inFocus with David Coletto

On August 30, the Globe and Mail published an editorial highlighting the fact that Canada’s foreign aid spending is in decline – again.

They wrote, after noting that Canada’s defence spending is no where near the NATO target, “there’s a similar yet lesser known international yardstick on which Canada also falls well below the collective goal: spending 0.7 per cent of gross national income on official development assistance.” The editorial goes onto conclude: “Ottawa needs to further bolster spending on foreign aid,” because, they argue “Canada’s presence in the world, whether military, economic development, or humanitarian, needs to be backed up with adequate funding.”

So today, we ask: Can foreign aid be a political winner?

On this episode of inFocus, I’m joined by Julia Anderson, the CEO at the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health or CanWaCH for short. CanWaCH has over 100 members ranging from NGOs, academic institutions, health professional associations and individuals partnering to improve health outcomes for women and children in more than 1,000 communities worldwide. It has also been a client of mine for several years now.

Joining Julia is Robert Greenhill, the Executive Chairman of Global Canada Initiative and a CIGI fellow. Robert served as managing director and chief business officer at the World Economic Forum. Prior to this, he was president and deputy minister of the Canadian International Development Agency and a senior visiting executive with the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa.

I’m thrilled to have both of these leaders on the podcast to talk about how Canada’s doing today when it comes to foreign aid, what is holding us back, and explore the results of a public opinion survey Abacus Data recently completed for CanWaCH on the topic.

In this episode, host David Coletto briefs on the latest Abacus Data poll that finds the Conservatives ahead of the Liberals by 12-points and a majority of Canadians feeling the Prime Minister shouldn't run in the next election.

You can subscribe to his substack at davidcoletto.substack.com and find more research over on the Abacus Data website - abacusdata.ca

In this episode, host David Coletto delves into the contentious issue of immigration in Canada. He discusses his recent article "Would a Leader Who Promises to Reduce Immigration Win Votes?", revealing the findings of his public opinion survey on immigration attitudes. With data suggesting a majority of Canadians are in favor of reducing immigration levels, David explores the implications for political leaders, societal pressures, and public sentiment. Tune in to gain a comprehensive understanding of this complex issue, as David challenges the belief that Canada is immune to anti-immigration sentiment, pointing to wider societal concerns about housing and healthcare. This episode provides crucial insights into the emerging debates that are shaping Canada's future.

You can subscribe to his substack at davidcoletto.substack.com and find more research over on the Abacus Data website - abacusdata.ca

In this episode of inFocus, pollster David Coletto shares his perspective on the final Abacus Data poll released earlier this morning (Sunday) on the Alberta provincial election.

Full details of the poll can be accessed on the Abacus Data website.

In this episode of inFocus, pollster David Coletto shares his perspective on a new Abacus Data poll released with just two weeks to go in the Alberta provincial election.

Full details of the poll can be accessed on the Abacus Data website.

In this episode of inFocus, pollster David Coletto shares his perspective on a new Abacus Data poll released just prior to the start of the 2023 Alberta provincial election.

In this episode, we'll be exploring vote intentions and the motivators of vote choice in Alberta. So, let's dive right in.

This comprehensive province-wide survey interviewed 1,000 eligible voters between April 21 and 25, just before the Calgary event center announcement.

What if I told you that scientists have figured out how to reduce the amount of methane cattle produce by changing their genetic code? Or that we have figured out how to quickly and definitively diagnose rare genetic diseases? Thanks to genomics, many of our biggest challenges from cancer, to climate change, to pandemics might help get solved.

On this episode of inFocus, I’m joined by Rob Annan, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Genome Canada – the national non-profit organization that for 20 years has invested in  genomics science and innovation through academic-industry partnerships  to improve the lives of Canadians.

Rob and I spoke about the science of Genomics, the opportunities it offers to solve some big problems, and what Canadians know and think about genomics.

I hope you find my discussion with Rob useful and interesting.

Every day, we use something that was created using a forest product. Yet, rarely do we think about where those products come from and how they are produced.

With 9% of the world’s forests and growing demand for forest products, there is a big opportunity for Canada in forestry.

As our country moves to meet zero-emission targets by 2050, Canada has the potential to be a bioenergy and biomaterials powerhouse on the world stage.  The sector has embraced the emerging cleantech, low-carbon era using innovation and new technology to create new opportunities and jobs.

And yet, the road ahead is not without its challenges.

Welcome to season 5 of inFocus with David Coletto.

On this episode of inFocus, I’m joined by Derek Nighbor, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Derek and FPAC have been a long-time client and this week, we released some new public opinion data on what Canadians know and think about forestry in Canada.

Derek and I spoke about forestry in Canada, the debate about its future, and the challenges facing the industry all in the context of the climate crisis, global supply chain disruptions, and geo-political conflict.

This episode will be of interest to anyone working in government relations, political strategy, natural sources, or climate change/sustainability advocacy.

In this special briefing edition of inFocus with David Coletto, Abacus Data pollster David Coletto reviews the results of a new poll of 500 Ottawa residents, exploring their views about the protest and how leaders have handled it.

For more details on the survey, visit Abacus Data's website

Are you a political hobbyist? Do you read the Hill Times or iPolitics just for fun? Do you tune into the Sunday morning political shows and talk about politics with your friends or families – like if you were talking about your favourite sports team?

Well, if you are – you might be hurting democracy.

On this episode of inFocus, I’m joined by Dr. Eitan Hersh, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Tufts University. His research focuses on civic participation, voting rights, and the relationship between election rules, strategies, and the behavior of voters.

In January 2020, he published his second book “Politics is for Power” - A groundbreaking analysis of political hobbyism—treating politics like a spectator sport—and an urgent and timely call to arms for the many well-meaning, well-informed citizens who follow political news, but do not take political action.

In this interview, we discussed his research and the findings of his book and what they mean for American and Canadian politics and the future of our democracies.

I hope you find my interview with Eitan Hersh useful and informative.