JSGS Policy Brief

Nov 7, 2024

Not all quiet on the equalization front in Canada

One of the most challenging and divisive public policy issues in Canada is the federal government's Equalization program. It seeks to ensure provinces have the fiscal capacity to deliver programs to their citizens on a roughly comparable basis. The formula to determine what provinces qualify to receive federal Equalization payments is by its nature a source of controversy. Recently Newfoundland and Labrador launched the latest court challenge to Equalization. In this Policy Paper for the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), Louis Levesque, considered one of Canada's leading experts on Equalization, does a deep dive into the economic and regional considerations that lie at the heart of the issue.

Oct 10, 2024

Foreign Policy in a Time of Turbulence

Our policies both foreign and domestic are indeed taking place in turbulent times. If there ever really was, there is certainly no real divide now possible between the policies that happen at home, and those that take place beyond our borders.

Sep 26, 2024

Democracy’s Sledgehammer: The Use of the Notwithstanding Clause for Saskatchewan’s Bill 137, “The Parent’s Bill of Rights”

In August 2023, the Saskatchewan government enacted a policy pursuant to the Education Act. Titled "Use of Preferred First Name and Pronouns by Students," the policy requires schools to obtain parental consent for students under 16 before using their chosen name, gender identity, or gender expression.

Sep 3, 2024

Policy that Governs Elections is the Foundation of a Healthy Democracy

There is no escaping today’s reality: more and more the challenges of democracy are in the headlines. It is evident around the world, whether in the presidential campaign unfolding in the U.S., in the unrest evidenced in the wake of Venezuela’s recent election, or in the rise of populist authoritarian figures across Europe, and elsewhere. Long considered the bedrock of western society, democracy itself is now often being questioned.

Aug 1, 2024

Reviving Civil Society is Key to Good Government

In 1996, Harvard University professor Robert Putnam gave the annual Manion Lecture in Ottawa, sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Management Development. The title of his address was The Decline of Civil Society: How Come? So What? It was four years before the release of Putnam’s book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, a seminal work that to this day remains a defining and insightful analysis on the decline of civil society in the United States.

Jul 5, 2024

Perspectives on the Challenge of Net Zero by 2050: What will it take?

Reaching the global target of net zero GHG emissions by 2050 represents one of the biggest public policy challenges ever undertaken. The magnitude of the task, which amounts to retooling the global economy in the next 25 years, cannot be overstated. Nor can the importance of achieving the goal to avoid what can be catastrophic climate consequences for future generations. This Policy Brief uses the perspectives of experts to detail the specifics of the challenge we face.