But Ontario’s experience is being ignored and could lead to billions more spent and higher energy costs for Canadians
By Elmira Aliakbari and Jason Clemens The Fraser Institute Gerry Butts, former principal secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is at the heart of a new group, the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery, which recently released a series of recommendations for massive investment in green projects. The recommendations seems to be influencing the prime…
Two troubling questions lurk behind the results of the Fraser Institute’s 2020 Economic Freedom of the World report, released Sept. 10. This year’s report is based on 2018 data (the most recent available). By 2018, global economic freedom had recovered from the 2008 financial crisis and was at its highest level ever, albeit by just…
Trudeau isn’t saying no new taxes; he’s saying we should continue to spend today and pay for it with taxes tomorrow
By Tegan Hill and Jake Fuss The Fraser Institute Despite promising significant increases to already historically high spending, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently pledged there will be no new taxes. This rhetoric is simply false. To pay for today’s spending, the Liberal government must either tax today or defer tax increases to the future by…
Eliminating trade barriers can help accelerate the economic recovery
By Alex Whalen and Ben Eisen The Fraser Institute Earlier this summer, the four Atlantic provinces formed the “Atlantic Bubble” as the region works toward freer movement of people amid the COVID crisis. And clearly, the pandemic’s effect on the economy underscores the value of free movement of people and goods, which – on the…
By Alex Whalen and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute There’s been a lot of movement in Ottawa lately, including Bill Morneau’s resignation as federal Finance minister, with Chrystia Freeland taking his place. Unfortunately, the federal government’s recent fiscal snapshot only added to the uncertainty. Why? Because there’s no plan to restore sustainability in federal finances. This…
The Communists have issued arrest warrants for six pro-democracy advocates living outside Hong Kong
In a little noted move, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) flexed its imperial muscle – criminalizing criticism of it anywhere on the planet – by issuing an arrest warrant for U.S. citizen Samuel Chu, a pro-democracy advocate for Hong Kong. In fact, by publishing this op-ed, this media outlet and I are breaking CCP laws…
Canada’s amended Patent Act weakens protections for intellectual property in the life sciences just when rights are vital for mobilizing a rapid response
First, the good news: Symvivo Corp., a Canadian company, has a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in phase one trials. The bad news is that the federal government is dismantling the incentives to find a vaccine. In the battle against the global pandemic, public- and private-sector actors both have essential roles to play. Governments are collecting data,…
As the system increases in generosity and accessibility in Atlantic Canada, it may perpetuate the nation’s problems with EI
By Alex Whalen and Fred McMahon The Fraser Institute The spike in unemployment across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered changes in the employment insurance (EI) program. And those changes could lead to significant problems. When unemployment grows in any of the country’s 62 EI regions, eligibility and benefits change along with it.…
Attempting to fight high deficits while maintaining high tax rates will reduce the province’s economic growth prospects
By Alex Whalen and Tegan Hill The Fraser Institute Due largely to COVID-19, the big banks project negative growth for Nova Scotia’s economy in 2020, ranging from -5.5 per cent to -7.4 per cent. Without a strong rebound, such a steep recession could have a lasting impact on living standards in the province and Maritime…
Higher corporate income tax doesn’t just impose costs on people who own corporations, but also people who work for them
The Alberta government recently announced plans to help encourage economic recovery and growth in the province, including a plan to accelerate corporate income tax reductions that were already in the works. The corporate tax rate will drop from 10 per cent to eight per cent immediately instead of gradually over the next two years. Critics…
By Elmira Aliakbari and Jason Clemens The Fraser Institute Gerry Butts, former principal secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is at the heart of a new group, the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery, which recently released a series of recommendations for massive investment in green projects. The recommendations seems to be influencing the prime…
