Laurin, Wu, Robson – Fiscal Snapshot Will Show A Grim Picture Of Federal Debt
From: Alexandre Laurin, Miles Wu and William B.P. Robson To: Canadians Concerned about Government Debt Date: July 6, 2020 Re: Fiscal snapshot will show a grim picture of federal debt Over the last three months, the regular spending announcements from Canadian governments in response to COVID-19 have progressed from reassuring to alarming. In late June, […] Wyonch, Maharishi – Low-value Care: Health’s Future And Fiscal Reckoning
From: Rosalie Wyonch and Shivani Maharishi To: Health policymakers and managers Date: July 3, 2020 Re: Low-Value Care: Health’s Future and Fiscal Reckoning The COVID-19 pandemic has created a backlog of delayed health services and lower government revenues resulting in turbulence for Canada’s healthcare sector. These changes and uncertainty are anticipated to continue for some […] Stéphanie Lluis – Regional Differences In Job Growth Shows Ottawa Must Think Regionally
From: Stéphanie Lluis To: Canadians Concerned about the State of the Labour Market Date: July 2, 2020 Re: Regional Differences in Job Growth Shows Ottawa Must Think Regionally The massive and sudden drop in employment caused by the pandemic has been followed by uncertainty about when, where, and how quickly the economy is re-opening. Collectively, these factors create a coordination problem in the labour […] The Trade and Economic Impact of the CUSMA: Making Sense of the Alternative Estimates
June 30, 2020 – The new North American trade deal takes effect on July 1 amid heightened uncertainty about its likely impacts. The effect of the COVID-19 crisis on supply chains, the digital transformation of the economy, and the possibility of the US reimposing aluminum and steel tariffs all cloud the potential effects of the […] Uncertainty Further Muddies Cusma Waters
The new North American trade deal takes effect on July 1 amid heightened uncertainty about its likely impacts. The effect of the COVID-19 crisis on supply chains, the digital transformation of the economy, and the possibility of the US reimposing aluminum and steel tariffs all…The perfect stimulus for cash-strapped governments – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The beginning of summer has brought welcome news about Canada’s economy and Canadians’ prospects after a spring devastated by COVID-19. Measures of activity and confidence, even numbers of jobs, are up from the lows of March and April. But we still have a long way to go.
Millions of Canadians are still working less than they were, or not at all, and the reopening of the economy will be too slow and sporadic to save thousands of businesses. In past recessions, governments have provided fiscal stimulus, notably through infrastructure projects to speed recovery, so it is natural to hope for a similar spending boost this time.
Fulfilling that hope will be a challenge, however. Projects big enough to move the economic needle…
Schwellnus, Koelle – Supporting Incomes While Promoting A Speedy Labour Market Recovery
From: Cyrille Schwellnus and Michael Koelle To: Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance Date: June 30, 2020 Re: Supporting incomes while promoting a speedy labour market recovery In response to the jobs crisis triggered by COVID-19, a number of countries, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and most of Western Europe, have established or expanded job retention […] Trevor Tombe – Potential Gains From Provinces Easing Labour Mobility Barriers
From: Trevor Tombe To: Provincial employment ministers Date: June 29, 2020 Re: Potential Gains from Provinces Easing Labour Mobility Barriers Migration is central to Canada’s economic development, especially in the West. International immigration receives significant attention, but interprovincial migration is no less important. In normal times, according to the latest 2016 census data, more than 260,000 Canadians move from […] Dan Ciuriak on BNN – NAFTA 2.0 will be up against ‘supply chain disruption’
Dan Ciuriak, fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute and former deputy chief economist of Global Affairs Canada, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss his views on the NAFTA 2.0 deal kickoff amid the COVID-19 pandemic and what challenges lie ahead for US-Canada trade ties.
S2 E10 – The Future of Commercial and Industrial Real Estate under COVID-19
What does the real estate market look like after quarantine? Host Michael Hainsworth speaks with OMERS President & CEO Blake Hutcheson and CIBC Capital Markets economist Katherine Judge for insight into the commercial and industrial property markets. Grant Bishop – Three Requirements For Canada’s Petroleum Industry
From: Grant Bishop To: Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada Date: June 26, 2020 Re: Three requirements for Canada’s petroleum industry May was a bad month for Canada’s beleaguered oil producers. First, the Norges Bank, which manages Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, announced its divestment from four oilsands producers, citing their “unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions.” Then, presumptive […] William B.P. Robson – Covid-19 Must Not Undermine Governments’ Fiscal Accountability
From: William B.P. Robson To: Members of federal, provincial and territorial legislatures Date: June 25, 2020 Re: COVID-19 Must Not Undermine Governments’ Fiscal Accountability COVID-19 is hurting more than our health. It has crushed our economy. And it is straining our governing institutions. A case in point is the federal government’s refusal to table a budget. The C.D. Howe […]