Wonk (Public Policy Forum)

As younger Canadians endeavour to make a life for themselves, they are increasingly “squeezed” by stationary incomes, strain in procuring quality employment, high costs for services, and rising debts. In this episode, Dr. Kershaw, founder of Generation Squeeze joins host Edward Greenspon to make sense of the shocking labour force numbers affecting young people in Canada amidst COVID-19.

Nixon conceded to John F. Kennedy. Al Gore conceded to George W. Bush. Will Trump concede to Biden? Anxieties are increasing as a transition becomes increasingly contentious and politicized. Host Edward Greenspon is joined by Maryscott “Scotty” Greenwood and PPF Fellow Sean Speer to discuss how the Democrats and Republicans did, the polarization of this U.S. election and what that means for Canada. Could a Biden presidency be a return to "normal" or is Trump a herald that there's no going back?

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Ep. 18 I Unprecedented times have called for the future of work to become the present. The rapid acceleration of automation and technology integration into the workplace is thought to either cause displacement or upgrades. Bridging the skills gap and upskilling employees and businesses will become imperative in not leaving anyone behind. We know that diversity and inclusion can provide access to well-qualified talent and can help meet the changing needs of the global environment, starting at the post-secondary level. Host Edward Greenspon is joined by Dr. Wendy Cukier, Founder and Academic Director of Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, and Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Center for Part 2 of this Policy Speaking segment to examine workplace diversity and preparing Canadians with the skills they need to succeed in the present and the future of work.

What is Canada doing to attract and retain immigration in the Canadian workforce? Host Edward Greenspon sits down with Catrina Tapley, Deputy Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and Francis McGuire, President of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to discuss the after-effects of a global pandemic on immigration in Canada and what job availability will look like in the years to follow COVID-19.

In this special edition of Policy Speaking, Edward Greenspon, PPF president and CEO, is joined by outgoing B.C. Premier John Horgan.

On one of his last days as premier of British Columbia, Mr. Horgan gives a no-holds-barred interview on challenges in energy policy, healthcare and climate change, as well as his bubbling frustration with the federal-provincial relationship.

This episode includes a #PPFproud shoutout to Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for offering more than $85 million in grants to support colleges and partner organizations through the College and Community Innovation program.

Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO of Vancity, Canada's largest credit union shares insights on the situation in Vancouver and B.C. In this episode, she gives host Edward Greenspon an inside scoop on what VanCity is doing to help it's half a million members recover from job losses and incapacitated business. Plus who's most vulnerable in this crisis?

Canada's track record with infrastructure is world renowned, yet as Ehren Cory, CEO of Canada's Infrastructure Bank says, nationwide the country is in a persistent infrastructure gap – especially in Northern or remote communities. Cory joins Policy Speaking host Edward Greenspon to talk about the infrastructure bank system, how to leverage investment in Canada's infrastructure and innovative projects. In a wide ranging conversation from battery storage to satellites, they explore what role CIB might play in emerging technologies like carbon capture and agriculture revitalization.

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Episode 16 I The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated change in the way Canadians work and has initiated remarkable adaptability in the workplace. Future-of -work strategist, Heather McGowan has referred to the pandemic as a great social experiment, with online education and remote work understanding how much comprehension and work is best achieved together versus remotely. This is where policy and organizational change come in. How do we adapt ourselves and our institutions and how do we shape the future we want?

Listen in as host Edward Greenspon and Heather McGowan discuss the future of work and workplace adaption.

Episode 17 I The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated the future of work, the issue of lack of diversity and a skills gap in the workplace. We know that diversity and inclusion can improve organizational performance, can provide access to well-qualified talent and can help meet the changing needs of the global environment. But there's still room to understand how we can harness innovation, new approaches, and technologies to bridge the skills gap. A new urgency to adapt to the future of work, and do it right is imperative.

Host Edward Greenspon is joined by Dr. Wendy Cukier, Founder and Academic Director of Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, and Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Center to examine workplace diversity and preparing Canadians with the skills they need to succeed in the present and the future of work.

