The Institute for Research on Public Policy published a new report, An (Overdue) Review of Canada’s Fiscal Stabilization Program, which says key changes need to be made to the country’s fiscal stabilization program in order to provide provinces adequate protection against short-term economic shocks. “There is effectively no fiscal stabilization in Canada today,” said author Trevor Tombe, associate professor … Read more
A new study by the Institute for Research on Public Policy takes stock of major developments in this area since the election of the Liberal government in 2015 and reviews the current state of intergovernmental relations. “Recent cooperation on labour market policy has been remarkable, given past tensions in this area. Historically, the two orders of … Read more
The Institute for Research on Public Policy published a new study, Constitutional Law and the Politics of Carbon Pricing in Canada, which argues that Ottawa needs to make a stronger case for the federal government’s carbon pricing legislation. The core legal issue is whether the federal government has authority to impose the backstop on provinces … Read more
The Institute for Research on Public Policy released a new report saying Canada needs a dedicated strategy to reduce the burden of navigating health and social services for older Canadians and their caregivers. “Navigating health services must be transformed from a private struggle into a public responsibility,” said report author Laura Funk. “More support is key, not only … Read more
Conflicts over projects such as the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline underscore the urgent need for a new approach to land and resource decision-making. Land-use planning offers one way of applying the consent standard set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples while making development more predictable, says a … Read more
A new study from the Institute for Research on Public Policy examines changes in the relationship between the Senate and the government since the new nonpartisan process for selecting senators was put in place in 2016. Report author Emmett Macfarlane (University of Waterloo) found that the Senate has become more independent, and that is has … Read more
Ottawa’s Innovation and Skills Plan offers only part of the solution to Canada’s innovation challenge. Current initiatives focus too much on generating new technology and innovation through R&D tax credits, subsidies, and venture capital, and they do not address the broader issue of low uptake and market demand for leading-edge technologies, says a new study … Read more
Tax-free savings accounts were designed, in part, to help lower-income Canadians optimize their retirement savings, but many are still leaving money on the table, says a new publication from the Institute for Research on Public Policy. As Canada’s population ages, a growing number of seniors will need to rely on government programs like the Guaranteed Income … Read more
Significant institutional and cultural changes have occurred in the Senate as a result of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s (Papineau, Que.) decision to establish a nonpartisan process for selecting senators. But more work remains to be done to cement the renewal, according to a new study from the Institute for Research on Public Policy. Although the Independent … Read more
Canadians should be able to meaningfully express their preferences for end-of-life care through advance medical directives. More values-based, collaborative approaches to AMDs offer a path forward for Quebec and other provinces, says a new publication from the Institute for Research on Public Policy. “To be robust, the AMD process should include informed conversations with health care providers, individuals … Read more
