Governments only role should be to ensure that intellectual property (IP) rights are protected
Human ingenuity – often motivated by profit – is generally miles ahead of government regulations in resolving problems in society. Take, for example, the issue of orphan wells in Alberta. In September 2016, the Alberta Energy Regulator said there were 84,100 inactive oil and gas wells in the province. The collapse of oil prices and…
Cheap shots from both sides won't get us closer to solutions about managing our planet's future – and the potential impact on billions of lives
“Blatherskite.” “Trained seal.” “Dim-witted saboteur.” “A piece of sh--.” All these terms have been deemed “unparliamentary language” in Canada; use of them, and 102 other specified pieces of verbal abuse, may result in penalties levied by the Speaker of the House of Commons upon members of Parliament. To this list we must now add “climate…
The Liberal's Great Supercluster Screw-up just another drain on Canadian taxpayers
Governments always want to look like they’re implementing good ideas and accomplishing important things. Take the Innovation Superclusters Initiative (ISI) for example. The federal government plans to throw almost a billion tax dollars at non-profit groups to create jobs and help Canadian companies dominate the world. As crazy as it sounds, that’s the ostensible reason…
With a whole industry made up of people ready to points fingers, it is getting harder and harder to pick one
Halloween is fast approaching and it’s time for parents to ask themselves an important question: How offensive do I want my child’s costume to be? As children prepare to take to the streets to beg for obesity-producing and tooth-decaying treats, they should also be prepared to be judged on their political correctness. There’s a whole…
The personal price for satisfaction for the Playboy founder and his disciples, but extremely high for society
Hugh Hefner’s death has resulted in Latin maxims battling in my head. On one hand, “De mortuis nil nisi bonum” (“Of the dead say nothing but good”) is wise and charitable. But so too is “De mortuis nil nisi verum” (“Of the dead speak nothing but the truth”). If we spoke nothing but the truth about…
The ride-sharing industry must operate within a competitive environment rather than be regulated beyond the public’s choice
The ride-sharing industry faces regulatory roadblocks as it tries to gain traction across the country. Led by Uber, the industry is disrupting traditional transportation by providing people with alternatives to taxis and buses. The competing choices now include one’s own vehicle, public transit, taxi or Uber (or a similar service). As the ride-sharing industry spreads…
But it is refreshing that the federal government is looking to a private company to generate competitive content
Netflix is taking over the television world, first in the United States, and now in Canada, where there are now more than 5.2 million customers of the streaming service. When Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly announced the new Canadian film venture with Netflix in September, she said a $500-million investment of “new money” over five years will…
While gender diversity is a good idea, management should remain focused on how to adapt to new opportunities or potential hazards
A few months ago, State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), the self-described "third largest asset advisor in the world," celebrated the first anniversary of its creation of a new specialty exchange traded fund. Its name is a mouthful: the SPDR SSGA Gender Diversity Index ETF (SHE). An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is a basket of…
The fact that an Indigenous person is now the leader of Manitoba’s main opposition party, and a possible Premier, is very good news
The dust has still not settled after Wab Kinew was elected as the new leader of Manitoba’s New Democratic Party. He has admitted to past indiscretions, but revelations of a domestic violence charge from some years ago gave rise to a flurry of negative comments from political commentators. Some hinted at a double standard based…
By informing the public about who provided campaign support before the election, the public can watch for any favoritism after
Anyone who has been involved in municipal politics – at least over the past couple of decades – has heard virtually every candidate say they support increased transparency. Why do they say this and then not follow through? Transparency makes the democratic process work better because the public can understand, and then react to the…