Public Policy Forum

In partnership with the Public Policy Forum, the University of Calgary’s Canada’s Productivity Initiative hosted an incredible session in Ottawa this week, gathering experts from across the country to delve into tax, fiscal policy and competition.    Attendees heard from keynote speaker Jack Mintz, along with PPF’s VP of Policy Riaz J. Kara, panelists and PPF Fellows Dr. Robin Shaban, PhD and Dr. Trevor Tombe, as well as Theo Argitis of Compass Rose Group, LLC; Matthew Chiasson of the Competition Bureau Canada; Jessica Brandon-Jepp of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Fred O'Riordan of EY Canada; Dr. Jennifer Quaid of the University of Ottawa; and others.   Key insights include:   👉 The moment to think big on how we reverse a trend in declining productivity is now. Small tweaks to policy won’t cut it in the face of current threats to the economy, we need a ‘big bang’ approach! 👉 With the growing risk of a trade war, Canada’s tax competitiveness relative to the U.S. matters. Canada cannot afford a brain drain of Canadians leaving the country to escape high tax rates. 👉 While marginal tax reforms are easier for politicians to sell to the public, they will result in marginal effects. 👉 Canada must use its tax and competition policy to send a clear signal to the world that we are “open for business.” 👉 Necessity is the mother of invention — competition forces businesses to innovate or die. We need to boost competition in the economy to drive productivity gains. 👉 Rather than policy focused on growing Canadian unicorns, we need a ‘whole of government approach’ to create the ecosystem for them to breed themselves. 🏒 Plus, an excellent Connor McDavid analogy: Canada leads the world on the ice not through direct government intervention but because we’re passionate about hockey and have created the environment for success. Competition creates excellence in our hockey players — we need the same for our business environment. #productivity #competition #publicpolicy #fiscalpolicy #gdp #economy #trade

Great to have been at today’s University of Calgary Canada’s Productivity Initiative session in Ottawa. Really thought provoking panels on how we can use tax and competition levers to crack the #productivitypuzzle - and the urgency needed to do so. Really pleased that Public Policy Forum was able to partner on the day. Some great conversations with Robin Shaban, PhD Matthew Chiasson Jessica Brandon-Jepp and others - shout out also to Riaz J. Kara for somehow managing to sum it all up in the closing remarks! Well done to all involved and kudos to Trevor Tombe and the team for helping drive it forward. Look forward to following the rest of the series through the remainder of 2025!

Are you ready to work smarter with artificial intelligence? #AI has the potential to streamline your workflow and boost your productivity. That’s why the Public Policy Forum and Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute created AI Advantage — a hands-on, interactive workshop designed specifically for public servants.  During this four-hour virtual session spread over two days, you will:  👉 Map out your workflow to discover how you can become more efficient using AI tools; 👉 Learn from AI education expert Shingai Manjengwa with a practical focus on public service tasks;   👉 Submit assignments and receive personalized feedback to refine your AI skills in the context of your work; and 👉 Discover and implement cutting edge AI tools to improve your workplace processes. The next edition of the program takes place March 27-28. Register today: https://lnkd.in/g2aRuhAS

Big news!     The Public Policy Forum’s flagship podcast WONK returns next week with our new host Amanda Lang, the acclaimed journalist and host of Taking Stock on CTV News. 👏     We'll be delving into some of the pressing issues of the day — from managing Canada-U.S. relations and tariffs to driving economic growth and prosperity at home — with top leaders and policy experts.    Stay tuned for more insightful conversations. We can’t wait for you to hear what we’ve got in store. 

