COVID-19 Research and Commentary

A Post-Pandemic Growth Strategy for Canada
Ontario 360
By Sean Speer, Drew Fagan, and Luka Glozic

Which COVID policies are most effective? A Bayesian analysis of COVID-19 by jurisdiction
PLOS ONE
By Anita McGahan

Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy in Canada: Attitudes, Beliefs, and the Information Ecosystem
Media Ecosystem Observatory
By Peter Loewen

It Takes Three: Making Space for Cities in Canadian Federalism
IMFG Perspectives
By Tomas Hachard

What COVID-19 revealed about health, human rights, and the WHO
Journal of Human Rights
By Wendy Wong

Reimagining the Canadian federation through an urban lens
Policy Options Podcast
By Gabriel Eidelman

Mobility and Proximity in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Innovation Policy Lab
By Gabriel Cavalli, Brennan Lake, Anita M. McGahan, and Emanuele Pepe

Covid-19 and the Politics of Crisis
International Organization Journal
By Phillip Lipscy

The Implications of Self-Directed Home Care in Ontario: A Case Study on Gotcare Services
Reach Alliance Policy Brief
By Emma Amaral, Margaret Jamieson, and Anna Cooper Reed

The effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on political support: Some good news for democracy?
European Journal of Political Research
Co-authored by Peter Loewen

Charting a new path: does Toronto need more autonomy?
IMFG report, authored in part by Enid Slack

Reshoring Supply Chains: A Practical Policy Agenda 
American Affairs
Co-authored by Dan Breznitz

COVID-19 threatens the future of local government
King’s College London Policy Review
By Enid Slack

A Long-Term Economic Recovery Agenda for Ontario
Ontario 360
Co-authored in part by Drew Fagan and Sean Speer

Anti-intellectualism and Information Preferences during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Co-authored in part by Eric Merkley and Peter Loewen

The Causes and Consequences of COVID-19 Misperceptions: Understanding the Role of News and Social Media
Co-authored in part by Eric Merkley and Peter Loewen

Life after Coronavirus: The Municipal View
(See also: Municipal leaders happy with “Team Canada” response to COVID, co-authored by Gabriel Eidelman)

Logarithmic vs. Linear Visualizations of COVID-19 Cases Do Not Affect Citizens’ Support for Confinement
Co-authored by Peter Loewen

The effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on political support: Some good news for democracy?
Co-authored by Peter Loewen

A Rare Moment of Cross-Partisan Consensus: Elite and Public Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada
Co-authored in part by Eric Merkley, Peter Loewen

Zoom’s Waiting Room Vulnerability
by Bill Marczak and John Scott-Railton

Move Fast & Roll Your Own Crypto: A Quick Look at the Confidentiality of Zoom Meetings
By Bill Marczak and John-Scott Railton
(See also: Ronald Deibert Delivers Testimony to the House of Commons on Parliamentary Duties and the COVID-19 Pandemic)

Censored Contagion: How Information on the Coronavirus is Managed on Chinese Social Media
By Lotus Ruan, Jeffrey Knockel, and Masashi Crete-Nishihata

The COVID-19 Crisis and Policy Preferences of Canadian Technology Scale-Ups
By Steven Denney and Viet Vu

Borders in the Time of COVID-19
Ethics & International Affairs, March 2020
By Ayelet Shachar

Guide: Designing Property Tax Deferrals (in response to COVID-19)
By Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG)

An opportunity to reimagine the role for platform economy firms
Shauna Brail for Policy Options

A lesson from the pandemic: It’s time to reindustrialize the United States
Dan Breznitz for Barron’s

Trudeau must stand up against Trump’s attacks on the ICC
Mark Kersten for CBC

The world can’t afford to give up on the UN
Alon Faitelis for The Hill Times

As we brace for COVID’s second wave, some simple lessons from Taiwan and South Korea
Joseph Wong for The Hill Times

We can draw lessons from countries with strong long-term care systems
Ito Peng for Policy Options

