s Chief Economist Craig Alexander tells us the solution was obvious before even the first confirmed case.
With the U.S. Presidential election right around the corner, what would Donald Trump's re-election mean for Canada? Michael Hainsworth put that to the Wilson Centre’s Christopher Sands and former PMO communications director Scott Reid, and learned how we might navigate four more years of a Trump presidency.
With the U.S. Presidential election right around the corner, what would a Joe Biden win mean for Canada? Michael Hainsworth sits down with the Wilson Centre’s Christopher Sands and former PMO communications director Scott Reid, to find out if a Biden victory will smooth over some of the cracks in the US-Canada relationship.
Open Banking is the future of finance. But how do we convince our banking system to “move fast and break things?” EY Canada’s Abhishek Sinha outlines to Michael Hainsworth the key pillars that are critical to innovation and success in the financial services sector of the 21st century.
The C.D. Howe Institute’s Fiscal and Tax Working Group is urging Ottawa to recommit to the idea of fiscal sustainability. As former finance ministers John Manley and Janice MacKinnon tell Michael Hainsworth, the federal government can’t do the heavy lifting of restarting the economy on its own.
COVID-19 laid bare the Achilles Heel of global trade. But as Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner Ailish Campbell at Global Affairs Canada tells host Michael Hainsworth, not all of Canada’s exporters and importers were hit — or are recovering — equally.
COVID-19 has highlighted the need to break down interprovincial trade barriers. But how do we clean up the patchwork nature while protecting workers? Two influential economists tell host Michael Hainsworth what it would take to boost the economy during a pandemic.
COVID-19 has revealed “pre-existing conditions” in Canada’s healthcare system. Queen’s University professors Dr. Duncan Sinclair and Don Drummond tell host Michael Hainsworth that the solution is to spend money on young people to keep them healthy – and address the fiscal and healthcare crunch of an aging population.
Sustainable Finance isn’t a buzzword, it’s the future of finance. But why is Canada lagging China, and the E.U.? RBC’s Andy Chisholm tells host Michael Hainsworth Canada needs to focus its efforts to compete.
What does the real estate market look like after quarantine? Host Michael Hainsworth speaks with OMERS President & CEO Blake Hutcheson and CIBC Capital Markets economist Katherine Judge for insight into the commercial and industrial property markets.
Vaping is safer than smoking. But is Canada taking the right approach to a technology that could save lives? C.D. Howe Institute Research Fellow and Concordia University professor Ian Irvine says the drop in cigarette sales illustrates vaping’s upside.
Canada is emerging from the first wave of the pandemic with high levels of private and public debt. That's why the Crisis Working Group on Monetary and Financial Measures is urging Canada to recommit to getting our fiscal and monetary houses in order once COVID-19 has passed. Working Group co-chair Mark Zelmer and C.D. Howe Institute Associate Director of Research Jeremy Kronick join host Michael Hainsworth to discuss the key fiscal anchors that will keep Canada’s economy from floating adrift post pandemic.
We're starting to get quantifiable data on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses. More than half say they won't survive beyond the next 90 days without revenue. Economist and C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow Glen Hodgson tells us the survey findings will help us anticipate a few key factors as Canada starts the process of re-opening the economy.
What are the lessons of COVID-19 for Canada’s healthcare sector? Newly appointed Senior Fellow and former Ontario Finance Minister Janet Ecker leans on her experience with SARS and the 2008 financial crisis to offer insight into the crisis and how to be better prepared financially and logistically for the next pandemic.
Analysis of Ottawa's $82 billion emergency response package from the C.D. Howe Institute's Vice President of Research Daniel Schwanen and Associate Director of Research Grant Bishop reveals encouraging support for gig economy workers, struggling homeowners, and small and medium-sized businesses. But is it coming soon enough?
Ottawa is preparing its 2020 Federal Budget, and the Institute is urging Parliament Hill to cut the corporate tax rate and address the impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian economy. President & CEO Bill Robson tells host Michael Hainsworth, further measures may be required.
When does it make sense to cut spending to reduce government debt? The answer from Harvard's Alberto Alesina may surprise you, and he tells host Michael Hainsworth it has everything to do with investor confidence.
Michael Hainsworth sits down with the Institute's Jeremy Kronick to talk about income inequality's effect on inflation, and the rising non-bank financial intermediary sector that could be diluting the effectiveness of monetary policy.
Sidewalk Labs CEO Dan Doctoroff tells Michael Hainsworth he’s optimistic the delayed decision on a 21st century “city within a city” will be a green light, discusses the data privacy issues with the Toronto Quayside plan, and outlines some of the advances the company has researched in sustainable and affordable housing.
New year, new opportunity. 2020 will be the Federal Government’s first real opportunity to build on the platforms of the October 2019 election. Queen’s University adjunct professor Don Drummond and the Institute’s Ben Dachis look ahead to the first full year of governing the new minority government.
Host Michael Hainsworth sits down with economist and Harvard professor Edward Glaeser to talk housing supply, the affordable housing crisis, and and why he believes the housing market is rigged against millennials.
In this episode of the C.D. Howe Institute podcast, Michael Hainsworth speaks to Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews about his province’s plans to get back into the black within four years, lower corporate taxes, and go it alone on CPP. Also, Grant Bishop, the C.D. Howe Institute’s Associate Director, Research, provides some analysis on Alberta’s fiscal situation.
