Inside Policy Talks

Macdonald-Laurier Institute
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Politics

Inside Policy Talks is the premier video podcast of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Ottawa's most influential public policy think tank. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute exists to make bad public policy unacceptable in our nations capital.

  1. 5d ago

    Étienne-Alexandre Beauregard: Making the case for the common good

    Western societies face a growing crisis with a gradual waning of trust, social cohesion, and shared norms. But is something deeper happening to the cultural foundations that make free societies possible? As these norms weaken, individual desires are increasingly placed above social obligations while common identities are deconstructed and traditional sources of authority are treated as oppressive. Quebec political thinker and author Étienne-Alexandre Beauregard describes this process as “anti-civilisation”, a gradual erosion of the social and cultural capital that makes higher-order cooperation and a healthy society possible. The result is a greater atomization of society, declining trust in institutions, cultural fragmentation, and growing conflict between elites and ordinary citizens. Can this process be reversed? Beauregard proposes a new “fusionism” and a genuine political centre grounded in the nation and the social bonds that hold it together. This week, Étienne-Alexandre Beauregard, a researcher at Cardus and former speechwriter and strategic-planning adviser in the office of Quebec's premier, François Legault, joins MLI's Deputy Director of Domestic Policy, Peter Copeland, on Inside Policy Talks to discuss his new book, Anti-Civilization: The Collapse of Society and the Case for the Common Good.

  2. Sep 4

    Eric Kaufmann: How diversity requirements reduced productivity for Canada's research chairs

    Critics of DEI have long warned that demographic-based hiring requirements can come at the expense of merit and academic excellence. In a recent MLI paper, The equity excellence trade-off: A study of EDI in the Canada Research Chairs Program, senior fellow Eric Kaufmann, alongside coauthors Leif Rasmussen and Jonah Davids, examines the publication records, citation measures, and other indicators of research productivity among Canada Research Chairs before and after the introduction of DEI hiring requirements. Kaufmann joins MLI's Peter Copeland on Inside Policy Talks to explore his findings and discuss what they mean for the future of Canada's universities.

  3. Aug 21

    Sylvain Charlebois: Canada's dairy industry in decline

    Canada's dairy industry is one of the most protected sectors of the Canadian economy. But is that protection holding the industry back? While Canada's dairy sector has long benefited from policies designed to protect farmers and maintain stable prices, critics argue that these measures are limiting competition, innovation, and opportunities for growth. As dairy industries in other countries become more competitive, Canada's risks falling further behind. What is holding Canada's dairy industry back? And can Canada find a better balance between protecting producers and encouraging a more competitive, dynamic sector? This week, Sylvain Charlebois, professor and researcher of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University and former dean of its Faculty of Management, joins MLI's Peter Copeland on Inside Policy Talks to discuss the challenges facing Canada's dairy industry, the weaknesses of the current system, and how protectionist measures like fair pricing may be limiting its potential.

  4. Aug 14

    Lt.-Col. Joel Maley: Deterrence is cheaper than defence

    Latvia is home to Canada's largest overseas military deployment, with more than 2,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces serving on NATO's eastern flank. Why are Canadians there? Why should Canadians care? As Russia's war against Ukraine continues into another year the world has become more dangerous, more divided, and less predictable.  In response, Canada has made one of its most significant international military commitments in decades. Through Operation REASSURANCE, Canadian soldiers are leading NATO's multinational brigade in Latvia, working alongside allies to strengthen collective defence and deter aggression. This week Lieutenant-Colonel Joel Maley, Acting Commander of Task Force Latvia, joins MLI's Christopher Coates on Inside Policy Talks.

  5. Aug 6

    Rainer Knopff and Ted Morton: Canadian judges ran amok with the Charter

    Special episode: Peter Copeland, acting director of domestic policy at MLI, sat down last month with eminent Canadian political scientists Rainer Knopff and Ted Morton. 25 years ago Morton and Knopff's seminal book, The Charter Revolution and the Court Party, offered an important counterpoint to the otherwise prevailing view that the Charter was an unmitigated good for Canadian society. The discussion took place as part a broader conference entitled Reflections on the Charter Revolution in Canada at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy.

  6. Jul 30

    Carl Trueman: Euthanasia, transgenderism, and transgression

    By almost every material measure life has become safer, richer, and more convenient... so why do many people seem more anxious, lonely, and unhappy? We often explain this malaise in economic or psychological terms but Carl Trueman argues that its deepest cause is spiritual: Western societies have rejected the belief that human beings have a given nature that dictates what is good for us. Our understanding of the human person shapes how we approach family, technology, education, medicine, and the role of government... its reflected in the most basic orientation that we take to policy issues.  Carl Trueman, a Professor at Grove City College, is the author of several best selling books including The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self and The Desecration of Man.

  7. Jul 23

    Garry Clement: Foreign actors see Canada as the lane of least resistance

    For years Canada seemed to be the more peaceful part of North America. But that narrative is changing. Recently a Toronto police officer was shot while investigating a series of shootings in the city, including one that took place at the city’s US Consulate. The death of Constable Marc Pinizzotto is a tragedy. But it is also a warning. The lines between organized crime, foreign interference, terrorist financing, money laundering, gang violence, and hostile state activity are becoming increasingly blurred. For decades, Canadians have tended to view these challenges as separate issues. But what happens when criminal organizations, foreign states, financial networks, and violent proxies all begin operating in the same ecosystem? What are these converging threats? Why do they matter? And is Canada ready to confront them?  To answer these questions Inside Policy Talks welcomes Garry Clement, former national director of the RCMP’s proceeds of crime program. He’s also the author of several books, including “Under Cover: Inside the Shady World of Organized Crime and the R.C.M.P.”.

  8. Jul 16

    Rob Henderson: Stigma and expectations will make your life better

    For young men, there used to be “a ton of societal pressure on you to make something of yourself.” That’s one of many positive culture norms that we’ve now lost, says author Rob Henderson. Today, “some guys are going to be ambitious and hardworking regardless of what people tell them,” Henderson says. But for many others, “if there's no judgment, no norm, no expectation,” they will sink into a state of inertia or pursue “hedonistic pleasure” and “short-term, fleeting gratification.” He says this is one of many examples of how the loss of cultural norms has impacted human flourishing. To discuss this, Henderson joins Inside Policy Talks. Henderson is a psychologist and US Air Force veteran who is best known for coining the term “luxury beliefs.” He is the author of Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class. On the podcast, he tells Peter Copeland, acting director of domestic policy at MLI, that in past generations cultural norms served to promote healthy lifestyle choices while actively stigmatizing poor ones – like drugs and gambling. That stigma was serving a useful function. But Henderson says there are strategies individuals can use to overcome the lack of guidance today’s culture provides about how to live a good life. He suggests that a wise place to start is by actively seeking out peer groups that promote positive norms.

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About

Inside Policy Talks is the premier video podcast of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Ottawa's most influential public policy think tank. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute exists to make bad public policy unacceptable in our nations capital.

Information

  • Creator
    Macdonald-Laurier Institute
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    140
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Macdonald-Laurier Institute
  • Show Website
    Inside Policy Talks

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