Author Archives
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Personal Income Taxes in Canada: Revenue, Rates and Rationale
Reading Time: 6 minutes Disponible en français. Governments finance the goods and services that they provide in various ways, including through taxing, investing and borrowing activities. The first of these activities – taxation – can take several forms. In Canada, sources of funds that… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Transition to the 44th Parliament: Questions and Answers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. Canada’s founding document, the Constitution Act, 1867, established the country as a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. Executive authority resides with the Sovereign or that person’s representative (i.e., the Governor General of Canada). The Constitution assigns the Governor General a wide range… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – How the Bank of Canada Creates Money Through its Asset Purchases
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. Money is created in the Canadian economy in two main ways: through private commercial bank loans or asset purchases, and through the Bank of Canada’s asset purchases. The majority of money in the economy is created by… Read More ›
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Security on the Korean Peninsula: Canada’s Role
Reading Time: 7 minutes Disponible en français. In June 1950, North Korean forces invaded South Korea, beginning the Korean War. Almost 70 years after an armistice was signed and the fighting in that conflict ended, the Korean Peninsula remains one of the world’s most… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Trafficking in Human Organs: An Overview
Reading Time: 2 minutes Disponible en français. Organ transplantation surgery has saved countless lives since its advent in the 1950s. As the techniques and technologies used in transplantation medicine improve, positive outcomes for donors and recipients are increasing. Demand for this treatment, however, far… Read More ›
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Putting Indigenous Perspectives on the Map: Indigenous Mapping and Place Names*
Reading Time: 6 minutes Disponible en français. For National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, communities across Canada will hold events to celebrate Indigenous cultures and contributions to Canada. Indigenous peoples are working to put Indigenous perspectives on the map of Canada. This HillNote… Read More ›
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The Role of the Supreme Court of Canada – Membership and the Nomination Process
Reading Time: 5 minutes Disponible en français. The Supreme Court of Canada was created by statute in 1875. This HillNote describes the evolution of the membership and nomination process for Supreme Court justices over the years. Role of the Supreme Court The Supreme Court… Read More ›
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Border Carbon Adjustments
Reading Time: 5 minutes Disponible en français. On page 176 of Budget 2021, there is one small paragraph that could have far-reaching implications. There, the Government of Canada announced that it would soon begin consultations on a new carbon pricing measure, known as a… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Official Languages or National Languages? Canada’s Decision
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. In 2013–2014 and again since June 2020, some Canadian political figures have used the terms “national languages” and “official languages” interchangeably to refer to English and French when discussing the federal language regime. However, these two terms are not equivalent. “Official” status requires the government to… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Canada’s Approach to the Treaty-Making Process
Reading Time: 2 minutes Disponible en français. In Canada, the treaty-making process is controlled by the executive branch of the federal government, while the Parliament of Canada (“Parliament”) is often responsible for passing legislation to implement international treaties at the federal level. The treaty-making… Read More ›