Canada-U.S. Relations

Canada, the U.S., and the Financial Crisis: Risks and Opportunities

Writing for the Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute, Colin Robertson examines the risks and opportunities that both Canada and the U.S. face in the wake of the recent financial crisis. He states that even in this time of uncertainty, Canada has an opportunity to re-work its partnership with the U.S. and argues that the Canadian government must proactively integrate and coordinate its plans with the U.S. at the local, state and national levels. http://www.cdfai.org/PDF/Canada,%20the%20USA,%20and%20the%20Financial%20Crisis.pdf

Blueprint for Canada-U.S. Engagement under a New Administration

In an upcoming event at Carlton University, a group of Canadian and American experts will present a series of policy papers addressing themes that will be critical to Canada-U.S. engagement. These include the border, defence cooperation, the Arctic, the energy-environment nexus, competitiveness, institutional linkages, the fallout from the financial crisis, the Americas, and engagement with the United States and other key allies. The discussions at the conference will inform a strategy document on effective Canadian engagement of the next U.S. Administration that will be presented to the Prime Minister and premiers. http://www.carleton.ca/ctpl/conferences/Canada-US-Project-2008.htm

A New Bridge for Old Allies

The Canadian International Council Border Issues Working Group report entitled “A New Bridge for Old Allies” confronts the question: how can the United States and Canada protect each other from harm while maintaining their competitive edge and quality of life in an era of emerging economies and alarming global forces?  “A New Bridge for Old Allies” details the huge economic importance of the border to Canada and the United States. It further outlines how various regulatory measures since September 11, 2001 have led to border “thickening,” with adverse consequences for both countries. http://www.igloo.org/canadianinternational/download/research/workinggro/borderissu/cicborders

Water Abundance in Canada and the United States: Myth or Reality

The Canada Institute’s One Issue, Two Voices compares the facts on fresh water abundance in Canada and the United States and dispels misconceptions about the future of sustainable water in both countries. Authors David B. Brooks, senior fresh water advisor to Friends of the Earth, Canada, and G. Tracy Mehan III, former assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and environmental consultant with The Cadmus Group, Inc., are leading international environmental water experts. Together they cast a critical eye on the state of water policy and management in their respective countries.

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/pubs/CI_OneIssue_issue10.pdf

Economy

Invest Carefully to Blunt Crisis and Drive Sustainable Economic Growth

Canada is relatively well positioned to deal with the global economic crisis, but the recent federal Economic and Fiscal Statement shows that the government must use its available resources wisely, says the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE). “We are encouraged that the federal government is doing its best to avoid going into deficit. However, it will be able, if necessary, to open the spending taps to blunt the impact of the current global crisis precisely because it ran surpluses and paid down debt for so many years,” said CCCE Chief Executive and President Thomas d’Aquino. http://www.ceocouncil.ca/en/view/?area_id=1&document_id=1285

The Government’s report: http://www.fin.gc.ca/ec2008/pdf/EconomicStatement2008_Eng.pdf

Squeaky Hinges: Widening the Door to Canadian Cross-border Investment

While foreign direct investment has been a controversial issue in Canada, the reality is that Canada’s openness to world capital flows, both inbound and outbound, is not impressive by world standards, conclude Matt Krzepkowski and Jack Mintz of the C.D. Howe Institute. Sharp increases in the number and size of mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors have raised fears of Canadian industry being hollowed-out by foreign corporations operating in their own interests and against those of Canadians, they say, so to address these fears, the authors explain what smart policy responses Canada could undertake. http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/ebrief_69.pdf

Unleash Consumer Spending with Temporary GST Cut

Ken Boessenkool of Canada West Foundation challenges those who have taken to criticizing the federal government for accelerating the GST cut to 5% earlier this year and who label the cut wrong-headed fiscal policy. Instead, Boessenkool suggests that the federal government should tell Canadians that the GST will go back to 5% when the economy experiences two consecutive quarters of growth and that the GST cut earlier this year was the right policy at the right time. http://www.cwf.ca/V2/cnt/commentaries_200811281112.php

Plotting a New Course for BC beyond the Softwood Lumber Agreement

In October 2006, the Canadian and American governments ended a prolonged trade dispute by signing the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA), a deal they said would bring greater certainty to the cross-border lumber trade. A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives examines events in the post-SLA world and focuses on British Columbia’s five biggest forest companies. It finds that the agreement has generally weakened the position of the BC forest industry while strengthening the hand of U.S. lumber producers. http://www.policyalternatives.ca/~ASSETS/DOCUMENT/BC_Office_Pubs/bc_2008/ccpa_bc_after_windfall_web.pdf

Grits Should Lock Down Salaries to Help Economy

Writing for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, Professor David Murrell, a University of New Brunswick economist, says that the province should freeze the salaries of government workers and use the money on construction projects that will stimulate the economy. Murrell alleges that a salary freeze for all of the province's 47,000 public employees would give the province more latitude and help to free up money in the face of a recession. http://www.aims.ca/inthemedia.asp?typeID=4&id=2379&fd=0&p=1

Competitive Mindset: Are Western Canadians Ready to “Go for Gold?”