Brave New Work special | Episode 2 of 3

Vass Bednar takes over as host of Policy Speaking, for a special Brave New Work discussion on algorithms that pit workers – especially precarious workers – against the clock. Joining the podcast is Emily Guendelsberger, author of 'On the Clock', who wonders: how do you measure misery at work and what do political solutions for misery look like when policymakers are insulated from the dehumanising daily experience of low-wage work. Later in the podcast, labour relations expert Sean O’Brady talks about how technology is driving workers out of work, rather than improving their work. And he touches on union solidarity-from-home.

Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Subscribe to Public Policy Forum updates and be first to know about new events, reports and projects.

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In this week’s episode of Policy Speaking, our host and PPF’s President and CEO Edward Greenspon sits down with Dr. David Naylor (past Dean of Medicine and President Emeritus at the University of Toronto) and Jodi Butts (lawyer, entrepreneur and self-described healthcare nerd) to discuss the new Omicron variant. They compare public health measures taken with Omicron and previous variants, and discuss reactions from Canadians as we approach a second holiday season in this pandemic. Dr. Naylor and Ms. Butts also examine lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues and building domestic supply capacity. Finally, they look at policy considerations, such as global vaccine equity, the effectiveness of travel bans and improving Canada’s healthcare system.

During Today in Policy, Katie and Edward chatted about Canada’s progress on gender equality and the representation of women in politics including the contrast between the 100th anniversary of the election of the first female member of Parliament and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

This episode included a #PPFProud shout out Ability New Brunswick. PPF believes that diversity and inclusion are essential ingredients of good policy in a better Canada. And we thank Ability New Brunswick for their role in developing public policy that builds towards more inclusive communities for persons with a mobility disability.

This week’s episode of Policy Speaking is literally out of this world and focused on the space economy. Our host Edward Greenspon (PPF’s President and CEO) chats with Dan Goldberg, President and CEO of Telesat and the Honourable Navdeep Bains, former Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. They cover the importance of investing in space technology along with strategic changes in the industry and the difference between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and Geostationary (GEO) satellites. Dan Goldberg and the Hon. Navdeep Bains also examine the importance of public-private partnerships, Canada’s contributions in the industry, and competition with other nations and corporations. Lastly, they debate policy implications, such as broadband connectivity, and even discuss whether they would explore space themselves!

During Today in Policy, Katie and Edward discussed the new Omicron variant, vaccinating children in Canada, and space exploration.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated just how important strong and resilient healthcare is to all Canadians, and just how stressed our system is in many parts of the country. The Public Policy Forum is the think tank about tomorrow which is why we are keen to touch on timely issues of relevance to Canadians. Our podcast sponsor, Johnson and Johnson also knows how critical it is to provide strong healthcare services to Canadians and we thank them for their support of Policy Speaking.

This episode included a #PPFProud shout out to EY for their Ripple’s program, which aims to positively impact the lives of one billion people by 2030. Through this program, EY has provided consulting services with Habitat Canada to help them build equity and increase accessibility to safe and stable housing through stakeholder consultations, collaborations and an intensive review of their operations. So thank you EY, who has been a proud and active member of the Public Policy Forum for many years.

Episode 10 | David Coletto is one of Canada's leading pollsters and experts on millennials. Co-hosted by Edward Greenspon and Policy Lead Katie Davey, on this live podcast recording they review what this critical group of Canadians are thinking, how they’re doing, and if their outlook on the future has changed in relation to the current COVID-19 crisis.

In the season three opener, Policy Speaking sits down with two Commissioners from the Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression Amira Elghawaby & The Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin. Public opinion and these experts agree: the time to regulate social media has arrived. They discuss findings of a new report "Harms Reduction: A Six-Step Program to Protect Democratic Expression Online", released by the Commission in parallel with findings from the Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression. They tackle harmful behaviour and online hate speech, and what we can do to address these on online platforms while still defending Canadian's rights to free speech.

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Vaccines are rolling out and many Canadians are hoping for an economic upswing in the summer and fall. Is that what we should expect? David Dodge, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, joins us to talk about the economic factors he's following and the impact of the economic stimulus so far in Canada versus the U.S. and Europe. He also puts on his healthcare hat, as a former deputy health minister, to talk about outlooks for provinces like Ontario and Quebec relative to their healthcare spending - and the impact healthcare and social spending can have on our economies.

