We have more doctors and specialists than ever – but is that good news?: Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The recent negotiations between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario government highlight the complex relationship between physicians and health spending. As important and trusted gatekeepers to the health care system, physicians are nevertheless a crucial component of health care costs as the total number of physicians, the volume of health services they provide and the cost per service come together. While governments such as Ontario have been focusing on reducing or holding physician fees steady as a cost control measure, health care spending is also affected by the overall number of physicians we have and the number of services each provides to their patients.
Across the country, provinces are trying to…
With a glut of North American natural gas, the future of Canada’s gas industry could hinge on the success of exports of liquefied natural gas from the West Coast.
As the federal government assesses the environmental impact of these exports, one of the biggest public controversies has been how LNG exports will impact global greenhouse gas emissions. This question is crucial for businesses, too: If greater use of LNG is inconsistent with global goals for reducing GHG emissions, LNG projects could prove to be risky long-term investments.
The federal government is poised to release the findings of its first environmental assessment of a major LNG facility by October. It is impractical to assess how any individual…
It’s increasingly clear that things are going badly for the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal.
The agreement has been negotiated and all 12 TPP countries have signed it. In terms of international trade diplomacy, it’s a done deal.
But signature alone isn’t enough to bring a treaty into force. It has to be ratified, and to do that means it has to be internally approved by all the TPP parties through their own legislative systems.
In most cases, notably among Western democracies such as Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, that requires action by the legislative branch and, where necessary, passage of amending statutes so treaty obligations will be met.
The big question is trying to figure out…