In a new report, Loleen Berdahl and Brett Gartner of the Canada West Foundation examine the public policy options that will help ensure western Canada’s long term economic prosperity. The work brings together economic theory regarding the public policy options that promote and impede economic competitiveness, current economic data relevant to these policy topics, and related public opinion data. The results provide public opinion context for the policy options that will be debated in the years ahead. http://www.cwf.ca/V2/files/LW08finalHQ.pdf

Getting Past the Dreaded "D" Word

During this economic downturn, Ontario could tolerate a deficit in its normal operations of up to $3 billion and provide temporary stimulus and support without falling into structural deficit, says Hugh Mackenzie of the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives. Mackenzie recommends that the government use this fiscal room to investment in infrastructure and public spending.

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/~ASSETS/DOCUMENT/National_Office_Pubs/2008/Dreaded_D_Word.pdf

Domestic Politics

New Factors at Play in Third Party Surge in 2007 Québec Election

In 2007, Quebecers elected a minority government for the first time in more than a century, and Mario Dumont’s Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) became the official opposition in the National Assembly, relegating the Parti québécois (PQ) to third-party position. The dramatic rise in popularity of the ADQ and third parties in general in the 2007 election is evidence of three new party constituencies that have emerged in the Quebec electorate, according to a study released by the Institute for Research on Public Policy.

Study (au français) http://www.irpp.org/fr/choices/archive/vol14no17.pdf

Summary (in English) http://www.irpp.org/newsroom/archive/2008/1125sume.pdf

Podcast (au français): http://www.irpp.org/fr/choices/archive/vol14no17_podcast.mp3

The Poisoned Chalice

What is going on in Ottawa is a game of competitive suicide, writes David Frum, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, because whoever "wins" this parliamentary power play destroys himself, while only the "losers" will survive. Frum concludes that this latest round was a gambit that should never have been played. http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.29009/pub_detail.asp

Ayers on Canadian Political Instability

Canadians are facing a period of unprecedented political instability, notes Jeff Ayres at St. Michael's College. Prime Minister Stephen Harper had the Governor General of Canada rush back from a trip to Europe and asked her to suspend Parliament, and she agreed.  Ayres says such a drastic move is stunning to Canadians, and even more so to Americans.  Listen to his interview at http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/83129/

Prospects for Uniting the Left

There are three national political parties to the left of the Conservatives — the Liberals, the NDP and now the Greens, all essentially fishing in the same pool of voters. According to Policy Options Columnist Robin Sears, while their competitive histories and personalities might argue against a unity movement, common sense and the prospect of winning an election as a united left might ultimately win the day.  http://www.irpp.org/po/archive/nov08/sears.pdf

Domestic Policy

The Forgotten Fundamentals

Ottawa has at its disposal several effective social programs that can play an important part in an economic stimulus package to combat the recession, says a new study from the Caledon Institute of Social Policy, and strong social programs can play a vital part in an economic stimulus package. The paper’s authors explain that this can best be achieved by boosting three geared-to-income programs, the Canada Child Tax Benefit, refundable GST credit and Working Income Tax Benefit, and a restored and strengthened employment Insurance.

http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/727ENG.pdf

Health Care

Canada Needs to Follow European Example and Increase Private-Sector Involvement in Health Care

Canada’s refusal to consider increased private sector involvement and competition in health care has left the country struggling with a health care system burdened with lengthy wait lists and aging medical technology despite being one of the most expensive systems among industrialized nations, concludes a new study from the Fraser Institute. Author Nadeem Esmail focuses on 12 indicators of access to health care and compares Canada with other countries that provide universal health care. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/newsandevents/news/6351.aspx

Methadone Can Treat, Reverse Cocaine Addiction, Professor Finds

Methadone, typically used to treat heroin addiction, may also be effective in treating cocaine addiction, according to a new University of Guelph study. Psychology professor Francesco Leri is the first to reveal that methadone can reverse key cocaine-induced neurobiological changes in the brain known to play a key role in addictive behaviours. The results of the study show that methadone is capable of suppressing cocaine-seeking behaviour and cocaine-induced neural adaptation when administered after exposure to the drug.

http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/2008/11/methadone_can_t.html

Education

Stephen Hawking Named Distinguished Research Chair at Waterloo’s Perimeter Institute

Internationally regarded scientist Stephen Hawking has been appointment to the position of Distinguished Research Chair at Canada’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI).

Hawking will conduct regular stays at PI in coming years, beginning in the summer of ’09. “The Institute's twin focus, on quantum theory and gravity, is very close to my heart and central to explaining the origin of the Universe,” Hawking remarked. “I look forward to building a growing partnership between PI and our Centre for Theoretical Cosmology, at Cambridge. Our research endeavour is global, and by combining forces I believe we will reap rich rewards." http://www.asiapacific.ca/files/Analysis/2008/PostSecondaryinIndia.pdf