Matthew Lau provides commentary in the Financial Post regarding the Liberal government's child care policy. Average Canadian families and the Liberal program differ on childcare because the Liberal government’s interests are not aligned with Canadian families’ interests. When it comes to childcare, Cardus researcher Andrea Mrozek explained to me in an email, “each family is different and has their own calculus. But the government has one calculus, and that’s ensuring we all work as much as possible.”

Canadian journalism is undergoing an institutional shift, says a veteran in the industry, noting that this has led to a reluctance on the part of journalists to challenge talking points from the government, which he argues in some cases are meant to garner compliance from the populace through fear.  A journalistic institution that keeps journalists hustling to meet deadlines is a key factor contributing to their inability to challenge “state-mandated narratives,” Peter Stockland told The Epoch Times.

WORLD Magazine, based in North Carolina, covers the recent state of church burnings across Canada.  Rev. Andrew Bennett, director of Cardus Religious Freedom Institute and Canada’s first religious freedom ambassador, calls for a stronger condemnation and political action against the violence. “The anger is understandable but the violence is unacceptable,” he said. “In Canada, because we have religious freedom and it’s enshrined in our constitution, we have a greater responsibility to ensure these types of attacks are condemned and they don’t happen again.”

"Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) can be valuable tools for advancing social causes, but not until they’re properly defined and implemented, says a new report by think tank Cardus. The report, Community Benefits Agreements: Toward a Fair, Open, and Inclusive Framework for Canada, looks at the use and abuse of CBAs across the country. Its researchers concluded that CBAs can be a useful way to maximize the impact of Canada’s post-pandemic infrastructure construction boom and economic recovery, but not before the very concept of CBAs themselves are properly defined, and their value proven though measured results."

What is the proof that fair, open, and competitive contract bidding is good for the public purse and a more just way for cities to build up their infrastructure? Well, when Cardus crunched the numbers, we found that the Region of Waterloo saved at least 14 percent in municipal construction costs since removing restrictions that severely limited the number of bidders for construction contracts. That represents an estimated savings of $24-million from 2019 to 2021. And the average number of bidders per project jumped 50 percent too. Ray Pennings, Executive Vice-President of Cardus, explained it all to host Brian Bourke on 570 News in Kitchener, ON. (Starts at around the 87-minute, 37-second mark.) 

"Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) can achieve social and economic benefits for everyone involved in construction projects but will only be effective if governments implement a fair, open, transparent and inclusive framework across Canada, states think-tank Cardus. The report, Community Benefits Agreements: Toward a Fair, Open, and Inclusive Framework for Canada, examines 'the use and abuse' of CBAs across the country. Brian Dijkema, vice-president of external affairs at Cardus, said the purpose of the research is to examine CBAs, what is working and not working, and to provide measurable returns to make it better for the industry as a whole." Read more in the Daily Commercial News.  

“All outbursts of anti-religious violence have at least one thing in common: They convey an ugly intolerance of difference and a refusal to recognize the humanity of an individual or a community,” Ray Pennings, Cardus Executive Vice-President, tells the Vancouver Sun. “I fear church burnings could be an indication that Canadians are losing the ability to discuss faith publicly, using the vocabulary of civility and respect.” Read more in Douglas Todd's article: Not much difference between Islamophobia and Christophobia

In light of church fires and vandalism, anti-Muslim attacks, and anti-Semitism, perhaps Canada "suffers from an anti-religion problem," suggests Ray Pennings, Cardus Executive Vice-President. Read more in The Line.

Atheist activists in British Columbia are renewing their push to get governments to stop "giving clergy charitable tax breaks." But as they try to make their case, Brian Dijkema, vice-president of external affairs for Cardus, respectfully disagrees. He argues back that, as the Victoria News puts it, "there are a number of unique reasons why churches exist as charitable organizations and a number of reasons why this should be maintained."