Care, connection and COVID-19
Ito Peng for Ditchley Foundation

Parallel lessons from COVID-19 and climate change
Teresa Kramarz for The Hill Times

A more strategic approach to IP key to long-term recovery
Shiri Breznitz for The Hill Times

It’s time to learn from free trade talks and boost COVID-19 collaboration
Deanna Horton for The Hill Times

America, Canada’s problem
Robert Bothwell for The Hill Times

Stalkerware puts those living with abusers in even greater jeopardy during COVID-19 isolation 
Christopher Parsons for CBC

Together, the Meng trial and the pandemic offer Canada a golden opportunity
Lynette Ong for The Globe and Mail

It’s too soon to call coronavirus winners and losers
Phillip Lipscy for Foreign Policy

Can we use the crisis to create a new federal-provincial relationship?
Mel Cappe & Bob Rae for Toronto Star

China Has a Playbook for Managing Coronavirus Chaos
Diana Fu for Foreign Policy

COVID-19 and America’s Vulnerabilities — A Way Forward
Dan Breznitz for EE Times

New North Star II: A Challenge-Driven Industrial Strategy for the Age of Intangibles
Co-authored in part by Sean Speer and Robert Asselin

Use this moment to create, define and design new social and economic policies
Mel Cappe and Bob Rae for Toronto Star

Building trust means letting the public be part of COVID-19 decisions
Adrienne Davidson for Policy Options

Cities lead the charge on the coronavirus front lines
Shauna Brail for The Conversation

From gin to gel, why Canada’s manufacturing capacity matters
Shauna Brail for Policy Options

My family in China grappled with coronavirus — now they’re worried for me in Canada
Owen Guo for Toronto Star

How Canada’s pandemic response is shifting political views
Peter Loewen for Policy Options

COVID-19 is helping to unite Canadians like nothing has in years — and we’ll need unity for what’s to come
Peter Loewen for CBC News

Why experts disagree on how to manage COVID-19: four problem conceptions, not one
Steven Bernstein for Global Policy

COVID-19 crisis creates chance to re-examine provincial funding of cities
Enid Slack and Tomas Hachard for Toronto Star

In this pandemic, governments will face three tests, including how best to restart the economy
Michael Sabia for The Globe and Mail

We can’t just pick up the pieces after the pandemic subsides — we need to keep them together
Bob Rae and Mel Cappe for The Globe and Mail

Canadians are telling their government—do whatever it takes to make it right
Michael Valpy for Maclean’s

The weakness of the strongman
Adam Casey and Seva Gunitsky for Foreign Affairs

Many Americans deeply distrust experts. So will they ignore the warnings about coronavirus?
Eric Merkley for Washington Post

The Securitization of COVID-19: Three political dilemmas
Nathan Alexander Sears for Global Policy Journal

If the ‘real world’ wasn’t already scary for university graduates, you can bet it is now
Lex Harvey for Toronto Star

Civil rights laws alone aren’t going to help disabled people in a post-COVID America  
David Pettinicchio for LSE

Who should bear the costs of COVID-19?
Wilson Prichard for The Hill Times

Sweden’s COVID-19 crisis is a care home crisis, and so is ours
Mark Manger for The Hill Times

What COVID-19 teaches us about municipal responsibilities and how to pay for them
Enid Slack for Municipal World

How COVID-19 can catalyze coordination in Greater Toronto
Gabriel Eidelman for Spacing Toronto

Canadians with disabilities, chronic health conditions feel left behind by pandemic
David Pettinicchio for The Toronto Star

We’re not well. And thank to COVID-19, we’re likely not going to be well for a considerable time to come
Rosie DiManno for The Toronto Star (Ontario 360 Mention)

Overlapping services and policies have tangled up the federation
Sean Speer co-authors an article about fiscal sustainability for Policy Options.

What we expect from regional and city governments is increasingly out of step with their powers 
Tomas Hachard of the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance writes an op-ed about the relationships between different levels of government for CBC Opinions.

