Should the Bank of Canada’s interest rates go any lower? – Financial Post Op-Ed
Last week 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 in light of recent speeches by members of the bank’s Governing Council. Statements by Gov. Tiff Macklem and Deputy Gov. Paul Beaudry before Christmas had led to speculation about the possibility of a “micro-cut,” a cut in the target overnight rate of less than 25 basis points, if weak economic conditions warranted such a move. With the bank now predicting negative economic growth this quarter, such a cut might have seemed justified.
But it didn’t happen. To us, this time, that was the right call. Here’s why.
First,…
Lawrence Herman – Compensation, Not Sanctions, For Keystone
From: Lawrence Herman To: Canadians concerned about trade Date: January 29, 2021 Re: Compensation, Not Sanctions, for Keystone Keystone XL is dead. Everyone knows that. Nothing can force the Biden administration to reissue the construction permit. The fight is now over any compensation owed to owner TC Energy Corp. by the US government. Even though it was endorsed by […] Duty to Protect: Corporate Directors and Climate-Related Financial Risk
Climate Risk Reporting Needs Clarity to Succeed Amid growing calls from regulators, financial standard organizations and institutional investors, Canadian corporations face pressure to adopt transparent climate-risk reporting. But first, they need greater clarity on the metrics and standards involved. Author Janis Sarra recommends that Canada clarify and adopt mandatory uniform reporting on climate metrics and […] Climate Risk Reporting Needs Clarity To Succeed
Amid growing calls from regulators, financial standard organizations and institutional investors, Canadian corporations face pressure to adopt transparent climate-risk reporting, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. But first, they need greater clarity on the…Jon Johnson – Cancellation Of The Keystone Permit: What To Do
From: Jon Johnson To: Global Affairs Canada, TC Energy and the Biden Administration Date: January 28, 2021 Re: Cancellation of the Keystone Permit – What to do It is no surprise that one of President Joe Biden’s first acts was to cancel TC Energy’s Keystone permit. So where does this leave us? It is reported […] S3 E2: Keystone XL with Kristen van de Biezenbos
The US President has scrapped the Keystone XL pipeline. Is this the end of the southbound extension for TC Energy and the province of Alberta? The University of Calgary’s Kristen van de Biezenbos warns the White House isn’t the biggest threat to the oil rich province: it’s the states. Green, Simard-duplain, Siu – In-person K-12 Schooling Is Essential To The Canadian Economy
From: David A. Green, Gaëlle Simard-Duplain, and Henry E. Siu To: Policymakers across Canada Date: January 27, 2021 Re: In-Person K-12 Schooling is Essential to the Canadian Economy The extent to which K-12 schools should remain open remains at the forefront of discussions on long-term pandemic management. Transmission and infection rates among children are lower than for adults. At […] Don Drummond – Should $70 To $100 Billion Of Fiscal Stimulus Be Used, And On What?
From: Don Drummond To: Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland Date: January 26, 2021 Re: Should $70 to $100 Billion of Fiscal Stimulus Be Used, and on What? Ottawa’s Fall Fiscal Statement set aside $70 to $100 billion through 2023-24 for possible fiscal stimulus to “build a stronger, more inclusive, more innovative and more resilient economy.” Careful reflection is needed […] What will define the road map to net-zero GHG emissions? – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Shaping a successful economy with much lower GHG emissions will be an ever-present challenge for the next three decades. The low-carbon transition has begun, but is still at a very early stage; we have only a broad idea of what the transition might look like in the years ahead. Nevertheless, legislative assemblies, including here in Canada, have charged ahead and declared the ambition of attaining an economy with no net GHG emissions by 2050.
There will not be a single common pathway – many already exist or will emerge, and they will compete for market positioning for consumers and businesses. Rather than referring to pathways, it would be more accurate to refer to an evolving energy-transition road map, with many…
Je Préfère Les Tulipes Aux Bitcoins – La Presse Opinion
Comme les tulipes au XVIIe siècle, les bitcoins sont emportés par une bulle, ce qui montre bien que la fièvre des spéculateurs est récurrente. Les tulipes mènent aujourd’hui une existence bien terre-à-terre, contentes d’être jolies et d’annoncer le printemps. Je cherche encore l’utilité des bitcoins.
En 1637, les marchands néerlandais payaient des prix fous pour les bulbes de cette fleur exotique, importée de l’Empire ottoman, particulièrement la rare variété à motif tigré. Première crise spéculative documentée, la « tulipomanie » a brûlé des fortunes factices.
On n’aura pas davantage à pleurer l’éventuelle déconfiture des « baleines », le surnom donné aux gros détenteurs de bitcoins, qui ne sont…
Keystone XL is dead. Now comes the tough fight over compensation – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Keystone XL is dead. Everyone knows that. Nothing can force the Biden administration to reissue the construction permit. The fight is now over any compensation owed to owner TC Energy Corp. by the U.S. government.
Even though it was endorsed by the Canadian government and even though Alberta invested up to $1.5-billion in the venture, Keystone is a private-sector project. Claims for compensation will be up to the company to advance, either in U.S. courts or before a North American free-trade agreement panel. The company said it is considering its options.
In the meantime, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has demanded Canada apply “sanctions” in retaliation for the project’s cancellation. Saskatchewan counterpart Scott Moe…
S3 E1: Addressing Labour Supply Shortages in Healthcare
In the midst of the worst pandemic in 100 years, addressing gaps in access to healthcare services in Canada has become a priority. The problem of a fractured provincial-based healthcare system has been exacerbated by COVID-19. With as many as 11,000 cancer, gynecologic, and other elective surgeries postponed each week in Ontario alone, the solution […]