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We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

With final results potentially still days away, the U.S. election has turned out to be a cliffhanger and not a landslide. Frank McKenna is a former Ambassador to the U.S. and 27th Premier of New Brunswick, and he joins Policy Speaking to share his initial reactions as Trump's results in key states have blown polling out of the water. McKenna shares his insights on where polls went wrong and possible court challenges ahead. Whatever the result, the U.S. will find itself a divided country and McKenna explores what this polarization means for government gridlock, what a Biden or Trump presidency means for Canada's relationship with the U.S., and how Canada can navigate the uncertainty of this moment.

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Billion dollar infrastructure investments are on hold and airport passenger volumes are down 90% at two of Canada's biggest airports. The CEOs of Toronto and Vancouver airports – Deborah Flint and Tamara Vrooman respectively – join Policy Speaking to talk about the tensions airports face in the pandemic. Facing stiff competition from airports in the US and no clear runway for recovery, our guests explore how their industry can pivot to get cleaner, greener, leaner and keener about innovation – in this special Rebuild Canada Growth Summit episode of the podcast.

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Canadians have made step-wise advancements in treating mental health in the past two decades. 15 years ago the stigma made it hard to even talk about. Today, COVID has accelerated the use of telehealth technology to make mental health support easier to access than before. Dr. David Goldbloom, senior medical advisor at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) joins us to talk next steps on mental healthcare in Canada, and the crisis the COVID-19 pandemic has both revealed and amplified. Dr. Goldbloom and Policy Speaking host Edward Greenspon talk about the NHS's stepped care approach that's seeing big success in the UK, how we can get a new cadre of mental health practitioners, the opioid crisis, and more.

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In the fourth episode of our Policy Speaking podcast, host Edward Greenspon is joined by Bruce Lourie, President of the Ivey Foundation to discuss the speed of the response to COVID-19 and how it can inform Canada's battles with further public health risks and climate change.

In this week’s episode of Policy Speaking, our host Edward Greenspon (President and CEO of PPF) chats with Dahabo Ahmed-Omer (Executive Director of the BlackNorth Initiative) about systemic racism, economic inclusion and the disproportionate impacts the pandemic has illuminated among different communities across Canada. They reflect on the progress made towards combatting discrimination and examine the path of rhetoric to results in strategizing for impactful change. Finally, they discuss the BlackNorth pledge and the Racial Equity Playbook in how businesses can become more equitable corporate citizens.

This episode included a #PPFProud shoutout to the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, McGill University and the University of Calgary for ranking in the top five research information sources and latest Top 50 universities.

This week, Edward Greenspon (PPF’s President and CEO) discusses LNG and geopolitics with Karen Ogen-Toews (CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance), Bryan Cox (President & CEO of the Canadian LNG Alliance), and Janice Stein (Professor and founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy).

Following the German Chancellor's visit to Canada, they discuss what role Canada's natural gas can play in lowering global carbon emissions and in helping other countries through their energy transition. The group looks at Canada's responsibility and considers a path forward in this energy stability crisis.

This episode included a #PPFProud shoutout to University of Ottawa for appointing the first Indigenous leader as Chancellor in their 174-year history, Claudette Commanda.

This week, Edward Greenspon (PPF’s President and CEO) discusses Electrification with Bruce Lourie (President of the Ivey Foundation) and Janet Annesley (Chief Sustainability Officer for Kiwetinohk Energy).

They discuss what Electrification is and what role it can play in Canada’s path to net zero. Lourie and Annesley look at supply, demand and the overall question of efficiency to help paint a picture of what this part of the energy transition can look like. They discuss what’s available now and what future technologies may include. Finally, they touch on what other forms of energy can do for us now and in the long term.

This episode includes #PPFproud shoutout to the University of Victoria for their launch of the world’s first MBA in Indigenous Reconciliation, starting in Spring 2023.

Episode 7 | In the early 1990s Janice MacKinnon helped steer Saskatchewan through its fiscal crisis. She joined Policy Speaking host Edward Greenspon for a discussion around the fiscal realities of the COVID-19 crisis on provincial and federal budgets. What advice would she give to Canada's finance minister and what would it take to see an economic turnaround in 2021 or 2022?

