The industry’s rapid response reminds us that we must continue to support and protect biopharmaceutical innovation
If only we had heeded Bill Gates back in 2018. In a 2018 article, the Microsoft co-founder noted that the “global community eradicated smallpox, a disease that killed an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century alone. We’re on the verge of eradicating polio, a disease that 30 years ago was endemic in 125…
Allowing employers to adjust quickly will improve the chances jobs are waiting for returning workers when the crisis subsides
By Alex Whalen and Niels Veldhuis The Fraser Institute Aside from the enormous health-related challenges due to the COVID-19 virus, employers and workers are feeling major economic pain with job loss, reduced income and revenue. The ability of businesses to adjust quickly will be key to stabilizing the economy and laying the foundation for recovery.…
By Steven Globerman and Jairo Yunis The Fraser Institute The Alberta government recently announced cuts to scores of jobs at the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), including operations staff, headquarter managers and field workers, as part of a major reorganization. The ostensible goal is to make the AER more efficient, effective and resilient by simplifying the…
Toronto and Ottawa are thriving but as long as large regions of Ontario struggle, the province and the country won’t meet their full economic potential
By Ben Eisen and Steve Lafleur The Fraser Institute Ontarians have suffered more than their share of economic pain over the past 15 years. For much of the 2000s, the province’s manufacturing sector was struggling and then the 2008-09 recession made things much worse. In the years that followed, the province’s recovery was unfortunately tepid.…
There’s been a significant drop in investment across 10 of the 15 major sectors of the Canadian economy, and the federal government is to blame
By Niels Veldhuis and Ashley Stedman The Fraser Institute Canada has massive investment potential. We have an abundance of natural resources, one of the most highly-educated populations in the world, and reside next to the world’s most successful economy. We’re also among the freest countries in the world, with freedom of religion, assembly, movement and…
On Tuesday, while activists reportedly tried to “arrest” Premier John Horgan at his house in British Columbia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the House of Commons, stressing the need for “patience” as rail blockades continue to prevent freight and passenger movement across Canada. The #ShutDownCanada movement is in full swing across the country, with…
The notion that leading the G7 is evidence of strong economic performance or rapid growth in living standards is not simply off base, it’s dangerous
By Ben Eisen and Finn Poschmann The Fraser Institute Recent forecasts suggest Canada may compete with the United States for the top spot in the G7 in 2020 for economic growth. Those forecasts include one from the International Monetary Fund. Political partisans have since flooded social media with the impressive-sounding factoid that Canada may lead…
Start learning the deep details of the science and economics instead of letting extremists dictate what you’re allowed to think or say
Last year was the year the climate issue took a sharp turn towards extremism. Let’s hope 2020 is the year sanity makes a comeback. There have long been three groups occupying the climate issue. To avoid pejoratives, I will call them A, B and C. The A group are the doubters. They don’t believe greenhouse…
As more resources go towards paying debt interest, the gap between what we pay in taxes and what we receive in services widens
By Tegan Hill and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau recently confirmed that, should a recession occur, Ottawa will turn on the spending taps using borrowed money. This government’s lack of fiscal discipline coupled with a willingness – if not outright enthusiasm – for even more deficit spending could imperil federal…
In its sole reliance on government providing first-dollar coverage of medically necessary services, Canada’s health-care system is unique among high-income countries with universal health care. It also offers inferior service as a result. Virtually all high-income countries – including Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands – allow residents to use private insurance to pay for…