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MLI welcomes Indigenous law expert Dwight Newman as Munk Senior Fellow
OTTAWA, Aug. 15, 2017 – The Macdonald-Laurier Institute has appointed Dwight Newman, a respected expert on Indigenous legal affairs, as a Munk Senior Fellow. “Dwight Newman has been absolutely indispensable in cutting through political rhetoric with clear thinking on Indigenous rights,” said MLI Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley. “He has been one of Canada’s leaders […]
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Frontier Centre Appoints new Vice-President of Research
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy has appointed Gerard Lucyshyn as Vice-President of Research effective August 15, 2017. Gerard will be taking over for outgoing Vice-President Dr. Rodney Clifton who will be taking on the responsibility as Publications Editor for Frontier and will also remain as a Senior Research Fellow within the Aboriginal Futures and […]
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National Indigenous groups and the premiers’ meeting – IRPP
August 16, 2017 Politics is as much about who is at the table as it is about what is being discussed or decided. This was apparent in July, when three of Canada’s five major national Aboriginal organizations (NAOs) opted to skip their annual meeting with the premiers in Edmonton. The move prompted several media outlets to run […]
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Chiefs Call for The Abolition of the Indian Act – FCPP
August 14, 2017 Craig Blacksmith was a candidate in the Association of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) recent election. He ran on a platform of getting rid of the Indian Act. While he made it clear that he was not calling for an end to the lucrative relationship that Status Indians have with the federal government Mr. Blacksmith said […]
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Clarifying the meaning of free, prior and informed consent for Canada: MLI paper by Dwight Newman
Implementing free, prior and informed consent in Canada will be much more complex than many advocates would have you believe OTTAWA, Aug. 15, 2017 – The idea of a requirement for free, prior and informed consent by Indigenous communities for resource projects (FPIC), has been a heated subject of debate since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau […]
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MLI Q2 2017 Impact Report
The second quarter of 2017 saw some terrific examples of how great policy ideas, well communicated, can help inform the thinking of policy makers and opinion leaders. In the quarter, our work made a significant contribution to two important reports by parliamentary committees, on justice system reform and human rights, and our expertise was highly […]
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Getting to Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Could Generate Nearly 20 Million Jobs – Columbia Institute
August 10, 2017 (VANCOUVER, B.C.) Today, Columbia Institute released a landmark study: Jobs for Tomorrow – Canada’s Building Trades and Net Zero Emissions. Commissioned by Canada’s Building Trades Unions, this study explores the historic role of Canada’s construction industry and potential for low-carbon economy job growth as we celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. Meeting Canada’s climate […]
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Child Welfare and Youth Homelessness in Canada: A Proposal for Action
With the release of Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey (2016), we now have robust national data on the links between youth homelessness and child welfare involvement. Without a Home, conducted by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness in partnership with A Way Home Canada, surveyed 1,103 youth experiencing homelessness across Canada. Youth in […]
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Caledon Institute: A Renewed Voice for Social Canada
July 2017 The federal government’s promised poverty reduction strategy must be more than a one-time commitment. It must provide for independent continuing appraisal and reappraisal of where we are and where we need to be, as the economy and society change. This paper proposes that the Government of Canada, as part of its poverty reduction […]
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How Is Canada Faring In The 2016 Census?: Sean Speer For Inside Policy – MLI
August 4, 2017 Statistics Canada’s new 2016 Census data present an interesting socio-cultural picture of Canada. It gives us a new sense of the state of the country’s key civil society institutions, including marriage, family, and community. The trends set out in the data could have significant economic and social implications. Policymakers should review them […]
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Economic Conditions Improve for Canada’s Territories – Conference Board of Canada
Ottawa, August 1, 2017— Economic prospects for the territories are improving thanks to higher prices for metals, precious metals and diamonds. According to The Conference Board of Canada’s Territorial Outlook, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut can expect strong growth this year, while a mild contraction in the economy is forecast for Yukon. “The outlook for most […]
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Is acknowledging Indigenous territory enough? – Policy Options
July 27, 2017 More and more people are beginning to learn that Canada’s Parliament Buildings squat on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabeg territory. Unceded refers to the fact that the historic treaties reached with the Crown did not include Algonquin territory. As an Algonquin Anishinaabe-kwe from what is now called the Ottawa River valley, I have heard Members […]
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CEDAW: General recommendation No. 35 on gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19
ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women General recommendation No. 35 on gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19 I. Introduction 1. General recommendation No. 19 on violence against women, adopted by the Committee at its eleventh session in 1992,2 states that discrimination against women –as defined in article 1 of […]
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Social Outcomes in Canada’s Territories Fall Behind National Average – Conference Board of Canada
Ottawa, July 26, 2017—The territories generally fall behind the Canadian average on a number of measures of equity and social cohesion, yet outperform the rest of the country in some areas, according to The Conference Board of Canada’s How Canada Performs: Social Outcomes in the Territories. Scores are below average on indicators such as poverty, crime […]
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Missing Women – FCPP
July 18, 2017 There is turmoil within the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson, from northern Manitoba, has called for the resignation of the Inquiry’s chief commissioner, British Columbia Judge Marion Buller. At least four staff members have left, and now one of the commissioners has […]
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The constituent base of our Indigenous leaders – Policy Options
July 20, 2017 The leaders of three national Indigenous organizations have decided to boycott the premiers’ meeting in Alberta, July 17-19. Their position is nothing short of absurd. They will not attend because they want to be recognized at the table as equal partners, on the same level as the premiers of the provinces. Let’s take a […]
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Concerns about Canada’s $2 trillion in household debt overblown; net worth has increased to $10.3 trillion – Fraser Institute
July 18, 2017 VANCOUVER—Canadian household debt has increased significantly since 1990— but so has the value of household assets, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Despite alarmist headlines, concerns about Canadian household debt levels can be overblown. When looking at debt levels it’s important […]
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NPI: New Report says using the Tax System to Deliver a Basic Income Guarantee has both Benefits… and Barriers
July 18, 2017 – The latest report from Northern Policy Institute’s B.I.G. Series argues there are a number of advantages and challenges to using the Personal Income Tax System (PIT) to deliver a basic income guarantee in Ontario. As author Dr. Lindsay Tedds points out, our current tax system is not just used to raise […]
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Tax Breaks Don’t Help First Nations – FCPP
July 13, 2017 First Nations populations and on-reserve commerce are growing faster than the Canadian average. This growth should be welcomed by the rest of the Canadian family, save for one problem: unjustified tax exemptions for on-reserve commerce and individuals. Loopholes in the Indian Act mean that government does not tax any product or service […]
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Protectors of the Land video #4 with Bram Noble: What issues should be covered by EA, and which should not? – MLI
Which issues are important to examine with the environmental assessment process? Bram Noble, an expert on how to better engage Canadians through the environmental assessment process, sorts out what should and should not be covered under environmental assessments in a new video for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. “A lot of the debate and controversy that we’re seeing…around […]
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Blanket opposition to development is bad for Indigenous communities: Ken Coates in the Globe – MLI
Ken Coates takes to task politicians who project their own opposition to development onto Indigenous groups. Not all Indigenous peoples oppose development — but you’d have a hard time explaining that to many politicians who continue to staunchly oppose projects like Kinder Morgan and Energy East. July 11, 2017 Federal NDP leadership candidate and current […]
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Northern Policy Institute announces State of the North Conference
July 11, 2017 – Northern Policy Institute is pleased to announce the State of the North Conference taking place September 27th and 28th in Timmins, ON. State of the North is an annual conference that brings together members of the general public, decision makers, community leaders, experts, and innovators to explore the state of Northern […]
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Opportunity Knocks for Canadian Businesses in the Global Market for Climate-Friendly Goods and Services – The Conference Board of Canada
Ottawa, July 11, 2017—Canada has a competitive edge in a few key climate-friendly technologies including wind and solar power, energy efficient turbines, and waste management, according to a new Conference Board of Canada report. “Despite U.S. President Trump rolling back climate-friendly policies, the world is moving toward a cleaner, low-carbon economy and this represents a huge […]
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The Value of Tax Exemptions On First Nations Reserves – FCPP
All Canadian provinces face mounting health expenditures, owing in part to smoking. Yet, tobacco products sold on First Nations reserves is not subject to taxes, unlike off-reserve sales. Even though exemptions are not enshrined in the Indian Act, the constitution, or in any treaty, they are no federal tax on tobacco on reserves. According to […]
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Make entrepreneurship accessible to Indigenous women – Policy Options
Jul 04, 2017 What would it take to ensure that every Indigenous woman in Canada has the opportunity to become an entrepreneur? Impakt, a social innovation consulting company, recently embarked on a research project in partnership with the Indian Business Corporation (IBC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada to try to answer this question. […]
