Author Archives
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What is Productivity and Why Does it Matter?
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. This HillNote is the first in a series of four publications about productivity. The second in the series presents Canada’s productivity performance compared to other advanced economies. The third analyzes the main potential causes of Canada’s relatively… Read More ›
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Privacy and Artificial Intelligence in Canada
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. It can be found in search engines, connected cars, smartphones and chatbots such as ChatGPT. Although AI offers many benefits, it also poses a number of risks, particularly to privacy. Privacy… Read More ›
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Federal and International Legislative Protections for People with Disabilities: Where We Are Today
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. In 2022, approximately 8 million Canadians aged 15 years or older reported living with disabilities that limit their daily activities. As individual groups, women, seniors and Indigenous peoples report some of the highest rates of disability. Therefore, the legislation… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Trafficking in Human Organs: An Overview
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible 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 exceeds… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – The Legislative Process: From Government Policy to Proclamation
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible en français. At the federal level, there are several sequential stages that must be completed for a policy proposal to be transformed from an idea into a law. The process involves all three components of the legislative branch (the Sovereign, the Senate and… Read More ›
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Parliamentary Diplomacy: Canadian Parliamentarians and the World
Reading Time: 4 minutesDisponible en français. In today’s complex world, the blurred lines between domestic and foreign policy regularly draw Canadian parliamentarians onto the world stage. Increasingly, they speak directly with their international counterparts on issues of global and national importance. In Canada,… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – The Parliamentary Financial Cycle
Reading Time: 3 minutesDisponible en français. One of Parliament’s fundamental roles is to review and approve the government’s taxation and spending plans. To fulfill this role, parliamentarians follow the parliamentary financial cycle, which consists of a continuous loop of activities that take place… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Appointment of Officers of Parliament
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. Officers of Parliament support both houses in their accountability and scrutiny functions by carrying out independent oversight responsibilities assigned to them by statute. These officers are responsible directly to Parliament rather than to the government or a federal… Read More ›
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The Opening and First Days of a New Parliament of Canada
Reading Time: 8 minutesDisponible en français. A general election is followed by the opening of a new session of the Parliament of Canada, marking the beginning of a new parliamentary cycle. The opening involves a series of parliamentary ceremonies and procedures that precede… Read More ›
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Executive Summary – Transition to the 45th Parliament: Key Roles, Government Formation and Other Issues
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible 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… Read More ›