Ottawa must prioritize the well-being of off-reserve First Nations citizens – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples made prominent reference to a 1613 treaty between the Dutch and Mohawk: “Three beads of wampum separating the two purple rows symbolize peace, friendship and respect. The two rows of purple are two vessels travelling down the same river together. One, a birch bark canoe, is for the Indian people, their laws, their customs, and their ways. The other, a ship, is for the white people and their laws, their customs and their ways. We shall each travel the river together, side by side, but in our own boat.”
The intent of much Canadian Indigenous policy since 1996 has been to “strengthen the canoe.” Overall, this has been a worthy exercise in the pursuit of reconciliation with those…
Pursuing Reconciliation: The Case for an Off-Reserve Urban Agenda
Current reconciliation efforts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are missing the main target, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Pursuing Reconciliation: The Case for an Off-Reserve Urban Agenda,” author John Richards argues that the federal government, provinces, and Indigenous leaders must develop an agenda for the majority of First Nation people […] Parisa Mahboubi – The benefits of encouraging greater labour force participation of older workers
Federal budgets are an annual rite of spring in Ottawa, as is the deluge of advice to the Department of Finance. But budget-making is a yearlong process, and the work is now in progress. Accordingly, the C.D. Howe Institute is presenting a series of Intelligence Memos in the next few weeks, outlining recommendations that we […] Don Drummond – Making Good on the Promise to Support Indigenous Languages
Federal budgets are an annual rite of spring in Ottawa, as is the deluge of advice to the Department of Finance. But budget-making is a yearlong process, and the work is now in progress. Accordingly, the C.D. Howe Institute is presenting a series of Intelligence Memos in the next few weeks, outlining recommendations that we […] Parisa Mahboubi – How to speed labour market integration of immigrants and refugees
Federal budgets are an annual rite of spring in Ottawa, as is the deluge of advice to the Department of Finance. But budget-making is a yearlong process, and the work is now in progress. Accordingly, the C.D. Howe Institute is presenting a series of Intelligence Memos in the next few weeks, outlining recommendations that we […] David Rosé – Skills Training Versus Job Placement: It’s Complicated
To: Ontarians Concerned About the Cost of Welfare From: David Rosé Re: Skills Training Versus Job Placement: It’s Complicated Date: November 7, 2018 Ontario’s new government has committed itself to 100-day review of social assistance programs, and tomorrow is Day 100. The motivation for this review is quite clear. Simply put, Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support […] What to Do about Canada’s Declining Math Scores
To: Canadian Ministers of Education From: Anna Stokke Re: What to Do about Canada’s Declining Math Scores Date: November 1, 2018 The declining performance of Canadian students on international math assessments should worry Canadians and their provincial governments and has been a continuing matter of public concern. Last week, Ontario moved to require a basic math test for new […] Assessing Active Labour-Market Programs: How Effective is Ontario Works?
About 450,000 Ontarians are on social assistance, costing the province $2.8 billion annually, according to a new study from the C.D. Howe Institute. In ‘Assessing Active Labour-Market Programs: How Effective is Ontario Works?’ authors Jason Adams, Ken Chow and David Rosé examine the success of various Ontario Works programs in getting welfare recipients back into […] Mahboubi, Schwanen – Translating population growth into the labour force
From: Parisa Mahboubi and Daniel Schwanen To: Canada’s Ministers of Employment Date: October 22, 2018 Re: Translating population growth into the labour force After years of sluggish growth, Canada is experiencing its fastest year–over–year population growth. Faster population increase, however, is not translating into strong labour force growth in all provinces – indeed the rate of […] Mahboubi, Sullivan – The Brain Drain Continues; Let`s Stop It
From: Parisa Mahboubi and Abby Sullivan To: The Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance Date: October 5, 2018 Re: The Brain Drain Continues; Let`s Stop It While Canada has actively looked into innovative ways to attract more global talent, it has faced a continuing brain drain to the United States, requiring policies that influence retention of highly skilled Canadians. […] Retirement timing a key factor in employment rate – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Since the 2008-09 recession, the unemployment rate has fallen to prerecession levels. Unprecedentedly, the employment rate has also trended downward, raising questions about the health of the labour market. It may seem odd for both of these metrics to go down at the same time, but there are circumstances in which this can happen.
An aging population is the main factor explaining the trend. Increases in employment of seniors were not high enough to reverse the decline in overall employment. To reverse the trend, we need policies that encourage greater labour-force participation, particularly among seniors.
Labour market indicators such as unemployment and employment rates are useful metrics for assessing the…
Grant Bishop – Is the minimum wage the best tool?
From: Grant Bishop To: Ministers of Labour and Employment Date: September 28, 2018 Re: Is the minimum wage the best tool? On Monday, Alberta will increase the province’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. This past Wednesday , Ontario’s government announced a halt to the previous government’s minimum hike to $15 per hour. This cross-provincial contrast returns minimum wage […]