- 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 second debate in MLI's Great Canadian Debates series takes place on Nov. 26 at the Canadian War Museum. The debate will feature economist Jim Stanford and professor Tom Flanagan on the resolution: "The right to strike has no place in the public sector". This event is certain to generate great interest in Ottawa. For tickets click here.

 

 

 

 

Writing in the Ottawa Citizen and Calgary Herald, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley takes issue with the notion that the Senate would be fine if we could somehow refine the appointments process to ensure only great senators are appointed. "The reality is that no matter how senators are chosen, be it appointment, election or lottery, the resulting body will be composed of fallible human beings", writes Crowley.  

 

 

The Marketing and Events Manager plays a vital role at MLI, responsible for sales and marketing support of MLI fundraising and sponsorship activities, organizing and co-ordinating the slate of events that MLI produces, and having experience including website, social media and database management. This role provides key support to the executive team in delivering on MLI's vision as the nation's indispensable source of thoughtful research and commentary on where the national interest lies in every area of policy falling under Ottawa's jurisdiction. Click here for the full job posting.

 

 

 

 

MLI's Cross in the Post: Canadian economy is predisposed to grow

 

Writing in the Financial Post, MLI senior fellow Philip Cross explains why the naysayers keep getting it wrong on economic growth. For example, losses in employment in Canada since 2009 have been temporary blips, but "Did people learn not to overreact to one month's data? Of course not", writes Cross. In the U.S., many feared economic disaster would result from budget cuts but while "government stimulus was withdrawn in line with the CBO estimates, the fiscal drag was offset by increased consumer spending on housing and autos, leaving overall growth unaffected", Cross points out.

 

Crowley in the Globe: The slippery slope of 'sharing the benefits'

 

In the Globe and Mail, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley writes that everyone seems to want a piece of the oil sands, with one think tank arguing that it's unfair that Alberta wants to send its oil through Ontario, generating profits while Ontario faces the risks. But "pipeline companies have to pay for the land, labour and capital used in building and maintaining pipelines", writes Crowley. "And where will a lot of that money be spent? In Ontario."

 

Crowley and Wilner in FrontLine: Ballistic Missile Defence an idea whose time has come

 

Writing in FrontLine Defence magazine, MLI managing director Brian Lee Crowley and senior fellow Alex Wilner write that 10 years after Canada rejected a U.S. offer to co-operate on North American Ballistic Missile Defence, "we are about to discover whether emotion will finally yield to reason on the issue." Indeed, they argue, "in the intervening decade, much has changed regarding the politics, the threats and the technology such that BMD is today a far more compelling choice for Canada." 

 

Nazareth in the Globe: Canada's job recovery tilts toward low earners

 

Writing in the Globe's Economy Lab blog, MLI senior fellow Linda Nazareth looks at the numbers on where Canada's job growth is coming from, finding the strongest growth in the bottom quartile of earners. "Four years after the recession, the Canadian job market is still a kind of work in progress," writes Nazareth. 

 

Milliken in iPolitics: Who should have the right to strike?

 

Writing in iPolitics, former House speaker Peter Milliken sets up the Nov. 26 MLI debate on the resolution: "The right to strike has no place in the public sector", which will take place at the Canadian War Museum. "The federal Conservative government has indicated that it would like to intervene when federal workers negotiate with Crown Corporations and government departments to make sure that negotiated settlements are not too far out of line with those in the broader economy", notes Milliken, making the latest edition of the Great Canadian Debates particularly timely. Moderated by Milliken, economist Jim Stanford will argue against the resolution and professor Tom Flanagan will argue in favour.