Inside Policy Talks

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future! In this episode, Ken Coates, director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Indigenous Affairs Program, speaks with Sheila North, a journalist, storyteller, and former Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak. When it comes to post-secondary education, North tells Coates that some of the greatest successes happen when programs are designed to allow students to complete a large part of their studies while remaining in their home community. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Ryan Manucha, a leading expert on interprovincial trade.

Manucha offers a compelling vision of how Canada's provinces can recognize each other's professional licenses, business certifications, and regulations to unlock billions in economic potential and strengthen Canada's economic unity in an increasingly complex global environment.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this episode, Balkan Devlen, Studio Fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Peter Hefele, Policy Director at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies.

Hefele pulls back the curtain on Europe's high-stakes challenges: Can Germany reboot its economic engine? Will Europe finally build a credible defence capability? And where does Canada fit into this complex geopolitical puzzle?

From Germany's political chess match to Europe's urgent defense overhaul, this episode is a front-row seat to the continent's most critical transformation in decades.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), sits down with Peter Menzies, MLI Senior Fellow, former publisher of the Calgary Herald, and past Vice Chair of the CRTC.

Menzies offers a provocative analysis of the CBC's future, challenging its current funding model and exploring radical solutions for Canadian public broadcasting. With the federal election looming, he examines how government subsidies impact media trust, journalistic objectivity, and the broader news ecosystem.

Menzies argues that the CBC's current structure threatens media diversity and public trust, proposing a bold transition to a subscription-based model that could reshape how Canadians consume news and public media.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, sits with Ross McKitrick, professor of economics at the University of Guelph.

In a recent commentary series for MLI, McKitrick looks at income levels, demography and population change, and housing construction and price data, from the 1970s and ‘90s onwards, to get a sense of what’s causing the ‘housing crunch’, as he calls it.

McKitrick explains that the issues confronting Canada in 2025 go beyond mere setbacks, and that unless they are resolved quickly, we face a deep and potentially permanent loss of our national standard of living and quality of life.

Be sure to share and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this compelling episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Director of Indigenous Affairs, Ken Coates, sits with Dallas Smith, spokesperson for the First Nations for Finfish Stewardship (FNFFS) and a member of the Tlowitsis First Nations in Campbell River, B.C., to unpack the nuanced world of salmon aquaculture on British Columbia's coastal regions.

Smith provides a fascinating insider's perspective on the salmon farming industry, discussing its evolution, economic importance, and critical role in supporting remote First Nations communities.

From the groundbreaking Great Bear Rainforest agreements to the challenges of sustainable resource management, this conversation offers a deep dive into how Indigenous leadership is reshaping economic and environmental policy in Canada.

Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada today!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Tim Carney, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

In their discussion, Carney provides a comprehensive overview of the alarming trends around declining marriage rates, birth rates, and community belonging across North America. He shares insights from his extensive research, examining how government regulations, cultural shifts, and the erosion of civil society contribute to these challenges.

Carney also highlights successful policy approaches from other countries that prioritize family-friendly housing and community-building and explains how the housing crisis is intimately tied to the inability of young people to start families and put down roots in their communities.

Be sure to share and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key policy issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Ken Coates sits down with Linda Sams, biologist with over 37 years of business and management experience in the aquaculture sector, and an expert in the Canadian salmon farming industry. 

In this insightful discussion, Sams shares her extensive background and experience in salmon aquaculture, and provides an inside look at the evolution of salmon farming, the ecological challenges the industry has addressed, and the vital role it plays in supporting rural coastal communities.

Coates and Sams also delve into the controversies and threats facing the salmon farming sector, including poorly informed government policies that could devastate these local economies.

Be sure to share and subscribe to Inside Policy for more thought-provoking analysis on the key policy issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we dive into the ideas and policies shaping Canada's future!

In this episode, Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with Cardus' Senior Fellow Andrea Mrozek and Program Director Peter Jon Mitchell.

The discussion covers the trends and social effects surrounding marriage and family formation in Canada - Mrozek and Mitchell provide a comprehensive overview of the declining marriage rates and their implications, from poor economic and social well-being to the challenges young adults face in starting families.

Both reflect on the importance of marriage as an institution, highlighting its contributions to social stability, economic prosperity, and positive outcomes for children.

The guests also explore cultural and policy factors influencing marriage, from individualism to the impact of feminism and propose ways for governments to promote marriage, such as removing policy disincentives and fostering positive portrayals in media and culture.

Be sure to share and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key policy issues facing Canada today!

Welcome to Inside Policy Talks, where we discuss the ideas and policies shaping Canada today!

In this episode, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Ken Coates sits down with Brian Kingzett, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farming Association, to discuss the future of salmon farming in British Columbia.

Kingzett provides a comprehensive overview of the salmon farming industry - its history, economic impact, and the complex relationships between Indigenous communities and environmental groups.

He shares his concerns about the federal government's decision to ban open-net pen salmon farming by 2024, and emphasizes the vital role salmon farming plays in providing jobs, food security, and economic opportunities for coastal communities.

He also highlights the industry's commitment to transparency and innovation in reducing its environmental impac as one of British Columbia's most important agricultural sectors.

Be sure to share, and subscribe to Inside Policy Talks for more thought-provoking analysis on the key policy issues facing Canada today!