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"A remarkable turnaround with more work still to do" by Thomas J. Courchene Canada’s fiscal performance during Paul Martin’s tenure has improved dramatically, reducing its debt-to-GDP ratio by 20 percent, returning to budget balance and addressing the unfunded pension liabilities. Canadians are now reaping the benefits. Yet, important challenges are still to be addressed if Canada is to successfully face the new information and knowledge economy. Among other imperatives, Canada will have to offer competitive tax rates on mobile factors, shift to consumption taxes, and upgrade its human skills and capital. Moreover, Canada need to address the serious concerns raised by increasing vertical and horizontal fiscal imbalances and the fiscal needs of city-regions. "The lost opportunities of Paul Martin-A PC view" by Scott Brison Paul Martin is widely credited for having presided over a period of economic expansion and deficit elimination, but these advances in the Canadian economy were more the results of the decisions and policies of the Mulroney government. Meanwhile, Martin neglected to counter serious economic problems that developed during his watch, including a flagging dollar, slow productivity growth and elevated household debt. These oversights should be seen as his true legacy. "A record based on good spin-An Alliance view" by Charlie Penson Many commentators believe that Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien are polar opposites when it comes to public policy. But the truth is they both value political expediency over good policy. The record was embellished by good spin. The much praised cut in the deficit was accomplished by slashing transfers to the provinces and the tax decreases came only after much pressure from the Alliance party. "Martin: communicator and consensus builder-A Liberal view" by Roy Cullen Paul Martin is best known as the finance minister who eliminated the deficit. But he also reduced the federal government’s debt burden by $40 billion, reduced taxes and reined in spending, all the result of his tenacity, his ability to communicate and his preference for teamwork. "Exploring the issue of Russell Mills' firing" Interview with Peter Desbarats This is a lightly edited transcript of an interview with Peter Desbarats, the former dean of journalism at the University of Western Ontario, who also worked for Global Television. Earlier in his career he has been a senior political reporter for the Winnipeg Tribune, the Montreal Star and The Toronto Star.The interview was aired on June 22, 2002 and took place on the radio program The House, whose host is Anthony Germain. The CBC program is heard between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturdays. "The prime minister had nothing to do...with the termination of Russ Mills" Interview with Leonard Asper This is a lightly edited transcript of an interview with Leonard Asper, president and CEO of CanWest Global, by Peter Mansbridge. The interview was aired on The National, CBC’s flagship news program, broadcast at 11 p.m, on June 20. "So, was it any different before the Aspers bought the Southam newspapers?" by James Ferrabee The media business, particularly the newspaper business, has changed dramatically in the last 20 years and one of the main differences is that it doesn’t make as much money. Other information outlets have grabbed a big share of the news business, from niche magazines to specialty TV channels. And the process of change will continue both in the ownership and the content of the traditional media in the next 10 years. "Concentration with Convergence-Goodbye, Freedom of the Press" by Tom Kent In a democracy, a free press provides the quality information and diversity of views the public needs to develop informed opinions. Yet concentration and convergence in the media challenges this fundamental democratic necessity. Television is where the money is, and any company that owns both a newspaper and a TV station has a strong incentive not to print anything that could jeopardize its relationship with the government officials who have the final say about the renewal of its broadcasting licence. Media convergence, far from enhancing freedom of the press, as some proponents predicted, has meant newspapers have lost a measure of freedom. Concentration of ownership seems unavoidable, but convergence can be stopped by parliamentary action. An Act of Parliament that requires separate ownership of broadcast and print media is all it would take to ensure a free press. "Canadian softwood lumber: What is the significance of the recent Canadian victory before the WTO?" by Marc Benitah The WTO panel hearing the Canada-US softwood lumber dispute ruled in favour of Canada in late July. The “benefit conferred” criterion played a critical role in the ruling and here the US took a risk by using a flawed methodology to demonstrate the existence of such a benefit. Still, even though Canada won the first round in this long-standing dispute, an agreement still has to be found. "Robert Bourassa et l'économie du Québec" by Pierre Fortin From the point of view of employment, investment and taxation, Quebec experienced continuous economic growth starting in the middle of the 1980s, which allowed it in large part to narrow the gap that distanced it from its neighbour and most serious competitor, the province of Ontario. Robert Bourassa, premier of Quebec from 1970 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1993, contributed in great measure to this expansion through his clear and steadfast economic vision. Despite the various political, social and economic setbacks he weathered in office, the net result of his political contribution is clearly positive. Among the most significant of his achievements, we can point to the law on essential services, the James Bay hydroelectric project, more progressive individual taxation and the law on health insurance, together with a pronounced openness to private investment. "Corporate governance policy and the case for caution" by John S. McCallum The crisis in American corporate governance raises questions for Canadian policymakers even if Canada does not have the governance problems the US does. Canada may have more time to construct new rules for corporate behaviour and the author has one major suggestion: that the policy-makers should heed the Latin medical dictum, primus non nocere—first, do no harm. "Contracts between physicians and governments need to change to reform our primary care system" by David Kelly The recent reports about the future of medicare have emphasized the need to reform primary medical care, but most past attempts to do that have failed. A successful approach must deal with the issue of physician billing numbers, because these offer no incentive to provide better, more efficient service. In the end, to get the type of primary medical care we want, we may have to pay the price of agreeing to allow some physicians to practice privately. "Are there any convincing economic reasons for electricity privatization and deregulation in Ontario?" by Stephan Schott Electricity is a vital resource, and the power sector is central to the functioning of the economy and society. In Ontario, that sector is being prepared for deregulation and privatization even though there lacks sufficiently convincing evidence that such a step will be widely beneficial. A prolonged period of study and planning is necessary to avoid any problems which will surely be difficult to resolve after they arise. "Conference illustrates the promise of federalism and how, on occasion, it can bring hope and reconciliation" by Hugh Segal Thirty-eight countries as diverse as Sri Lanka and Romania recently gathered alongside countries like Canada, Mexico and Great Britain at a conference in Switzerland to discuss the opportunities and challenges of federalism. Just as not all democracies are equally democratic, not all federal states are equally federal. But the conference illustrated an approach to federal governance that can provide hope and reconciliation, but only in the context of the overall democratic values of any particular country. "The tories turn from personalities to policy matters" by Graham Fox The Progressive Conservative Party recently met in Edmonton, just weeks after Joe Clark announced his intention to resign as Party leader. With the leadership question and the issue of a merger with the Alliance set aside, party members concentrated on policy issues—from healthcare reform, to reasserting Canada’s position as a leader in the world, to reforming Canada’s democratic institutions— through which they hope to reconnect government to the citizens it is elected to serve. |