Listen to this episode to learn the latest developments on the vaccine front. What does the recent manufacturing agreement mean for Canada and what's ahead for delivering a safe vaccine to Canadians after clinical trials? Progress on vaccines has been the result of unprecedented collaboration between scientists, industry and regulators, but how will politics play a role in the successful distribution? Will Canadians trust in the science? And how will inequalities play into distribution, particularly in light of developing international tensions over vaccine development. Join this conversation with Dr. Alan Bernstein, the Hon. Anne McLellan and host Edward Greenspon to learn all the details.

Dr. Alan Bernstein is a member of Canada's COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and the president of CIFAR (the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research). He's a one time medical researcher and former head of CIHR (Canadian Institute of Health Research) and also served as executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in New York, an international alliance charged with accelerating the search for an HIV vaccine. He recently published an article in The Atlantic titled I’m Optimistic That We Will Have a COVID-19 Vaccine Soon.

The Hon. Anne McLellan is making her second appearance on Policy Speaking. As former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, among her many responsibilities in government, she also served as federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and as Minister of Health.

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In this episode of Policy Speaking, our host and PPF’s President and CEO Edward Greenspon chats with the co-chairs of the Energy Future Forum’s Carbon Management Work Group, Janet Annesley (Chief Sustainability Officer at Kiwetinohk Energy) and Michael Bernstein (executive director of Clean Prosperity). They discuss small and large pathways to net-zero as Canada tries to reach our 2030 and 2050 targets through carbon capture and storage as well as other carbon management technologies. Annesley and Bernstein also examine the role different industries can play, from the oil and gas sector to agriculture, risk management strategies in decarbonization efforts and the importance of investing in the commercialization and domestic production of new technologies. Finally, they look to examples from other nations and how Canada can collaborate to manage carbon in the economy.

During Today in Policy, Katie and Edward discuss the Convoy’s presence in Ottawa over the past few weeks and the protests and blockades across the nation. They also reflect on understanding the rise in populism, the motivations behind the actions of protestors and how to rebuild cohesion across Canada.

This episode included a #PPFProud shout out to the YWCA for launching Canada's first National Emergency Survivor's Support Fund which will be used to help women and gender diverse people experiencing intimate partner and domestic abuse escape and rebuild their lives.

Andrew Furey has been the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador for an extraordinarily eventful five years, from the pandemic and its fallout to going all in on oil and gas, and lately, of course, the chaos of Trump and a trade war. The popular leader shocked everyone recently when he announced he’s leaving politics. Host Amanda Lang talks to Furey about why he’s stepping down, his fears about the U.S. president’s motives and the need for a Canada-first strategy.

Host Edward Greenspon is joined by Canada’s pre-eminent energy economist and energy historian, Peter Tertzakian as he explains the factors and the impacts of Covid-19 on the energy sector – economically and policy-wise.

Numbers reflect what is happening in the world around us. But how has COVID-19 impacted the shift? Lynn Barr-Telford, Canada's Assistant Chief Statistician, responsible for social, health and labor statistics at Statistics Canada and Craig Alexander, Partner and Chief Economist at Deloitte join host Edward Greenspon to discuss labour force trends. Listen in as we unpack the statistics and the trends reported over the last two months.

If there's a silver lining to COVID, it may be the acceleration of the availability of virtual mental health services. Provinces and institutions had moved very quickly to digitize services, speeding up a transition that needed to happen anyway. Two-thirds of Canadians are reporting their mental health is good, and are feeling confident in their ability to cope with COVID. Research is showing that employers – in particular – can play a big part in buoying the mental health of workers. But for some, things have gotten much worse. Policy Speaking is joined by Paula Allen, VP at Morneau Shepell and co-chair of the Civic Action's Champions Council on workplace mental health and Ed Mantler, VP at the Mental Health Commission of Canada for an analysis of Canadians' mental health status, where things have gone right, wrong, and what to expect for the holidays.

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Trust in the government response to COVID-19 started high and, overall, has dwindled in Canada. While Canadians accepted the need for big travel restrictions at the start, mobile apps for contact tracing and other targeted responses have not been universally met with open arms. As Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy professor Peter Loewen explains, this lack of trust could impact the way a vaccine is rolled out in Canada. With the pandemic growing, will Canadians have faith government can respond to the full complexity of issues ahead?