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Why some essential medicines are unavailable in Canada – Policy Options
Jul 04, 2017 Health Canada has announced new regulations that respond to the opioid crisis by making it easier to access treatments not yet authorized for sale in Canada but which are available in the United States, the European Union or Switzerland, including prescription heroin. These changes should be applauded as a valuable public health measure. They […]
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Who owns Indigenous cultural and intellectual property? – Policy Options
June 27, 2017 The recent, very public dispute over the appropriation of Indigenous voices was just one manifestation of a much larger issue: the struggle for the protection of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property, which has been going on for decades. It has been addressed most prominently by the United Nations in its 2007 Declaration on the […]
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Independent schools attracting a larger share of students across Canada; public school enrolment continues to decline – Fraser Institute
June 27, 2017 VANCOUVER—The share of K-12 students enrolled at independent schools across Canada increased 30.6 per cent over a 15-year period while public school enrolment declined, according to a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “For their children’s education, parents across Canada are increasingly choosing […]
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Rethinking copyright for Indigenous creative works – Policy Options
June 28, 2017 As it embarks on another five-year periodic review of the Copyright Act, Canada has an opportunity to reflect on its copyright regime in light of the gaps that exist between it and Indigenous creative works. Indigenous creative works refer to myriad forms, manifestations, or expressions of Indigenous cultural heritage and identity, ranging […]
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Expanding eligibility for aboriginal status key reason for population boom; increases government costs – Fraser Institute
VANCOUVER—Canada’s indigenous population increased by a staggering 275 per cent between 1986 and 2011—eight times faster than the general population—as more and more Canadians identify as indigenous, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. According to Statistics Canada, the country’s total indigenous population—including Status Indian, […]
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Senate Committee Endorses Northern Corridor Concept – School of Public Policy Proposal To Radically Reshape Infrastructure and Transportation in Canada
CALGARY, June 26, 2017 – Last week, the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce issued a report on Canadian’s infrastructure future called National Corridor: Enhancing and Facilitating Commerce and Internal Trade. The report calls for the construction of an east-west corridor through Canada’s northern regions. According to a Senate news release, “The idea is […]
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Justin Trudeau and “reconciliatory federalism” – Policy Options
In the coming weeks the Canadian calendar is filled with days of celebration. On June 21, Canadians are invited to honour the contributions to Canada of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples on National Aboriginal Day. June 24 is Saint-Jean Baptiste Day, a national holiday for Quebecers and French-Canadians across the country. These festivities will […]
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NPI: New Report from NPI says Basic Income Guarantee is an Effective Strategy to Reduce Food Insecurity
June 15, 2017 – Household food insecurity—the inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints—affects almost one in eight households in Ontario. The latest report from Northern Policy Institute’s B.I.G. Series argues that a basic income guarantee would be an effective policy solution to reduce household food insecurity among those most vulnerable to […]
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IRPP: Indigenous people and the Constitution conversation
Last week, when Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard suggested that it might be time for a Constitutional conversation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wasted no time in shutting the federal door on any such proposal. He said, “You know my views on the Constitution,” and then went on to remind us of those views: “We are not […]
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CCPA: History of Alberta’s oil sands policy highlights importance of government involvement
June 8, 2017 A new report analyzing the oil sands policies of previous Alberta governments reveals the critical role of government involvement and funding in ensuring more than narrow corporate interests were served in the development of the province’s bitumen resources. In Betting on Bitumen: Alberta’s Energy Policies from Lougheed to Klein, Calgary-based journalist and […]
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National Child Data Strategy: Results of a Feasibility Study – Caledon Institute
June 2017 This report presents the results of a feasibility study, undertaken on behalf of the Lawson Foundation, to determine the need for a national child data strategy. The methodology consisted of an environmental scan of major initiatives on child well-being and sources of child data as well as interviews with selected key informants. The environmental scan […]
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Reconciliation: Beyond incremental change – Policy Options
In 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a statement of apology on behalf of the Canadian government to former students of the Indian residential school system. In it, he acknowledged the primary objectives of the system (“to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them […]
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Strategies for a new world of work – Policy Options