The credibility of pharmaceutical companies is on the line. Will they get it right?
Jillian Kohler co-authors an op-ed on the pharmaceutical industry approach to a COVID-19 vaccine for The Globe and Mail.

We’re also in a cyberpandemic – do we have a protective plan?  
Senior Fellow Neil Desai analyzes cyber threats during the pandemic for The Globe and Mail.

Blog Posts & Essays

Policy Options for building resilient U.S. medical supply networks
Co-authored by Dan Breznitz

3 Things We’ve Learned From Female Leadership in COVID-19
By Erica Wallis

How should we tax after the pandemic?
Co-authored by Wilson Prichard

More Lessons from World War II: What’s Next for the Government’s Finances 
By Drew Fagan for Munk School / Public Policy Forum

The Narratives of this Crisis Will Shape the Future
By Carolyn Hughes Tuohy

To Help Respond to COVID-19, African Governments Should Prioritise Taxing the Rich
By Wilson Prichard

COVID-19 lockdowns have increased support for incumbent parties and trust in government
By Peter Loewen

Amid COVID-Related Cyber Threats, the Netherlands Leads UN Efforts
By Josh Gold

On the issue of trust, one size does not fit all
By Eric Merkley

We Shall Have Spring Again: preparing for the return of intangibles
By David Munro

To help respond to COVID-19, African governments should prioritize taxing the rich
By Wilson Prichard

Fill the gaps, feel the pain: Insights from Sierra Leone on an epidemic’s impact on local taxation, public services, and the poor
By Vanessa van den Boogaard

To fight Covid-19, only the formal economy is getting tax breaks. The informal economy may be asked to foot the bill
By Vanessa van den Boogaard

COVID-19 and the New Normal
By Joseph Wong

Pandemic Measures Through the Lens of WWII
By Drew Fagan

COVID Comparative Project

German Pandemic Efficiency: Fiscal Capacity, Logistical Coordination, and Infrastructure by Zoë Johnson

Contradictory Messaging and Uncoordinated Response has Skyrocketed COVID-19 Cases in Brazil by Purushoth Thavendran

COVID-19 Federalism: Disparate Government Responses in Canada by Marium Nur Vahed

Overcompensation or Necessary Precaution? Tracing China’s Response to COVID-19 by Hui Wen Zheng

India in the Pandemic: Successful States vs Flailing Central Government by Aryan Dhar

Ghana: Testing Innovations Against Economic Limitations by Andrew Yin

Amidst Political and Economic Turmoil, Iran’s COVID-19 Response Signals the Dangers of Deprioritizing Public Health by Hui Wen Zheng

Israel’s Response to COVID-19: Pitfalls of a Political Pandemic by Astrid Ling

Just One Step Behind: Analyzing the Italian Government’s Response to COVID-19 by Martina Facchin

Setting the precedent in unprecedented times: The “Taiwan model” for combatting COVID-19 by Elizabeth Shaw

Pandemic in the Land of a Thousand Hills: Rwanda and COVID-19 by Cheikh Ameth Tidiane Diop

Efficiency and its Limits – Singapore’s Covid-19 Response by Katie Kwang

From MERS to COVID-19: The South Korean Journey by Emma Rogers

Abandoning the Vulnerable: Unequal Impacts of Sweden’s COVID-19 Response by Abhayjeet Singh Sachal

No Country Is an Island, but the UK Insists Otherwise by Naomi Butterfield

A Political Pandemic: Partisanship and Chaos in the American COVID-19 Response by Liam Keating

Media Coverage

The coming grey wave of boomers will overwhelm society if we don’t act now
Ito Peng comments on Canada’s older generation and COVID-19
(The Calgary Herald)

“This is really welcome news”: Health Canada approves AstraZeneca vaccine
Jillian Kohler speaks about the benefits of approving the AstraZeneca vaccine for Canadians
(CTV News)

A war of global influence, using vaccines as proxies
Lynette Ong comments on global vaccine distribution.
(La Presse)