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After weeks of uncertainty it finally happened: Canada has been plunged into a trade war it desperately hoped to avoid. Even as it unfolds the path is unclear. Already there are signs that some tariffs could be reduced or removed, but it will cause pain on both sides of the border. Make no mistake, we are in a new era of Canada-U.S. relations. David Paterson is Ontario’s representative in Washington, and understands what's at stake and what's happening on the ground like few others. He was former VP at General Motors and BlackBerry, and was chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He talks to host Amanda Lang about what's motivating Trump's tariff attack, how he wins over U.S. lawmakers and why he doesn't think the U.S.-Canada relationship is permanently damaged. 

Canada is presented with a smorgasbord of solutions to reduce, reuse, or better use the carbon that's heating up the Earth. Policy Speaking is joined by Bruce Lourie, President of the Ivey Foundation and Janet Annesley, Senior Director, Energy and ESG at Invest Alberta Corporation for a wide ranging discussion on what Canada's provincial and federal governments can focus on – in terms of policy and technology – to drive Canada to becoming low carbon experts, relative to the U.S. and the rest of the world.

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We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

This week our host Edward Greenspon (President and CEO of PPF) chats with Aron Feuer (Managing Director of Cybersecurity at Valencia) and Brad Brookman (former Director of Finance and Treasurer at the Municipality of North Grenville) about the landscape of cyberattacks and ransomware attacks in Canada. They discuss the cyberattack in North Grenville, the targeting of public sector institutions across Canada and the role of cryptocurrency in ransomware attacks. The discussion concluded by stressing the importance of preparedness as a policy response. Check out Canadian Centre for Cyber Security's New North Star 3 which looks at innovation policy in Canada and

This week our host and PPF’s President and CEO Edward Greenspon discusses Indigenous ownership and economic self-determination with Jeff Cyr (CEO of Raven Indigenous Impact Foundation and Managing Partner of Raven Indigenous Capital Partners) and Alicia Dubois (Founder of Nish Synergies Advisory Group and former CEO of Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation). They examine the role of reconciliation in driving a more inclusive economy, Indigenous access to equity and capital and the importance of engaging in meaningful partnerships on projects and ventures. Cyr and Dubois also provide examples of successful Indigenous partnerships including the coalition of Mi'kmaq First Nations and Clearwater Seafoods, and Wataynikaneyap Power and Fortis, and the upstart Virtual Gurus. Finally, they look at the role of ESG and the competitive advantage Indigenous businesses have on the path to a net-zero economy.

During Today in Policy, Katie and Edward talk about the evolution of news media in light of PPF’s fifth anniversary since releasing The Shattered Mirror, a report that detailed the troubling diagnostic of accelerating revenue declines among producers of original journalism. They also touch on the

Billions of dollars will flow into Indigenous nations to make major impacts on Canadian infrastructure and industry, but will those impacts benefit those Indigenous communities? Globally, 40 trillion investor dollars go through an environment, social and governance (ESG) risk assessment process. Yet Mark Podlasly, economic director at The First Nation's Major Project Coalition says no part of ESG includes Indigenous people as anything more than a checkbox, instead of invested partners. He says that needs to change.

Hear Mark at the Indigenous Sustainable Investment Conference March 18 and 19.

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We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

Episode 20 I A series of three major concurrent and overlapping crises, one about health, about the economy and about race, diversity and inclusion has brought our society to a troubled place in time. Many of us have been forced to challenge our own roles. Edward Greenspon is joined by The Honourable Ahmed Hussen to examine the fight against anti-black racism in all its forms, to ensure a future of justice and equality.

In this episode of Policy Speaking, Harold Calla, executive chair of the First Nations Financial Management Board, and CEO Geordie Hungerford join host Edward Greenspon to discuss a roadmap for achieving economic reconciliation.

Calla and Hungerford call for the creation of new Indigenous-led institutions, including a First Nations Infrastructure Institute, an Indigenous Development Bank and an Indigenous Economic Council to create capacity and get capital flowing, ultimately fueling the Indigenous ownership movement and building a robust Indigenous economy.