Canada punches above its weight in Artificial Intelligence Research, but investment is down. Deloitte Canada's Shelby Austin and Uber's Inmar Givoni join Michael Hainsworth on this episode to talk about the advantages of "buying Canada" and the challenges of future government support.
How are Canada’s coffers faring going into the election? C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow Glen Hodgson says Canada’s political platforms aren’t preparing for a potential recession — or even a slowdown. On this week’s podcast Michael Hainsworth delves into what the political promises mean if the economy goes south.
With Canada's 2019 federal election around the corner, and the possibility of a recession, why aren’t the major party leaders talking about what they would do in the event of a downturn? Bill Robson, President and CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute talks with Michael Hainsworth on what spending versus tax cuts means for Canada’s economy.
Canada has a labour force problem. Many of us aren't matched to our jobs, and with A.I. on the rise and the continued march of automation, the problem is set to worsen. Miana Plesca from the University of Guelph and C.D. Howe Institute's senior policy analyst Parisa Mahboubi join host Michael Hainsworth to discuss why Canada underperforms the OECD on matching skills in the workplace.
As the political situation in the United Kingdom grows ever more precarious, Michael Hainsworth sits down with David Blancheflower, professor of economics at Dartmouth College and former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, to ask what Brexit means for Canada, broader relations with the EU, and offer some clues as to what the long term ramifications will be.
America is the big winner in the CUSMA trade pact, with more access to Canada’s dairy and poultry markets, increases in intellectual property protection for pharmaceuticals, and new rules on cross-border data flows all tilting the balance in favour of the U.S. In this episode, Michael Hainsworth talks to Dan Ciuriak about some of the controversial issues arising from the agreement.
In this episode, Michael Hainsworth sits down with auto industry veteran Dennis DesRosiers and Jon Johnson, former advisor to the Canadian government during the NAFTA negotiations, to take a deep dive into the murky rules of origin for autos laid out in the new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and the challenges they pose for the industry.
Also on the subject of cars, Christopher Sands, senior research professor and director of the Center for Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University, talks about the U.S. government’s decision to rescind California’s auto industry emissions and fuel standards – and the opportunity it represents for Canada.
Are there better options for getting Canadians the medications they need? Our health policy expert, Rosalie Wyonch, sits down with Michael to discuss the report released by Dr. Eric Hoskins calling for Ottawa to create a national pharmacare plan.
After significant amendments from the Senate, Bill C-69 is coming back to the House for third reading. The original bill would have created significant uncertainties for the energy sector by allowing Cabinet to intervene in the independent review process of any future resource project. The Institute's Associate Director of Research, Grant Bishop and host Michael Hainsworth sit down to discuss the future for resource sector investment in Canada.
Why is it almost impossible to catch all the dirty money being claimed in Canada? In this week’s episode, Michael discusses with Kevin Comeau, author of our much anticipated upcoming publication, on why we fail to catch money launderers 99.9% of the time.
Michael Hainsworth sits down with Peter Bethlenfalvy, President of the Treasury Board Secretariat of Ontario, to discuss the Ontario Government's latest budget. With Ontario's debt at unprecedented levels—a whopping 40% debt to GDP—Michael asks how the Ford administration can keep its campaign promise of a balanced budget without cutting front-line public services.
Now that Finance Minister Bill Morneau has released the 2019 Federal Budget, the Institute’s Rosalie Wyonch and Glen Hodgson sit down with host Michael Hainsworth to unpack the budget’s main themes and what it means for everyday Canadians.
The Federal Government hasn’t been saving for a rainy day. And that rainy day may be coming as early as 2020. The C.D. Howe Institute’s Bill Robson and Queens University economist Don Drummond discuss how to bring Canada back to a balanced budget in an environment of rising interest rates, slowing economic growth going into an election.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, recently paid a visit to the Institute to outline how Canada can better develop innovators. Following his speech, he sat down with Michael to discuss how Canada can continue to build its reputation as a global innovation leader.
This week, Michael sits down with Institute President and CEO Bill Robson to discuss the fiscal future of millennials and their children. Next, Bill takes us through recent Institute rankings of municipal budgets for transparency and accuracy. Finally, we take a sneak peek at the Institute’s upcoming federal shadow budget.
Despite clinical evidence showing the value of immunization, vaccination rates among adult Canadians are dangerously low.
In our latest show, our hosts Alex McBrien and Laura Bouchard discuss with the institute's Policy Analyst - Rosalie Wyonch on the lackluster state of adult vaccination in Canada.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland will reveal Canada's broad negotiation goals when she testifies before the parliamentary committee on trade next Monday, August 14th. And Canada, the U.S. and Mexico will sit down for a first round of talks in Washington on the 16th. Hear from an award-winning trade economist on what to expect during these unpredictable times.
House rich, big-spending Canadians are taking a gamble on the risk of an economic shock in Canada. Join us for a conversation about some troubling mortgage and consumption trends in Canada, and the implications for policymakers concerned about a hard landing.
A vocal few Canadians hold anti-vaccine views, but they are not the main reason for insufficient childhood vaccination coverage across Canada.
Fourth-pillar assets significantly improve the outlook for Canadian households’ retirement readiness.
Full report: https://goo.gl/rYQF0j
Here's how government can efficiently support the development of green energy technology.
The Canadian corporate income tax system has a number of problems that call for fundamental reforms, starting with rethinking the main role of the system.
Full report: https://goo.gl/qzjx6W
How would the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) impact Canada?
Full report: http://ow.ly/4mYZcT
How should the Bank of Canada start preparing for the next financial crisis?
Full report: http://ow.ly/4mZ0gy