Futureproofing Canada

What Governments Get Wrong About Implementation by IRPP

New Brunswick is rethinking how it grows its economy in a more uncertain global environment. In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Susan Holt, Premier of New Brunswick, about how the province is positioning itself for long-term resilience, from developing critical minerals and expanding deep-water ports to strengthening trade links beyond the United States....

Canada is preparing for a major shift in defence policy, one that could reshape not only its military capabilities, but also its economy and global partnerships. In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Jeff Collins, a defence policy expert at the University of Prince Edward Island, about what’s driving Canada’s push toward significantly higher military spendin...

For decades, economists and policymakers have argued that internal trade barriers are holding Canada back. But tariff threats from the United States and global uncertainty have prompted governments across the country to act on lowering those barriers. In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Ryan Manucha, one of Canada’s leading experts on interprovincial trade...

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Mireille Paquet, director of the Institute for Research on Migration and Society and research chair on the politics of immigration at Concordia University, about how Canada’s immigration landscape has changed over the past decade, and why public opinion has shifted. They explore the growing role of temporary migration, t...

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Carolyn Whitzman, one of the country’s leading housing experts, about how decades of policy choices created today’s housing crisis and what it will take to fix it. Drawing on international examples and her own research, Whitzman explains why Canada stopped building enough affordable and non-market housing, how zoning, fi...

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Laurel Broten, CEO of Invest in Canada, about how attracting global investment can strengthen Canada’s economic resilience, not just in major cities, but in communities across the country. Broten explains what foreign direct investment is, why it matters to Canadian workers, and how global companies can help in areas such as...

In this episode, Futureproofing Canada host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Timothy Caulfield, one of North America’s leading voices on misinformation and the author of The Certainty Illusion: What You Don’t Know and Why It Matters. Caulfield unpacks how today’s chaotic information environment, from wellness products to fake online reviews, is shaping our beliefs, eroding trust, and influencing pub...

In this episode, Futureproofing Canada host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Christopher Deacon, President and CEO of the National Arts Centre, about how the arts build national resilience. Deacon reflects on nearly four decades inside one of Canada’s cultural institutions and explains why the performing arts are not a luxury, but essential to the country’s democratic and social cohesion. From the c...

How do leaders earn and keep the public’s trust in an era of polarization, misinformation, and political fatigue? In this episode, we share with you the recording of an Acadia University event where Futureproofing Canada host Jennifer Ditchburn moderated a frank discussion on leadership, democracy, and trust with former Nova Scotia premier Daryl Dexter, journalist Steve Murphy, former cabinet mini...

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Pari Johnston, President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, about why the country’s workforce strategy must include its colleges. Johnston shares how colleges are powering applied research and training across the country, from AI labs to smart farms, while advancing Indigenous economic reconciliation and helping commu...

This week’s episode is a recording of a panel Jennifer moderated at the IRPP’s recent conference on industrial policy. The panel featured Patricia Goff, professor in the Department of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University and at the Balsillie School of International Affairs; Matthew Holmes, executive vice-president (international) and chief of public policy for the Canadian Chamber of Co...

In this episode, RJ Simpson, Premier of the Northwest Territories, joins us for a conversation about how the North can help shape Canada’s economic and security future. Simpson highlights the region’s wealth of critical minerals and the importance of projects like the proposed Arctic Security Corridor to unlock new opportunities. He underscores the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, local...

In this episode, Jennifer is joined by David Chaundy, President and CEO of the Atlantic Economic Council, for a conversation about the economic transformation of Atlantic Canada and what lies ahead for the region. Chaundy reflects on more than two decades of industrial change, from the decline of traditional sectors to the rise of bioscience, aerospace, and offshore energy. He highlights the chall...

Why Canada Needs a Rural Lens in Decision-Making by IRPP

What is “mission-driven” government, and can it work in Canada by IRPP

In this episode, Jennifer is joined by Zita Cobb, the CEO of Shorefast, an organisation that promotes economic self-determination and strategies for strengthening local economies in sustainable ways. Drawing on her experience revitalizing Fogo Island, Cobb shares her vision for asset-based community development, an approach that puts local knowledge, culture, and infrastructure at the heart of sus...

Indigenous businesses are now being launched at up to nine times the rate of non-Indigenous businesses. In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, Jennifer is joined by Tabatha Bull, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, for a conversation about the growing momentum of Indigenous-led businesses in Canada. Together they talk about the unique challenges these businesses f...

In this episode, Jennifer is joined by Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, for a wide-ranging conversation on Inuit self-determination, infrastructure, and Canada’s future in the Arctic. Originally from Nunatsiavut, Obed has become one of the leading voices advocating for Inuit rights and equity within Canadian society. He shares his journey from studying at Tufts University to leadi...

Canada’s Cities Are Doing Too Much With Too Little — Here’s Why That Matters by IRPP

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is an important industrial centre best known for its steel industry. But that industry is currently being threatened by the tariffs on steel and aluminium announced by the Trump administration. Our guest today is Matthew Shoemaker, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie. Mayor Shoemaker is lobbying hard across the border to change a situation he can't make any sense of, but he also h...

In our first episode, Jennifer is joined by Ranj Pillai, Premier of Yukon, for a conversation about what it means to build economic resilience in the North. Premier Pillai speaks about Yukon’s response to global tensions and economic uncertainty, emphasizing infrastructure investment to support major investments in critical mineral projects. He underscores the importance of long-term planning, str...

This week, we’re once again brining you the audio from one of our most recent event. This time it’s from a webinar on Canada-U.S. relations that we held on March 5, 2025. The second Trump administration is turning into an unsettling roller-coaster ride, and Canadians can’t seem to get off. Every day seems to bring a new set of goalposts, demands and threats. In this webinar moderated by IRPP presi...

As a new U.S. administration keeps threatening to impose tariffs on Canadian exports, the IRPP hosted a panel discussion on how to address the intersecting affordability and climate crises. Hosted in partnership with the Affordability Action Council, the panel featured Tyler Meredith, a former economic policy adviser to the Liberal government, Kathleen Monk, former director of communications to ND...

On this last episode in this series, our co-hosts Hanan Ali and Natasha Mhuriro talked to four guests. Djaka Blais, Executive Director of Hogan’s Alley Society; Robert Byers, President & C-E-O of Namerind Housing Corporation; Joshua Evans, Associate Professor at the University of Alberta. and Franz Bernhardt, Postdoctoral Researcher at Aalborg University, Denmark. We spend time thinking about and...