Tammy Schirle – The Illusion Of A Narrowing Gender Wage Gap In 2020
From: Tammy Schirle To: Canadians Concerned about Gender Equity Date: March 8, 2021 Re: The Illusion of a Narrowing Gender Wage Gap in 2020 The gender wage gap in the private sector has narrowed – from 18.7 percent in 2019 to 16.9 percent in 2020. In normal times, this would be remarkable. But 2020 was not normal, and […] Rosalie Wyonch – Covid-19 Vaccine Passports: Green Certificates Around The World
From: Rosalie Wyonch To: Canadian Vaccination Watchers Date: March 5, 2021 Re: COVID-19 Vaccine Passports: Green Certificates Around the World As more and more people are vaccinated, there is hope that more normal daily life and activities might soon resume. There is growing debate about using “immunity passports” to allow those who have been vaccinated or recovered from […] Bank of Canada Should Hold Overnight Rate at 0.25 Percent, Prepare to Reduce Government Bond Purchases: C.D. Howe Institute Monetary Policy Council
March 4, 2021 – The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council (MPC) recommends that the Bank of Canada keep its target for the overnight rate, its benchmark policy interest rate, at 0.25 percent at least until March of 2022. The MPC was divided on whether the Bank of Canada should maintain its current pace of Government of Canada bond purchases between now and its next policy-rate announcement on April 21st, but members who voted for the Bank to maintain its current pace said it should prepare markets for a winding down of the program.
The MPC provides an independent assessment of the monetary stance consistent with the Bank of Canada’s 2 percent inflation target. William Robson, the Institute’s CEO, chairs…
Why federal green bond issuance can help build the Canadian market – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The green bond market was growing rapidly until the pandemic hit in 2020 and its progress stalled under economic shutdowns. As the recovery unfolds, green bonds – fixed-income securities used to finance sustainable projects – appear poised to resume their trajectory, in Canada and abroad. But should the federal (and provincial) governments get into the action with their own green bond issues?
In a recent C.D. Howe Institute paper, I argue there are many good reasons for Ottawa to issue its own green bonds; chief among them is the setting of a benchmark price that can help build overall market capacity in Canada. The other key question is how the federal government can best play a role.
These bonds instruments,…
Henri-paul Rousseau – Agri-food Digital Sovereignty In Canada And Quebec
From: Henri-Paul Rousseau To: Canadians Concerned about Data Ownership Date: March 3, 2021 Re: Agri-food Digital Sovereignty in Canada and Quebec The agri-food industry is going through its own digital revolution speeding the 50-year move to precision agriculture. Torrents of data now flow from all the sensors, GPS readings and laser measurement devices, mounted on equipment; […] Help Wanted: How to Address Labour Shortages in Healthcare – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Gaps in access to healthcare have long been a challenge in Canada, but became a top priority in the midst of the COVID-19 infectious disease crisis. The existing labour supply and mix of professionals puts fundamental limits on the healthcare system’s capacity, as does the availability of the necessary infrastructure, tools and equipment for those professionals to provide care.
The pandemic exposed pre-existing gaps in Canada’s healthcare system in terms of preparedness, labour policies and the risks posed to and by providers, particularly those working in multiple locations or facilities. Expansions in virtual care, adaptations to clinical practices and expanding scopes of practice for some health professionals are all examples…
Can the World Trade Organization be saved? – Globe and Mail Op-ed
One of the first steps Joe Biden took upon assuming office was to end the Trump administration’s blocking of the appointment of a new director-general of the World Trade Organization. With the United States now on side, WTO members quickly elected Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria as its new head.
Although not known to the general public (the heads of these intergovernmental bodies rarely are), she has impressive credentials: A Harvard and MIT grad and former managing director of the World Bank, she served twice as Nigeria’s finance minister between 2003 and 2015 while holding U.S.-Nigerian dual citizenship. She was given high marks for her performance in those roles.
Her election is an important step forward for the WTO,…
Bob Baldwin – Learning From Cpp Valuation Reports
From: Bob Baldwin To: Canada’s pension regulators Date: March 2, 2021 Re: Learning from CPP Valuation Reports When it comes to Canada’s retirement income system, the Canada Pension Plan is the elephant in the room. At the provincial and federal level, debates are active on issues such as the adequacy of CPP benefits, the eligibility age for CPP retirement […] Ambler, Kronick – The Road Not Taken
From: Steve Ambler and Jeremy M. Kronick To: Canadian Interest Rate Watchers Date: March 1, 2021 Re: The Road Not Taken Last month, the Bank of Canada decided not to change its target for the “overnight rate” of interest at which lending takes place among large financial institutions. It was a non-move that had extra significance given the speculation […]Don Drummond – For A Canadian Equitable Growth Institute
From: Don Drummond To: Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland Date: February 26, 2021 Re: For a Canadian Equitable Growth Institute Canada’s weak economic growth prospects threaten the well-being of Canadians and preclude the introduction of the Liberal government’s spending initiatives without undue fiscal risk or much higher tax rates. The fall fiscal statement estimated Canada’s potential growth rate to […] Perplexing Budgets Overstate Financial Pain Of Cities
February 25 – Budget debate anxiety over cities’ fiscal health tells a misleading story, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In fact, Canada’s biggest municipalities were in robust health in the run-up to 2020. The 31 largest by population tallied an aggregate surplus of over… Puzzling Plans and Surprise Surpluses: Canada’s Cities Need More Transparent Budgets
Perplexing Budgets Overstate Financial Pain of Cities William B.P. Robson and Miles Wu look at the annual budgetary projections for spending and the bottom line in Canada’s 31 largest municipalities by population over a decade (2010 to 2019) and compare them to the results reported in those municipalities’ year-end financial statements. They find budget debate […]