When the pandemic ends, do we return to the office of 2019? Over half of surveyed workers would like to continue working from home, even just a bit. Managers, employees, commuters, and families have lived new options and Tania Saba, professor and expert on workforce and digital transformation, explores how back-to-office may – or may not – play out. Regardless, says Murtaza Haider, Research Director of the Urban Analytics Institute, many Canadians have left urban centres bringing their work needs – whether infrastructure or work habits – with them.

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We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

Episode 11 | Where do you get your information from? Original news is in serious decline, yet times of crisis are when the community leans most heavily on reliable news sources. Co-hosted by Edward Greenspon and PPF Fellow in Residence Sean Speer, today's conversation with Senator Paula Simons and David Skok of The Logic is about the current state of media and journalism, media competition and the further impacts of COVID-19.

Canada has four COVID-19 vaccines ready for distribution in half (if not 1/3) the time many predicted. Yet none are homegrown. Dr. Alan Bernstein, CEO of the global research organization CIFAR, and Dr. Vivek Goel, soon-to-be President of the University of Waterloo and a public health physician on the federal government’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, join Policy Speaking to talk about the logistics of delivering the large number of vaccines landing on Canadian shores, why we're importing them, and how to tackle the looming 3rd wave of COVID-19 variants.

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We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

New 5G technology is rolling out in some Canadian communities, promising improvements to life-saving technologies as much as to your fun weekend activities. At the same time, there's a huge digital divide between city folk and rural & Northern communities, leaving roughly 15 percent of Canadians with poor Internet or no Internet. Joe Natale, CEO at Rogers Communications, joins Policy Speaking to share his vision for the future of mobile tech, bridging the digital divide, and how industry can partner with government to bring Canada together as a nation.

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U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent inauguration speech spoke of the “uncivil war” that polarizes American society across different fault lines including the urban-rural divide. But Canadians shouldn’t assume that these are merely American problems. PPF's Prime Ministers of Canada Fellow Sean Speer and Peter Loewen share their recent research, and sketch a blueprint for how we can go about building empathy and ultimately precluding the kind of polarization that we've witnessed elsewhere, with renewed economic activity in some of these places on the periphery.

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

From clean energy, to digital tech Canada is a world leader in entrepreneurship. Yet as Monique Leroux, Chair of the Industry Strategy Council of Canada, and Karimah Es Sabar and Karen Hamberg, members of the Council point out – many of those companies start out but find no home here. Joining host Edward Greenspon, these industry leaders share what they've heard from business leaders across Canada, in reports like New North Star I & II, and share findings from the Council's December report on how Canada can make strategic changes to stay on the path of prosperity.

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

Carbon capture is a promising new technology, and there's big projects in Canada, the U.S. and Europe showing that it could be an economical way to remove fuel from the fire of the Earth's climate crisis. Host Edward Greenspon is joined by Ilana Hosios at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)'s Centre for Canada's Future, and Alex Dewar, Senior Director at BCG's Center for Energy Impact in Washington for an exploration of the industrial and policy implications of this emerging technology, and its potential for supporting Canada's industries and fostering R&D.

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In our first episode this fall, Ed Greenspon (host of Policy Speaking and PPF President & CEO) is joined by the Right Honourable Joe Clark and the Honourable Christy Clark. They discuss the recent report by the Senate Prosperity Action Group, called Rising to the Challenge of New Global Realities, and focus on the 'how' of achieving its outcomes. Some of the conversation points include building consensus in a post-pandemic Canada, contemplating historical events like the Charlottetown Accord and looking forward on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Hon. Joe Clark and Hon. Christy Clark also examine challenges in our policies and institutions – such as federalism, the Senate, partisanship, and the importance of leadership and interest groups – in forging common ground amongst Canadians. Finally, in answering questions from the audience, they reflect on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on racialized Canadians, the rise of populism, and strategies to unite Canadians around a common cause.

Plus, in Today in Policy, Ed chats with Editor of PPF Media, Katie Davey. They cover a summary of Rising to the Challenge of New Global Realities, the forthcoming COP26 and what Canada should consider, and the tall order in front of a shuffled federal Cabinet.