Concerns flagged over Ontario’s online vaccine portal
Jillian Kohler speaks about Ontario’s vaccine distribution plan.
(CityTV)

Canada’s vaccine rollout stalls, confining seniors to their homes for months to come
Jillian Kohler comments on Canada’s vaccine distribution.
(CNN)

Private testing company looks to expand rapid COVID-10 antigen tests for businesses
Janice Stein comments on the pilot project overseen by the Creative Destruction Lab.
(The Globe and Mail)

Chinese censorship invades the U.S. via WeChat
Citizen Lab’s Jeffrey Knockel comments on Chinese censorship on U.S. WeChat users.
(Washington Post)

Companies to launch rapid COVID-19 testing for employees
A pilot project co-led by Janice Stein is commented on.
(The Globe and Mail) (City)

New study analyzes most effective Covid-19 control policies
Newly published research co-authored by Anita McGahan investiagates how best to control COVID-19.
(Hindustan Times) (The Economic Times – India)

Competition, not bailouts, promotes prosperity
Innovation Policy Lab Co-Director Dan Breznitz’s recent journal publication is cited.
(EE Times)

Officials hope vaccines will help us return to normal, but hesitancy persists
Policy, Elections and Representation Lab Director Peter Loewen comments on vaccine uptake.
(The Globe and Mail)

Mobility tech offers cities enormous opportunities for helping residents get around — if they can avoid the quagmire
The Innovation Policy Lab’s Shauna Brail examines pandemic impact.
(Toronto Star)

America can’t even produce the things it invented
The Innovation Policy Lab Co-Director Dan Breznitz co-authors an op-ed on offshoring.
(New York Times ) (AM640: John Oakley Show)

Toronto’s budget shortfalls
The Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance’s Enid Slack explains what is putting Toronto’s budget under pressure.
(CBC Toronto)

Everyone you know uses Zoom. That wasn’t the plan
Citizen Lab’s Bill Marczak comments in a report on Zoom’s popularity during the pandemic.
(CNN)

Communicating policy in a crisis
Noah Zon of Ontario 360 shares the details of a new report. 
(CBC Windsor Morning)

Jim Balsillie, Dan Breznitz talk opportunity to adapt Canadian innovation policy amid COVID-19, US election
Innovation Policy Lab’s Dan Breznitz talks about opportunities for Canadian innovation.
(BetaKit) (BetaKit)

U.S. election results and approaches to COVID-19 Kirsten Hillman
Drew Fagan takes part in a fireside chat with Canada’s ambassador to the U.S.
(Public Policy Forum via YouTube)

The rise and fall of trust in government on COVID-19
Policy, Elections and Representation Lab’s Peter Loewen analyzes how trust in government has changed.
(Public Policy Forum)

Canadians cash in on hobbies with ‘side hustles’
Shauna Brail comments about secondary incomes in a syndicated report.
(BNN Bloomberg via Canadian Press)

Alberta’s contact tracing app used to track COVID-19 exposures just 19 times
Christopher Parsons of Citizen Lab comments on the effectiveness of Alberta’s contact tracing app.
(The Globe and Mail)

Privacy expert Ron Deibert on fraudulent emails, COVID-19 tracing apps and open source software
Ron Deibert takes part in an Ask Me Anything segment.
(CBC Radio: Cross Country Checkup) 

Helping the Economy After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn A. Wilkins speaks with Michael Sabia and Shauna Brail
(CTV, Globe and Mail, BNN Bloomberg, Global News Online, Bloomberg, 680 News, MSN Canada, Canadian Investment Review)

Trudeau changes tack as COVID-19 Surges
Featuring Sean Speer
(Politico)

Can Ontario Afford Its Economic Promises?
Featuring Drew Fagan
(TVO the Agenda)

COVID and the White House
Alexander Rahr provides commentary
(AM 900 Hamilton)

COVID in the Oval Office
Robert Bothwell offers commentary
(City)

