Canada-U.S. Relations

Setting the Stage for the Obama Administration

Colin Robertson of the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute examines what the "Facts of Life" will look like for the Obama Administration. He looks at the challenges it will face, the policies it will pursue, and the ample opportunities the change of administration will provide for Canada.

http://www.cdfai.org/PDF/Setting%20the%20Stage%20for%20the%20Obama%20Administration.pdf

 

The New Global Energy Geopolitical Game

In this paper for the Canadian International Council, Annette Hester conducts an enquiry into Canada’s foreign energy policy, and suggests that the design of a grand energy strategy is paramount to the construction of such a policy. The analysis that follows, of whether such strategy exists and what elements should be included in one, is framed by examining the position of the US, Canada’s largest energy customer and trading partner, in the evolving world of energy geopolitics.  http://www.canadianinternationalcouncil.org/research/canadianfo/thenewglob

 

 

Economy

Key Short- and Long-Term Priorities for Canada

Addressing the Canadian Council of Chief Executives in Toronto, Council Chief Executive and President Thomas d’Aquino outlined top priorities that he said should be front of mind for government and business leaders alike as Canadians confront the difficult and uncertain year ahead. http://www.ceocouncil.ca/en/view/?area_id=1&document_id=1305

 

Going for the Gold Project

This research paper series compiled by the Canada West Foundation highlights the many facets of public policy that it sees as needing to work in concert if western Canada—and by extension Canada as a whole—are to succeed in the global economy in the decades ahead. Topics covered include Western Canadian exports, nuclear power, and national stabilization policy. http://www.cwf.ca/V2/cnt/gfg_papers.php

 

 

Foreign Policy

Canada Needs to Update its Policies to Embrace Chinese Transnationalism

In a globalized world in which highly educated and highly skilled workers can move across borders in search of opportunity, Canada must ensure its policies do not hinder maintaining ties with Chinese and other immigrants who return to their homeland, says the Asia Pacific Foundation.  http://www.asiapacific.ca/files/Bulletins/304Returnmigration.pdf

 

The Russian Nuclear Industry

After languishing for two decades, the nuclear industry in Russia has recently been greeted with renewed funding and enthusiasm, observes Miles Pomper of the Centre for International Governance Innovation. This paper explores the goals and challenges of the Russian nuclear power industry, discussing its status and prospects.

To download as pdf: http://www.cigionline.org/community.igloo?r0=community&r0_script=/scripts/folder/view.script&r0_pathinfo=%2F%7B7caf3d23-023d-494b-865b-84d143de9968%7D%2FPublications%2Fresearch%2Fnucleare%2Ftest%2Ftestdec17b&r0_output=xml

 

Real Nuclear Disarmament

Wade Huntley of the Liu Institute for Global Issues identifies major steps that may be taken towards nuclear disarmament in 2009. http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/ubcreports/2009/09jan08/nuclear.html

 

 

Public Policy

Building a National Health System

In this international comparative study, Bill Ferguson of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies asks what Canada can learn from other nations’ experiments in national health systems.  In so doing, he demonstrates that standard economic analysis does apply in health care, in the sense that demand curves slope down and supply curves slope up. In terms of broad policy conclusions, he suggests that private insurance and private supply can function as part of an efficient, universal national health care system.

http://www.aims.ca/library/BuildingNationalHealth.pdf

 

Immigration and Infrastructure

Over the past decade, Manitoba has undertaken the most successful provincial immigration policy in recent Canadian history, writes Robert Vineberg for the Canada West Foundation. He shows how the policies of successive provincial governments, with close cooperation from successive federal governments, have taken Manitoba from the position of immigration backwater to the leading destination in Canada, on a per capita basis.  Newcomers, whether immigrants or not, need jobs, housing and transportation. Therefore, he writes, the current national recession and the expected commitment by both senior levels of government to stimulate the economy by spending on infrastructure present a wonderful opportunity.

http://www.cwf.ca/V2/cnt/commentaries_200901151557.php

 

Social Housing in Ontario

With a trend toward smaller household size, low-income, one-person households confront severe affordability issues in the private market and deal with long wait times for limited numbers of available social housing units.  Suzanne Swanton of the Canadian Policy Research Networks looks at the housing experiences of this group in two Ontario cities, Kingston and Guelph. http://www.cprn.org/documents/49102_EN.pdf

 

La grande corvée du décrochage scolaire

Le Québec affiche un taux de décrochage parmi les plus élevés au pays, selon les plus récentes études de Statistiques Canada.  Le gouvernement du Québec attestent également que seuls 60 % des jeunes obtiennent leur diplôme de fin d'études secondaires en cinq ans et que 27 % des jeunes décrochent du secondaire au Québec. Ces résultats inquiétants ont poussé Anne une groupe de chercheurs de l'Université de Sherbrooke d’effectuer une étude sur 90 élèves décrocheurs.

http://www.usherbrooke.ca/udes/magazine/lire/no3/a-la-une/article/3244/?type=98

 

 

Energy and Environment

Our Common Inaction

David Runnalls of the International Institute for Sustainable Development calls on Canada and other nations to effect institutional change as he critically examines the successes and setbacks of international sustainable development policy over the past 35 years.

http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/Our_Common_Inaction_low_res.pdf

 

 

Science and Technology

People Power

While the modern world embraces greener technologies to produce cleaner energy from the wind, sun and plants, a Vancouver-based scientist has invented a device that harvests what is arguably the cleanest energy around—our own. Max Donelan, a biomedical physiologist at Simon Fraser University, wants to win back energy we lose each day through the simple act of walking.  Innovation Canada examines some of the implications the Harvester could have for climate change and rising obesity rates.

http://www.innovationcanada.ca/en/articles/people-power

 

Le gouvernement du Canada stimule le R et D de calibre mondial

L'honorable Gary Goodyear, ministre d'État (Sciences et Technologie), a annoncé récemment l'établissement d'un nouveau Centre d'excellence en commercialisation et en recherche. « Ce nouveau centre aidera les chercheurs et les entrepreneurs du Canada à sortir leurs innovations du laboratoire et à les mettre sur le marché », a déclaré le ministre Goodyear. « Notre gouvernement s'engage à appuyer la recherche et développement afin de créer de l'emploi, améliorer la qualité de vie de tous les Canadiens et renforcer l'économie pour les générations futures » .

http://www.nce.gc.ca/media/newsrel/2009/220109_f.htm

English : http://www.nce.gc.ca/media/newsrel/2009/220109_e.htm