Canada’s economic trendline has continued its deceleration according to the latest update of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Leading Economic Indicator. This marks the second straight month of a slowing trend and captures the first bit of information of the COVID-19 outbreak. “The small gains posted had pointed Canada’s economy in the direction of modest growth,” explains LEI author … Read more
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute published a new commentary, “Facing the Human and Economic Costs of Fighting COVID-19,” in which author Rob Wildeboer outlines the balance governments must seek to strike in order to ensure both the containment of COVID-19 and the prevention of the worst possible economic outcomes. While acknowledging that Canada is correctly focused on containing COVID-19 to … Read more
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute has devoted its latest issue of Inside Policy magazine to exploring the coronavirus and its consequences. The magazine includes some key issues about how the virus is affecting this country, including the economic response, the Canadian Military’s role, the advantage countries like China and Russia might take in the crisis, and policy responses going forward. The magazine is … Read more
In a new MLI commentary, “How Taiwan is Leading by Example in the Global War on the COVID-19 Pandemic,” MLI senior fellow J. Michael Cole dives into Taiwan’s successful strategy and the lesson that Canada could learn from the tiny island nation. “Taiwan has handled the outbreak with such brio that, at the time of writing, it … Read more
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute released a new report, Coronavirus hurts, but many of Canada’s economic problems are homegrown, noting that while it is tempting to blame Canada’s economic woes on external factors, the economy was already exposed to serious risk. While the economy has spent much of 2020 lurching from crisis to crisis with rail blockades, supply-side stress due … Read more
In a study released by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Munk Senior Fellow and former Ontario Medical Association president Dr. Shawn Whatley calls for a national discussion about the level of government responsible for health care in this country, and proposes reforms that make political decision-makers more accountable to patients and voters. As Dr. Whatley explains in the … Read more
In a new report by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Who’s afraid of the USMCA? Why the intellectual property provisions in the US Mexico Canada Agreement are good for Canada and its trading partners, author Richard Owens finds that the deal will net a significant benefit for Canada’s innovative economy. “Criticism of the IP provisions of the USMCA is unwarranted,” … Read more
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute released a new commentary by Scott Newark: The SNC-Lavalin Case: Getting Past the Politics and Identifying Necessary Changes. Newark argues that independence, transparency, and de-politicization are all important and achievable improvements that can be made in the wake of this case. “Public confidence in our justice system is essential,” he said. “Having a clearly defined process … Read more
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute released a new report by Jeffrey F. Collins titled First Principles and the National Interest: Report Card on Canadian Defence Policy 2018, assessing Canada’s defence policy since the last election. So far, the government has delivered on only eight of the recommended priorities. “Chief among the eight completed recommendations are those actions that are in … Read more
The provisions on copyright and patents in the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement should be seen as wins for Canadians, says Macdonald-Laurier Institute Munk Senior Fellow Richard Owens. Some commentators characterize tougher enforcement mechanisms for online piracy, copyright term extensions, and data protection for biologic drugs as concessions Canada made in negotiations. But in fact, these new IP measures will go … Read more
