Across Canada, governments at all levels have decided that the Nation’s economic engine needs to be stoked, and that public spending on infrastructure can spark that engine. Investing in public infrastructure had almost become a catch-phrase in 2016. However, less attention has been given to how to pay for that infrastructure, and in some cases […]

In partnership with Arizona State University and Universidad Anáhuac México Norte. Business leads the way in terms of a more integrated and efficient North America. North American business experience can provide guidance, best practices and lessons learned, working towards the development of better government policy. As part of a strong group of experts from the Canadian, […]

Lieutenant-General Michael Hood, Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, discussed Canadian airpower, the tools Government has at its disposal and how the Royal Canadian Air Force delivers. The presentation was followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience.

Roy Berg and Kim Moody of Moodys Gartner Tax Law Many Canadians are subject to the recent and potentially invasive Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).  Dual citizens who live in Canada face disclosure of their financial information to the US government.  That raises the question: to what extent should the Canada Revenue Agency be permitted to access […]

The conference brought together experts to consider the research and evidence on labour developments, discuss which direction research needs to go, and how policy can address the most important labour market challenges facing Canada.  Topics: • The Canadian Labour Market: Where Are We Now? • Recent Shocks to the Canadian Labour Market • The Impact […]

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the largest global trade agreement to date and of significant importance to Canada for a variety of reasons. Collectively, the TPP countries represent a market of 792 million people, account for close to 40% of the world’s GDP and over 65% of Canada’s $56 billion in agriculture and food trade. […]

Military procurement is a very complex business; understood in detail by few, scrutinized and criticized by many. As the world remains a dangerous and unstable place, Canada’s overall security is tied to our ability to project power if and when needed and that means a well-equipped and modern military. But recent high-profile setbacks in military […]

By invitation-only.

In partnership with the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the Cumming School of Medicine Topics: Why is Canada’s healthcare system not sufficiently innovative? Should an ‘Innovation Fund’ be adopted at the federal level? Are patient-centred care and integration achievable goals? Regulation and taxes – what can improved? Dr. David Naylor, Chair of the Advisory […]

A storm of media controversy has surrounded the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) and its incorporation by agreement into Canadian law in 2014. A consistent objection to FATCA is that it violates the privacy of Canadian taxpayers, simply for falling within FATCA’s broad definition of US persons. Taxpayer information is collected by Canadian […]

Rainmaker Global Business Development and The School of Public Policy hosted the first, and only, foreign direct investment (FDI) specific conference for those involved in Canadian FDI attraction, trends, statistics and policy. In this era of an increasingly globalized world economy, foreign direct investment is a significant driving force behind economic growth and the international integration of markets for goods and services. […]

Conference on Public Acceptance of Energy Projects What does “Social Licence” mean for Canada’s regulatory systems? We’ve all heard of “social licence”. But everyone seems to have a different definition. We don’t know exactly what it is, but we do know that unlike a regulatory system built on rules of evidence and rule of law, […]

Join Young Women in Energy (YWE) for a Lunch and Learn on one of the most difficult leadership challenges – the transition from individual contributor to first time leader. Kim Ketchum, Human Resources Business Partner and Leadership Consultant will explore this transition and facilitate ways to give up the tasks and responsibilities that earned you the leadership title; […]

We all know the future of trade for Canada lies with Asia. But has Asia already moved on without us? Trade links are solidifying, and Canada is facing significant challenges in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. The stakes are high. So what does Canada need to do to catch Asia’s tidal wave of economic growth? Speakers: Ailish Campbell, Vice […]

Canada is over 80% urbanized. Our cities face issues that are changing the way they provide services, finance operations and govern residents. These issues not only impact urban Canada, but are vital to the national economy. The School of Public Policy has embarked on a major program in urban research to provide an objective and […]

The regulation of financial markets has been a “top of mind” topic since the global near-meltdown of 2008 – for good reason. Regulation of financial markets isn’t easy. To get it right, we need to balance giving those markets enough freedom to raise money to spur on economic growth, against restraining the tendencies of those […]

Take an in-depth look at the Canadian personal income tax (PIT) system and ideas for reform.  This symposium will provide a platform to explore options for reforming the largest single source of revenue for Canadian governments.  Specific aspects of the system including the progressivity of the PIT, unit of taxation, treatment of retirement savings, delivery […]

Canada’s population is aging – fast.  Is Canada headed towards a demographic freight train that will derail balanced budgets, a sustainable health care system and dependable retirement income?  What are the trends that we should be most worried about, and what are the public policy fixes, if any, that can get Canada’s social programs back […]

Over the past two decades there has been a significant shift in global power dynamics. The world has witnessed the economic transformation of Asia, the emergence of other globally significant players such as Brazil and the relative economic decline of the European Union. Within this evolving landscape, America has become increasingly distracted, war weary, and, […]

Join The School of Public Policy for the release of a new report by author Trevor Tombe that, perhaps for the first time, analyzes whether Alberta should be trying to create more value-added industries rather than simply exporting our raw goods. The logic from Thomas Mulcair and others is elegant, and tempting – if we […]