• Kevin Page

We live in an age of uncertainty and disorder. Prime Minister Mark Carney has called this a hinge moment. Long-term relationships have been ruptured. For policymakers, however, unpredictability is the norm. The current risks are long-term and complex (wars, international relations, climate, inequality, technology) but they also have significant short-term impacts (confidence, affordability, employment).

• 2026-05-18
• — Toronto Star

• Kevin Page, Djeima Ramos

Canada needs to make workforce upskilling a central pillar to the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy. The global economy is entering an AI accelerating phase. Countries that have relatively large knowledge economy sectors, like Canada, face higher exposure to AI-driven change. Budget 2025 focused on AI infrastructure investments. Budget 2026 must expand the focus to AI workforce upskilling. AI is...

• 2026-04-14
• — Policy Magazine

• Kevin Page, Adam Parwana, Hao Tian Shen

On November 4th, Budget 2025 shifted the Carney government’s policy priorities to economic growth and national defence in response to a rupture in Canada-US trade relations and new NATO commitments. Public finance with a focus on capital investment is the principal instrument of change. In line with this strategy, a closer look at Canada’s sagging productivity suggests the next budget...

• 2025-12-11
• — Policy Magazine

• Kevin Page

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled Budget 2025 on November 4th, 2025. Given the spring election and the government’s commitment to change the financial cycle by tabling budgets in the fall, Parliament and Canadians are getting two budgets in one (2025 and 2026). Margaret Atwood has said that the difficulty of managing from the center is that you get attacked from...

• 2025-11-05
• — Policy Magazine

• Kevin Page

Finance Minister François Philippe Champagne today announced changes to the timing and presentation of federal budgets, making fall budgets a permanent fiscal fixture and, as promised in the Liberal Party’s election platform, distinguishing between operational and capital spending allocation. The tradition of fall economic statements will now move to spring.

• 2025-10-06
• — Policy Magazine

• Kevin Page

Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney and our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies agreed to a new defence investment pledge — investing 5 per cent of annual gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. That figure includes 3.5 per cent on core military capabilities and 1.5 per cent on defence and security-related infrastructure, such as ports and emergency preparedness systems.

• 2025-06-29
• — Toronto Star

• Showtell Browne, Kevin Page

Canadian national spirit is high. The positive emotional reaction to the Team Canada hockey victory over the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off was inspirational and historic. Strong patriotic responses have been ignited by President Donald Trump’s repeated musings about making Canada the 51st state and the use of US “economic force” (including significant tariffs on Canadian imports) to weaken...

• 2025-03-03
• — Policy Magazine

• Kevin Page, Lilas Forcade

On October 22, 2024, the Bank of Canada reduced its policy interest rate by 50 basis points to 3.75 per cent, down from a 5 per cent peak in June 2023. Further reductions in the policy rate, as well as household and business interest rates, are anticipated in the months ahead. Statistics Canada’s latest releases for inflation and output tell...

• 2024-10-24
• — Policy Magazine

• Kevin Page, Hunter Vanderlaan

Policymakers and politicians face a dilemma in 2024. We are in a slow/no growth economy with relatively high inflation. Downside economic risks are significant. Policy credibility, institutional trust and political support are on the line. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland must find a fiscally responsible path for Budget 2024 that supports disinflation and a soft landing (no...

• 2024-02-28
• — Policy Magazine