- Mark your calenders -

Former Swedish Minister of Employment, Sven Otto Littorin on the "Swedish Model" for reform of the modern welfare state and what lessons Canada can learn about employment and healthcare

 

The Canadian government has every right to control what its employees, scientists included, tell the press, writes Macdonald-Laurier Institute senior fellow Philip Cross in the Financial Post.  While opponents of the government have latched on to a term from the American debate, the "War on Science", there is little similarity between Stephen Harper's policies and those of George W. Bush. "Asked to provide concrete examples of government punishment to scientists, critics resort to the lame response of 'implied threats,' which is about as scientific as fearing the bogeyman hiding under your bed", writes Cross.

 

In the Ottawa Citizen, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley writes about what Canada can learn from how Taiwan deals with the rise of China in global affairs. "It is in China's interests that Taiwan prospers because that prosperity redounds to China's benefit," writes Crowley, who was visiting the region.

 

MLI is pleased to announce the addition of Walter Willett to the team as director of operations. Walter joins MLI following a career working in the non-for-profit sector in progressively senior management roles with several of Canada's largest national trade associations. A native of New Richmond in the Gaspésie region of Quebec, Walter is a proud alumnus of Bishop's University and an avid history buff. Following university Walter spent four years in Vancouver and has lived and worked in Ontario, Quebec and B.C. At MLI Willett oversees the institute's day-to-day operations, fund raising activities, events planning and business development activities.

 

In the Globe and Mail, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley and senior fellow Ken Coates write that Aboriginal unrest like we've seen in New Brunswick will continue until Canada begins to get it right on engaging aboriginal peoples in the natural resource economy. "In the absence of formal structures and processes - modern treaties or other political arrangements - the disadvantages of conflicts over resource development fall disproportionately on the aboriginal communities, which do not have the financial and technical capabilities of the resource companies and governments," they write.

 

 

In an op-ed on NationalNewsWatch.com, the Hon. Peter Milliken, moderator of the 2013-14 season of the Great Canadian Debates, sets up the resolution "President Obama should welcome Canada's ethical oil." He writes that the nation is divided between those who support the development of the oil sands that the Keystone XL pipeline will serve, while providing a secure source of oil to the U.S., and those who see nothing ethical about irreparably damaging the environment for financial gain.

 

In the Globe and Mail, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley writes about the urgent need for western nations to bind China to a set of fair trade rules "while the rest of the trading world still enjoys a strong negotiating position. Given current trends, that strength is rapidly dissipating." China has flouted various aspects of international trading systems, but "we are rapidly moving into a very different world, where almost every major country will have China, not its closest neighbours, as its largest trading partner," writes Crowley.

 

In the Ottawa Citizen, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley writes that the "scandal" involving accusations of Canadian electronic spying on trading partner Brazil appears to be "a damp squib". "Even if there is more convincing evidence than this of Canada's spying to come, so what?" writes Crowley. "I am comforted, not alarmed, that the government of Canada might want to know what our friends, competitors and enemies are doing that might affect our interests."

 

Writing in the Globe and Mail's Economy Lab blog, MLI senior fellow Linda Nazareth examines differences in wages between workers aged 60 to 74 and those who are younger. Do older workers' higher salaries mean they are more productive? "Thing is, using wages as a measure of productivity can be a bit of stretch", writes Nazareth. The truth is more complicated.