Don Wright – Don’t forget basic math when ‘creating jobs’
Published in the Financial Post
Governments often talk about “creating jobs,” but what they really do is choose some jobs at the expense of others. With their myriad spending, taxing and regulatory decisions, all governments try to direct job growth to different sectors — public or private, services or goods, resources or non-resources, and so on.
We all hope governments choose wisely. It would help if they started paying more explicit attention to one factor: the impact of their decisions on Canadians’ standard of living.
A country’s standard of living is largely determined by the wages and net government revenue its tradeable goods and services sector can pay while remaining competitive against international…
Anna Stokke – Reversing the decline in Canadian math scores
To: Canadian Ministers of EducationFrom: Anna StokkeDate: August 20, 2024Re: Reversing the decline in Canadian math scores Math scores on international exams administered by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development declined in all provinces between 2003 and 2022. In almost all provinces, the proportion of students performing at the lowest levels has increased since 2003 and has more than […] Tingting Zhang – Unlocking Potential: How to Speed Internationally Educated Nurse Certification
To: Healthcare observers From: Tingting ZhangDate: August 19, 2024Re: Unlocking Potential: How to Speed Internationally Educated Nurse Certification Canada desperately needs more nurses, and governments have relaxed their immigration policies to admit more of them. But provincial licensing bodies are often slow to recognize credentials for many internationally educated nurses, and their burdensome and lengthy qualification and licencing processes are […] Eichenbaum, Alexopoulos, Kronick – Economists must convince the public that productivity isn’t just a number
Published in The Globe and Mail.
Since 1985, U.S. labour productivity has grown by roughly 100 per cent. In sharp contrast, labour productivity in Canada grew by only 40 per cent. Canadian workers are now only 70 per cent as productive as U.S. workers. And we’re not just falling behind the U.S. – the growth rate of our productivity is well below that of the U.K., Germany and France.
Economists have long been aware of our productivity malaise, but we need a broader audience. Public support can help solve the problem, and this requires showing Canadians how productivity gains improve their lives.
To see the benefits of higher productivity, consider the following example: Suppose a firm with 100 workers produces 100…
Oreopoulos, Skuterud – It’s Time to Relearn Some Basic Immigration Lessons
From: Philip Oreopoulos and Mikal Skuterud To: Immigration Watchers Date: July 15, 2024 Re: It’s Time to Relearn Some Basic Immigration Lessons At the crux of economic immigration policy is the question of whether immigrant selection should prioritize current labour market needs or the human capital of applicants. Does Canada need more farmhands and delivery riders, or do we […] Lewis, Dupuy – We must not let nostalgia cloud our vision for Ontario’s economic future
Published in TVO.
Despite bold promises and billions of dollars of support, Ontario manufacturing jobs remain around the same level as when Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives came to power. The province needs to move past the nostalgic view of the manufacturing sector and instead focus on an economy based on innovation and advanced technologies so it can thrive in an ever-changing global economy.
Manufacturing jobs hold a special place in Ontario’s economic, social, and political mindset because of the historical role the sector has played in driving growth, jobs, and prosperity. The sector has provided jobs across the province since the early days of industrialization in the 19th century, offering opportunities for…
Tingting Zhang – Five Ways to Address our Family Physician Shortage
From: Tingting Zhang To: Canadian Healthcare Observers Date: July 2, 2024 Re: Five Ways to Address our Family Physician Shortage Canadians are in a primary-care paradox. About 14 percent of Canadians aged 12 and older – approximately 4.6 million people – did not have a regular health-care provider in 2022, according to Statistics Canada. Even more alarming, about 6.6 million Canadians […] Mary Catharine Lennon – Signaling Quality in Labour Market Training
From: Mary Catharine Lennon To: Competition law observers Date: June 25, 2024 Re: Signaling Quality in Labour Market Training A highly skilled workforce is critical for driving innovation, enhancing productivity, and ensuring the overall success of the Canadian economy. Governments support this through investments in colleges and universities, skilled immigration programs, and support for training programs. Meanwhile, employability is […] Henry Lotin – Ottawa has No Process to Determine Skills for Half all Migrants
From: Henry Lotin To: Canada’s Immigration Watchers Date: June 3, 2024 Re: Ottawa has No Process to Determine Skills for Half all Migrants Federal officials do not collect complete skills data for about half of our permanent resident and temporary visa arrivals. Without accurate information on new arrivals’ skills, we cannot effectively gauge whether they are matched with employment […] Human Capital Policy Council
Canada’s human capital challenges are receiving increasing attention from policymakers, businesses and the general public. Education, skills development, immigration, advancing technology, income support and the functioning of the labour market are shaping economic growth and the prosperity of Canadians. Further, whatever success Canada has enjoyed in terms of generating opportunities overall, our economy would benefit from […] Tingting Zhang – Watch Out How Many STEM Workers We Are Admitting
To: Immigration policymakers From: Tingting Zhang Date: April 9, 2024 Re: Watch out how many STEM workers we are admitting The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce plays a crucial role in Canada’s economy, vital for innovation, technological development, automation, infrastructure, and a green economy. And rising demand means Canada has experienced a STEM skill shortage. […] Godbout, Samoisette – Maximiser le bon d’études canadien en l’offrant à tous les enfants de familles à revenu modeste
De: Luc Godbout et Luce Samoisette À: Chrystia Freeland, ministre des Finances et Marie-Claude Bibeau, ministre du Revenu national Date: 19 mars 2024 Sujet: Maximiser le bon d’études canadien en l’offrant à tous les enfants de familles à revenu modeste Il y a 20 ans, le budget fédéral annonçait une nouveauté afin de favoriser l’accès […]