Key takeaways from PPF's Canada-U.S. newsletter this week: 👉 Tariffs on Canada and Mexico are coming next week, Trump said Thursday, reversing a statement from just a day earlier that they would be delayed until April 2. And fears grow in Michigan about the fate of the North American auto industry. Plus, the rise of the 'Canadiano'? Read these stories and more in PPF's weekly Canada-U.S. newsletter. Sign up via email to get The Canada-U.S. newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday morning: https://lnkd.in/ezpErCyq

Big news!     The Public Policy Forum’s flagship podcast WONK returns next week with our new host Amanda Lang, the acclaimed journalist and host of Taking Stock on CTV News. 👏     We'll be delving into some of the pressing issues of the day — from managing Canada-U.S. relations and tariffs to driving economic growth and prosperity at home — with top leaders and policy experts.    Stay tuned for more insightful conversations. We can’t wait for you to hear what we’ve got in store. 

We are proud to announce that Marc-Andre Blanchard will be an honouree at our Annual Testimonial Dinner Honour Roll in April! Marc-André is a senior executive, lawyer and diplomat. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Canada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. He also sat on Canada’s NAFTA advisory council. He currently serves as the Executive Vice-President and Head of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) Global, as well as Global Head of Sustainability. 🔗 Join us in celebrating Marc-André’s achievements at our Annual #TestimonialDinner2025 on April 24 in Toronto. Register today to reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/eJnV_-VN --- Nous sommes fiers d’annoncer que Marc-Andre Blanchard se verra inscrit au tableau d’honneur à l’occasion de notre Banquet d’honneur annuel en avril! Marc-André est un cadre supérieur, un avocat et un diplomate. De 2016 à 2020, il a occupé la fonction de Représentant permanent du Canada auprès des Nations Unies à New York. Il a également siégé au conseil consultatif canadien de l’ALENA. Il est actuellement premier vice-président et chef, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) mondial, ainsi que chef mondial de l’investissement durable. 🔗 Joignez-vous à nous pour célébrer les réalisations de Marc-André lors de notre Banquet d’honneur, qui se tiendra le 24 avril à Toronto. Inscrivez-vous maintenant et réservez votre place : https://lnkd.in/eJnV_-VN

The Public Policy Forum is pleased to announce that Alfred Burgesson will receive the Emerging Leader Award at our Annual Testimonial Dinner Honour Roll in April!   Alfred is the Founder and CEO of Tribe Network, a Nova Scotia-based enterprise which supports racialized people in pursuing entrepreneurship and technological innovation in Canada.    Alfred is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Black Opportunity Fund. He served on the Conseil jeunesse du premier ministre | Prime Minister's Youth Council and co-chaired Canada’s first-ever State of the Youth report. This prestigious award, presented in partnership with TD Bank Group, recognizes a young Canadian who exemplifies leadership in public policy and civil discourse, and who demonstrates outstanding initiative and a strong commitment to the principles of public service. 🌟Join us in celebrating Alfred’s achievements at PPF’s #TestimonialDinner2025 on April 24 in Toronto. Register today to reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/eJnV_-VN #EmergingLeader #Leadership #Toronto #Events #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #PublicPolicy #PublicService

Todd Deaville, Vice President of AI Innovation at Magna International, will be speaking at Canada Growth Summit 2025!      This year’s summit will bring together dozens of thought leaders and experts to explore how we can unlock Canada’s potential in these tumultuous times. Todd will share insights on how Canada can harness the power of artificial intelligence to accelerate innovation. Rejoignez-le le 24 avril à Toronto pour une journée remplie de conversations éclairées, d'idées innovantes et de stratégies réalisables pour aider à façonner l'avenir de la croissance du Canada. 🔗 Register now for #GrowthSummit2025: https://lnkd.in/gdyp774f  #AI #Innovation #Events #Networking #Toronto

Key takeaways from this week's Atlantic Momentum newsletter: 👉 Atlantic Canada spent another week fixated on a looming trade war with the U.S. — but amid the angst and worry, some actual progress was made.  And, two long-serving Atlantic premiers announced they will be stepping down this week, both citing the strains of the job, particularly with the recent challenges of dealing with Donald Trump. Plus, a $7.4-billion construction project in Halifax.  Read these stories and more in this week’s Atlantic Momentum newsletter. Join thousands of other subscribers who receive the newsletter in their inbox every Wednesday morning: https://lnkd.in/gPaVsyWe