S3 E13: Bill C-10 with Andrew Coyne and Jeanette Patell
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 […] Robson, Wu – The April Budget’s Upbeat Growth Forecast Won’t Happen Without Stronger Business Investment
From: William B.P. Robson and Miles Wu To: Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland Date: June 22, 2021 Re: The April Budget’s Upbeat Growth Forecast Won’t Happen without Stronger Business Investment The backdrop to the long-term fiscal projections in your April budget – real economic growth averaging 2.1 percent annually – was remarkably optimistic. We certainly hope […] Our stimulus tag-teams need to cool it – Financial Post Op-Ed
Governments in the advanced economies mounted a massive fiscal response to the COVID crisis. They ramped up spending, mainly on income supports to individuals and businesses, and financed it by borrowing. Central banks also responded on a massive scale. They dropped their policy interest rates close to zero, and their balance sheets ballooned as they bought securities — mainly government debt — and flooded the global financial system with liquidity.
These responses undoubtedly cushioned the COVID blow to our economies. But, more than a year later, especially in the United States and Canada, both fiscal and monetary policy are still in overdrive. It is reasonable to worry that they are going too far.
On the fiscal side, the…
Ambler, Kronick, Robson – Taking Inflation Warnings Seriously
From: Steve Ambler, Jeremy M. Kronick, and William B.P. Robson To: Bank of Canada Watchers Date: June 17, 2021 Re: Taking Inflation Warnings Seriously Last week, the Bank of Canada left its target for the overnight rate at 0.25 percent, and kept its purchases of Government of Canada bonds at $3-billion per week. Forecasters and financial market participants […] Bev Dahlby Re-appointed as C.D. Howe Institute Fellow-in-Residence
William Robson, CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute, announces the re-appointment of Bev Dahlby as a Fellow-in-Residence. “Bev has made a number of important contributions to the C.D. Howe Institute’s research program…Pierre Siklos Re-appointed as C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow
William Robson, CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute, announces the re-appointment of Pierre Siklos as a Research Fellow. “Pierre stands out for his relentless inquiry into key questions about monetary economics and central…Taxpayer Electricity Subsidies out of Control
June 15, 2021 – Taxpayer subsidies of electricity in Ontario have risen to staggering levels, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Power Surge: The Causes of (and Solutions to) Ontario’s Electricity Price Rise Since 2006” authors Benjamin Dachis and Joel Balyk find that rate…Power Surge: The Causes of (and Solutions to) Ontario’s Electricity Price Rise Since 2006
Taxpayer Electricity Subsidies Out of Control Ontario’s electricity sector has struggled with rising system costs for more than a decade. Why? The crux of the problem are increases in the cost of supply from high-cost contracts spread over less electricity consumption than forecast when the contracts were struck. The result has been upward pressure on […] In Memoriam: Richard Bird
… Key questions about Canadian monetary policy are causing concern – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
On Wednesday, the Bank of Canada left its target for the overnight rate at 0.25 per cent, and kept its purchases of Government of Canada bonds at $3-billion per week. Forecasters and financial market participants expected these announcements, and took them in stride. Below the calm surface, though, a couple of key questions about Canadian monetary policy are causing concern.
One is about where inflation is going. The year-over-year increase in the consumer price index (CPI) hit 3.4 per cent in April, its highest reading in a decade, and above the 1- to 3 -per-cent acceptable range the central bank has for its 2-per-cent target. The bank’s statement on Wednesday emphasized that such above-target CPI increases are temporary. When…
S3 E12: The Future of Automotive in Canada
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 […] Glen Hodgson – How Is Edc Performing On Crown Governance?
Canada’s Crown corporations form a major part of the economy, but rarely draw detailed scrutiny. In his latest C.D. Howe Institute Commentary and in this special Intelligence Memo series, Fellow-in-Residence Glen Hodgson sets out principles for effective governance for Crowns. Today, we examine the case of Export Development Canada. From: Glen Hodgson To: Overseers of Crown Corporations Date: June 14, […]