Published in the Financial Post
After two rounds of consultations, Finance Canada is considering reforms to its scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) program. The review takes place against the backdrop of distressingly poor productivity performance and worries about the amount and effectiveness of R&D performed in Canada and the incentives for innovative startups to commercialize and scale-up their operations.
These concerns exist even though the federal government spent almost $11 billion last year to support innovation. Innovative firms get support to: hire skilled workers, perform R&D, commercialize inventions and scale-up their operations.
The program review should recognize where…
Published in the Globe and Mail
This country needs to have a serious conversation. One that recognizes the challenges posed by a warming world – not least an increase in wildfires, drought and heat waves that have affected almost every Canadian – and grapples with the challenge inherent in matching our climate policy ambitions with taxpayers’ appetite to pay for them, government capacity to implement them, and society’s ability to transform its energy use.
Other countries can only dream of Canada’s enormous reserves of natural resources, and our standard of living depends greatly on exports of minerals, coal, hydroelectricity and especially, oil and gas. As with most human actions, extracting and using these resources…
Published in La Presse.
Faut-il que les grands fonds de retraite canadiens, un peu à la manière de la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, démontrent une plus grande préférence nationale dans leurs placements ?
Cette question brûlante est au cœur d’un débat dans le monde feutré du placement. La Caisse est le modèle qui inspire et fait peur avec son double mandat d’optimiser le rendement des déposants et de favoriser le développement économique du Québec.
En théorie, un investisseur parfaitement diversifié aurait une petite participation dans tous les actifs dans le monde. En pratique, ce n’est ni possible ni souhaitable, mais l’investisseur avisé répartit ses œufs dans un grand nombre de paniers.
Par…