This episode includes a #PPFProud Member Shoutout:

On October 15, BMO, CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC, Scotiabank and TD announced their collective pledge to join the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) as part of a global, industry-led initiative to accelerate and support efforts to address climate change. We are PPF proud of our members, CIBC, RBC and Scotiabank for their commitment to a net-zero future.

Special thanks to our episode sponsor, Johnson & Johnson.

Episode 14 | COVID-19 is a virus that impacts different individuals in similar ways. Although scientists have been learning rapidly, so much is still unknown about the virus. President & CEO of Genome Canada Dr. Rob Annan and President & CEO of Ontario Genomics Dr. Bettina Hamelin outline for host Edward Greenspon how this branch of biology will help Canada to comprehend the dynamics of who gets sick, who doesn't, and scientific collaboration when so much is uncertain.

New digital frontiers have renewed old problems: conspiracy theories, hate speech and disinformation. This conversation with Peter MacLeod, founder of public engagement firm MASS LBP, and Amira Elghawaby, journalist and human rights advocate, gives us insights on the health of our democracy and explores innovative approaches to civil dialogue in a social media age – including a Citizens' Assembly of 42 Canadians that's currently underway and the PPF-organized Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression.

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Nadine Spencer, President of the Black Business and Professional Association, and Mohamed Elmi, Director of Research at the Diversity Institute discuss walking the talk when it comes to addressing systemic racism. Nadine and Mohamed share the challenges black business people have long faced, and society has only recently begun to acknowledge. From financing in the COVID-19 pandemic, to the fact that only 13 black individuals were identified from over 900 corporate boards positions in major cities in Canada, this wide reaching conversation really puts the challenges and hopes for a better Canada in perspective.

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.

Three months into a pandemic and the Canadian economy finds itself in an induced coma with a long journey ahead to recovery. The Bank of Canada contests that we have a bumpy road to recuperation but few have been hit as hard as the Canadian energy sector. The Public Policy Forum has been working with stakeholders in the Canadian energy sector to find ways to achieve our climate targets. The Energy Future Forum's mission is to develop practical measures that will help Canada meet or exceed our 2030 emissions targets on the way to a NetZero future and strengthen an innovative economy, deepen shared prosperity and enhance national unity. In this episode, Edward Greenspon is joined by Mark Little, President and CEO of Suncor energy to discuss energy and climate in the time of a pandemic.

Senator Murray Sinclair shares wisdom on the Nova Scotia lobster fishing dispute and how current events fit into the trending societal discussion about racism and systemic racism. Sen. Sinclair demonstrates why he's an honouree of this year's Testimonial Awards as we trace his history from a young man of the Peguis First Nation (north of Winnipeg) who would go on to become a lawyer, Manitoba's first Aboriginal judge, Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, Indigenous leader, and Senator. Plus what are the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous communities and where does mistrust of the medical profession come from?

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

This week, Edward Greenspon (PPF’s President and CEO) discusses the results of the Conservative Party of Canada leadership race with Ginny Roth (Vice President and National Practice Lead for Government Relations at Crestview Strategy) and Sean Speer (PPF Scotiabank Fellow in Strategic Competitiveness and a Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy).

After a historic leadership election and clear victory for Pierre Poilievre, Roth (a strategist on Poilievre's campaign) and Speer (past senior economic advisor for former Prime Minister Stephen Harper) explore what that win means for the conservative movement and for future policy goals. They examine the taxonomy of conservatism, Poilievre’s messaging and peel back some of the layers of the campaign to look toward the what now and what next of Canadian policy and conservatism.

This episode includes #PPFproud shoutout to the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport for the launch of their 2022-2027 Strategic Plan.

With a Canadian workforce of 50,000, Bell Canada is a major player in Canada's telecom industry and the cornerstone of so many of our work-from-home setups during the pandemic. President & CEO Mirko Bibic is at the helm of this historic company, and he joins Policy Speaking to discuss what's on the horizon with key milestones for 5G coming up in the next year. He and host Edward Greenspon also discuss Internet access for all, digital skills in small and medium-sized businesses, Canada's telecom competitiveness and more.

