The war grinds on. Every day we see distressing, tragic coverage of the brutal destruction wrought by Russian forces as they try to crush Ukraine’s resistance. How and when it will end is not evident at this point. The invasion is about territory, forms of governance, national ambitions, history and culture. Russia under Putin refuses […]

What do we know about the Ukraine? It is about the size of Saskatchewan with a population of 46 million; about 25% more than Canada’s. It is bordered by Russia on the north and east with Crimea and the Black Sea to the south. The eastern Crimea port city of Kerch has a 25 minute/4km […]

One of the central issues under debate around our government’s tightened rule over foreign SOEs is whether we should differentiate SOEs from non-SOEs. Some of those who disagree with such a differentiation have gone further to praise how China’s SOEs “operate according to conventional business principles.” (Hugh Stephens, Welcoming Chinese SOE Investment Cautiously into Canada, […]

Earlier today as I write this – November 27, 2013 – International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced a new Canadian Global Markets Access Plan during a speech before the Economic Club. Minister Fast announced that the government will “concentrate its efforts on markets that hold the greatest promise for Canadian business—and focus on core commercial […]

“Foreign takeover limits are scaring away investors!” Headlines like this one flooded in after a speech given by Mr. Jim Prentice, the CIBC vice chair and former federal Industry Minister, in early October. In that speech, Mr. Prentice particularly singled out the government’s decision to limit investment by state-owned enterprises in the oil sands following […]

American opponents of the Keystone XL Pipeline are understandably concerned about global warming. They think that if they stop the pipeline, they will stop the oilsands, and thereby reduce the growth of CO2 emissions. Their intentions are good, but their reasoning is wrong. This oil can and will get to foreign markets, without going through […]

As St. Petersburg prepares to host the leaders of the world’s most important economies at the annual G20 summit, financial headlines are full of worry about the “rout” in emerging markets and the emerging markets bubble popping.  The optimism of 2009 and 2010 that growth in developing countries would make up for sluggish prospects in […]