A Professional Critic’s Festive Fulmination – Financial Post Op-ed
My colleagues and I at the C.D. Howe Institute devote much of our daily attention to criticizing poorly conceived and ineptly implemented policy in Canada. As we should. That’s our job. And our governments keep us all too well supplied.
On occasion, however, people outside Canada ask us about how Canada ranks as a place to live, work, invest, or locate a business. For me, those questions trigger a happy 180-degree turn. The professional nag steps back and the booster of Canada as one of the world’s most favoured nations takes over. As we welcome 2020 with some thoughts about things we in Canada do well, and should keep doing well, here are three ways we stand out.
First on my list — first on so many people’s lists — is…
Beach, Milne – Making Ontario’s Colleges And Universities Decide On Their Mission
To: Ross Romano, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities From: Charles M. Beach and Frank Milne Date: November 14, 2019 Re: Making Ontario’s Colleges and Universities Decide on their Mission One of the strengths of the US post-secondary education (PSE) system is the great variation across different schools and the great range of opportunities available to students […] Miles Corak – Ministerial Mandate Letters: Minister Of Families, Children And Social Development
As Canada forms its next government, the Prime Minister’s Office will be preparing ministerial mandate letters. In this special Intelligence Memo series, policy experts highlight key challenges and priorities in each minister’s portfolio. From: Miles Corak To: The incoming Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Date: November 4, 2019 All Canadians have a right to live their […] Donald Drummond – Ministerial Mandate Letter: Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
As Canada forms its next government, the Prime Minister’s Office will be preparing ministerial mandate letters. In this special Intelligence Memo series, policy experts highlight key challenges and priorities in each minister’s portfolio. From: Donald Drummond To: The incoming Ministers of Crown‑Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services Date: October 25, 2019 As you embark as Ministers […] Productivity and the Financial Services Sector – How to Achieve New Heights
Restrictive rules holding back innovation in the financial sector should be updated to bolster Canada’s productivity, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Productivity and the Financial Services Sector – How to Achieve New Heights,” authors Farah Omran and Jeremy Kronick note that over the past 15 years Canada has lagged behind […] Alex Usher – Lessons For Ontario In Performance-based Funding Models
From: Alex Usher To: Ross Romano, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Date: October 3, 2019 Re: Lessons for Ontario in Performance-Based Funding Models Over the past two decades, one of the biggest trends in public funding of higher education, worldwide, has been to tie a greater percentage of institutional funding to outputs or outcomes in performance-based […] S1 E12 – Bad Fits
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 […] Funding for Results in Higher Education
The Ontario government’s plan to make 60 percent of its transfers to colleges and universities based on results could transform the way higher education is funded, even if the details remain sketchy, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Funding for Results in Higher Education”, author Alex Usher looks at other Performance Based […] Alexandre Laurin — Giving Parents Money Directly The Best Approach To Financing Childcare
From: Alexandre Laurin To: Canadian parents and governments Date: September 16, 2019 Re: Giving parents money directly the best approach to financing childcare There can be many reasons for society to subsidize parents for the cost of child care. The financial hurdle for a parent considering the merits of working versus staying at home to […] Why Canada’s Skills Mismatch Is Cause For Concern – Globe And Mail Op-ed
Do your skills match the requirements of your job? For a large portion of Canadians, the answer is no, which raises serious concerns for policy-makers.
While skills are essential for individual success in the labour market, they need to match properly with job requirements to enhance productivity and achieve desirable outcomes for workers, employers and society at large.
Although some skills mismatch is inevitable or temporary, the problem can worsen and become persistent in the face of technological changes and aging demographics, requiring governments and businesses to place a high priority on improving labour mobility and providing appropriate training opportunities.
Skills mismatch generally occurs when workers…
Bad Fits: The Causes, Extent and Costs of Job Skills Mismatch in Canada
September 10, 2019 – Large numbers of Canadian workers have skills mismatched to their jobs, and the problem looks set to worsen in face of technological changes and aging demographics, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Bad Fits: The Causes, Extent and Costs of Job Skills Mismatch in Canada,” author Parisa […] Kronick, Mahboubi – Understanding Canada’s “record” Unemployment Rate
To: Canada’s employment ministers From: Jeremy M. Kronick and Parisa Mahboubi Date: June 21, 2019 Re: Understanding Canada’s “Record” Unemployment Rate Statistics Canada’s latest monthly Labour Force Survey showed a net gain of 27,700 new jobs in May, with that increase made up entirely of full-time jobs. With this gain, the unemployment rate fell to […]