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

This week, PPF’s President and CEO and our host of Policy Speaking, Edward Greenspon sits down with Nancy Southern (Chair and CEO of ATCO Ltd. and Canadian Utilities Limited) at the

In marking the fifth anniversary of PPF’s The Shattered Mirror report, the host of Policy Speaking and PPF’s President and CEO Edward Greenspon sits down with three of the principal researchers on The Shattered Mirror project, Colette Brin (Professor in the Department of Information and Communications at the Université Laval), Elizabeth Dubois (Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa). They discuss what’s changed in the past five years regarding the role of journalism in democracy, the various shifts in the media ecosystem and how policy can address challenges facing the news media industry. Brin, Dornan and Dubois also examine the relationship between technology companies, media, government and citizens, the prevalence of disinformation and the debate around the limitations of free speech. They conclude with reflections on innovations within the journalism sector and what Canada can learn from other nations.

This episode included a #PPFProud shout out to Via Rail for being a leader and reimagining how Canadians travel.

In this episode of Policy Speaking, Steve Verheul, Canada's former Chief Trade Negotiator, joins host Edward Greenspon to discuss negotiating the new NAFTA, the strength of middle powers, and Canada's potential leadership in creating a new trading system.

This week, Edward Greenspon (PPF’s President and CEO) is joined by Chris Barry (President of Microsoft Canada) to discuss all things technology. This episode was recorded at Microsoft’s Toronto Offices.

Barry and Greenspon chat about the workspace Microsoft has created and the workforce changes that came out of the pandemic. They discuss collaboration, productivity, sustainability and how Microsoft’s space contributes to all three of those things. Looking at Russia’s war against Ukraine, Barry discusses the role cyberattacks have played during the war and what work is being done to combat these attacks.

Brave New Work special | Episode 1 of 3

Vass Bednar takes over as host of Policy Speaking, for a special Brave New Work discussion on how to think more fully about technological change. This week's focus is on skills and surveillance, with special guests: Unifor economist and policy analyst Kaylie Tiessen who talks trends in workplace training and how truck driving has been transformed; Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association Brenda McPhail who talks about the right and very wrong ways surveillance can be used in the workplace; and author of 'The Secret Life of Groceries' Benjamin Lorr who talks about how minimum wage grocery work is no longer the care-free job we nostalgically remember.

Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Subscribe to Public Policy Forum updates and be first to know about new events, reports and projects.

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

In PPF's first live podcast recording, host Edward Greenspon is joined by Peter Loewen, an expert in public trust of government. They look at the response to the COVID-19 crisis: Does it tell us something bigger about how citizens feel about strong and decisive leadership, or even the toning down of partisan rhetoric?

This week, Edward Greenspon (PPF’s President and CEO) discusses Canada’s COVID-19 response with Dr. David Naylor (Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto) and Dr. Fahad Razak (Scientific Director of the COVID-19 Ontario Science Table).

Nearly two and a half years later, we're taking stock of how Canada fared compared to its peers during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a report published on June 27th in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), authors: Dr. Fahad Razak, Saeha Shin, Dr. David Naylor and Dr. Arthur S. Slutsky review the COVID-19 response from G10 nations and share how Canada fared in comparison to its counterparts.

This episode includes a #PPFProud shoutout to Enbridge for having received the Catalyst Award, which recognizes organizational diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that drive representation and inclusion for women.

In this episode of Policy Speaking, Scott Balfour, CEO of Emera joins host Edward Greenspon to discuss the many puzzle pieces inherent in Canada’s energy transition.

Balfour and Greenspon discuss how to reach renewable energy goals, the need for honest conversations and the question that’s on everyone’s mind: affordability.

The pandemic presents an opportunity to breathe new life into the story of rail in Canada. Former Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and Yves Desjardins Siciliano, CEO at Siemens Mobility Canada and former VIA Rail CEO join Policy Speaking to talk the ghost of divestment past, Canada's present inter-city train network, why Quebec's system seems different, and how the current commuter crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic could be leveraged to innovate metro systems and major city links.

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Music: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen under a creative commons license

We’d like to thank the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre for partnering with us to bring you Policy Speaking in February and March. Both Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre are valued partners of PPF, and their work contributes greatly to the conversation around innovation, skills, diversity, and inclusion in Canada. PPF is currently working with these partners on a project called Skills for the Post-Pandemic World. Papers in this series will be released in March and April.