June 07, 2017 The world of work has changed. A wave of technology, globalization and new ways of working has created employment challenges that threaten the future prosperity of our young people. Although they are accumulating skills and working hard to find employment, many young workers are struggling. Certainly, the numbers indicate that Canada is […]
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Questionnaire on national action plans to achieve the ends of the UNDRIP
Questionnaire on national action plans to achieve the ends of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) are currently drafting a guidance note on national action plans to achieve the ends […]
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Policy Options: A plan that promotes environmental sustainability
May 30, 2017 The report of the expert panel on environmental assessment processes, Building Common Ground: A New Vision for Environmental Assessment in Canada, has been met with both scepticism and strident criticism. The most vociferous response was that of Trevor McLeod of the Canada West Foundation, who says the panel’s report should be shelved. […]
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The Cultural Appropriation Controversy – FCPP
May 26, 2017 The controversy surrounding “cultural appropriation” has received a huge amount of media attention. The newspapers are full of it, and CBC has seemingly endless panel discussions on the subject. Good people have lost their jobs, and abject apologies have been issued for offending a principle that was unknown until a few short […]
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Shifts in Manitoulin District’s Economy Require Shifts in Education – Northern Policy
May 25, 2017 – As the economy swings from manufacturing and resource related jobs to service and knowledge based jobs, Manitoulin District will need to examine how education is delivered if communities are to grow and be sustainable into the future. That is one of the main recommendations stemming from the latest report from the […]
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Most of Canada on track to miss climate change targets due to ‘underdeveloped’ policy: report – CCPA
May 24, 2017 OTTAWA—Climate change policy in Canada remains underdeveloped and plagued by a wide “ambition gap” between government promises and policy action, according to a new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The study, by CCPA researcher Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood, breaks down climate policy success and shortcomings federally and provincially through early […]
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PPF: Meet Canada’s New Innovation Stars
May 19, 2017 Meet Canada’s New Innovation Stars Governor General David Johnston and Minister Bains to celebrate the 2017 Governor General’s Innovation Awards winners OTTAWA, May 19, 2017 – The Public Policy Forum, in partnership with Universities Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Rideau Hall Foundation, is pleased to host the winners […]
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New Policies Needed For Indigenous Youth, Says Huron-Bruce Tory MPP – Bayshore Broadcasting News
May 19, 2017 Lisa Thompson calls for policy updates, after four aboriginal youth missing from group home die. Huron-Bruce Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa Thompson hasn’t received the answer she was looking for, to her call for an inquest into the death of the fourth Aboriginal youth in six months who went missing from a group […]
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How to reignite the Ring of Fire and mining in Northern Ontario: MLI paper by Heather Hall and Ken Coates
OTTAWA, May 18, 2017 – The potential of the Ring of Fire, a large-scale mineral deposit in Northern Ontario, to bring prosperity to Indigenous communities remains trapped under a simmering conflict. First Nations, governments, and mining companies continue to debate issues such as the responsibility for infrastructure development, support for First Nation communities across much […]
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Ontario Middle-of-the-Pack Performer On Food Report Card – The Conference Board of Canada
Ottawa, May 18, 2017— Ontario is in the middle-of-the-pack among the provinces when it comes to the performance of its food systems and industry, according to The Conference Board of Canada’s first provincial food report card. Canada’s Food Report Card: Provincial Performance presents data and analysis on five categories: industry prosperity, healthy food and diets, […]
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Uncaging adolescent creativity – Policy Options
May 18, 2017 Human creativity is the fuel of an innovative society. It is a natural, expandable, and infinitely renewable resource. However, rather than fully developing this resource in our young people, we are caging and stifling it. We must grow the strengths of individual students, not force-feed them predetermined, age-based, arbitrary subject-matter that they […]
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Saskatchewan Top Ranked Province on Conference Board of Canada’s Food Report Card
Ottawa, May 18, 2017—Saskatchewan is the top performer on The Conference Board of Canada’s food report card. Canada’s Food Report Card: Provincial Performance assesses the performance of the provinces’ food systems and food sectors based on five categories: industry prosperity, healthy food and diets, food safety, household food security, and environmental sustainability. “Overall, Saskatchewan is […]
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Local Data is helping Communities in Northwestern Ontario tell their own Stories at the very Local Level – Northern Policy Institute
May 17, 2017 – The Community Labour Market Report Series – a partnership between Northern Policy Institute and the North Superior Workforce Planning Board – Your Local Employment Planning Council, has now contributed to evidence-based conversations in 20 communities across Northwestern Ontario, by providing collected data in a model that allows for – and encourages […]
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