The rapid development and deployment of AI is an opportunity.

There is a broad consensus that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) will transform our lives both at home and at work. While most analysts agree that, in the long run, the net effect of AI on employment will be positive (as the net effect of all previous technological revolutions has been), some worry that in the short and medium term, AI could eliminate jobs faster than they can be replaced.

Montreal, October 30, 2019 – Are machines going to steal our jobs? That is the question that keeps popping up in light of the rapid progress of artificial intelligence (AI). Research shows, however, that such fears about the adverse impact of AI on employment are largely exaggerated, according to a study published today by the MEI.

Facilities funded by the public purse but run by entrepreneurs provide a better environment for patients.

Montreal, October 3, 2019 – Quality assessment visits of CHSLDs show a very wide gap between the results obtained by public facilities and private funded ones. The latter provide a far better quality of life than facilities run by the government.

What does entrepreneurship contribute to health care? Despite the example of Europe, where companies have long had a large role to play within universal systems, simply posing this question in Canada can elicit strong reactions. And even when European successes are mentioned, other reasons are always suggested to explain their better results.

The technologies behind telemedicine are available, and more Canadians could receive remote care, at home or at work, thereby saving themselves trips and avoiding long waits. Unfortunately, our governments are slow to remove obstacles that prevent patients from benefiting from virtual consultations, and doctors from providing this care.

Media ownership and the lack of diversity.

Earlier this year, the media reported that the situation in Quebec emergency rooms had improved in 2018-2019. Yet when we take a closer look at the Department of Health and Social Services data, we see that the opposite has happened, despite a reduction in the number of patient visits.

Canada has avoided the great die-off of public companies afflicting American business especially since the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which imposed new, more restrictive accounting and financial transparency rules. But with trends reversing somewhat since 2012, much work remains to be done in Canada to promote access to investment opportunities for the middle class. This would not only further democratize wealth-building for regular Canadians, but also give start-ups even greater ability to raise funds to grow their business.