Quebec has adopted the contact-tracing app, so sign up- if you can
Christopher Parsons provides commentary
(TimeOut)

Canada’s coronavirus performance hasn’t been perfect. But it’s done far better than the U.S.
Eric Merkley comments on Canada’s coronavirus performance for the Washington Post.
(Washington Post)

Will working from home dull Waterloo Region’s innovative edge?
Tara Vinodrai in The Record on innovation and working from home.
(The Record)

COVID-19 response: Policy and public opinion
Peter Loewen describes how Canada’s handling of the virus compares with other countries.
(TVO: The Agenda)

Our competitive advantage: Canada hasn’t completely gone off the deep end
Dan Breznitz discusses the availability of innovation talent in Canada.
(The Globe and Mail)

How will commuting change after coronavirus? Experts weigh in
Shauna Brail explores how things will operate post-pandemic.
(Global)(TVO)

The Coronavirus Crisis Exposed Gaps In Canada’s Social Programs. Now’s The Time To Fill Them.
Linda White comments on Huffington Post series covering effects of COVID-19 on society.
(Huffington Post)

In this coronavirus wave, China tries something new: restraint
Asian Institute’s Lynette Ong compares fighting a war with facing a pandemic.
(New York Times)

Canada a target for cyberattacks on COVID-19 research
Citizen Lab’s Christopher Parsons explains what makes Canada a target for hackers.
(The Globe and Mail)

China is collecting DNA from tens of millions of men and boys, using U.S. equipment
Asian Institute Dr. David Chu Scholarship recipient and Political Science PhD candidate Emile Dirks co-authors a report on Chinese government DNA collection for digital surveillance.
(New York Times)

COVID-19 threatens Canada’s technology ecosystems
An item mentions Innovation Policy Lab’s report on technology entrepreneurs
(Bay Street Bull Magazine)

The coronavirus exposed gaps in Canada’s social programs
Linda White examines what we’ve learned about social architecture and social investment.
(Huffington Post)

Why COVID-19 has city-dwellers trying to get out of Dodge
Shauna Brail on the rise of telecommuting, urbanites looking to escape city life
(TVO)

Reflections on Retooling for the COVID‑19 Pandemic
Tara Vinodrai assesses the nature and scale of factory retooling efforts.
(Metro Politiques)

An opportunity to reimagine the role for platform economy firms
Shauna Brail on how COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities of firms like Airbnb and Uber
(Policy Options)

Coronavirus pandemic shows global consequences of China’s local censorship rules
Media continues to analyze censorship of coronavirus in China.
(South China Morning Post)

Is Zoom safe for Chinese students?
Scholars raise concerns about teaching on Zoom.
(Inside Higher Education)

Support for cities
Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance’s Enid Slack does a series of interviews for regional CBC radio discussing federal funding for cities.
(CBC Radio)

Trump cuts U.S. ties to WHO and blames China
Robert Bothwell examines what a U.S. exit means for the World Health Organization.
(Toronto Star)

Green only for some, Toronto must commit to more and better parks after COVID-19
Shauna Brail shares perspective on community approaches to outdoor space.
(Toronto Star)

To build its COVID-19 task force, Las Vegas partnered with a company linked to UAE intelligence
Bill Marczak of Citizen Lab remarks on the Las Vegas re-opening plan.
(BuzzFeed News)

Should racism be treated as a public health issue?
Ito Peng discusses why framing racism as a public health issue obscures the real problem.
(Global)

Why face masks will become the new normal in Canada
Shauna Brail is quoted on how the use of masks in public settings will change.
(Now Magazine)

In the middle of a pandemic, those of us without cars are left spinning our wheels
Shauna Brail comments on how ownership of a car affects access to services amidst the pandemic.
(Toronto Star)

Innovation experts say COVID-19 exposing vulnerabilities of Canada’s economy
Munk Chair of Innovation Studies and Innovation Policy Lab co-director Dan Breznitz examines the supply chain.
(Global News)(CTV News Vancouver)(Toronto Star)(The John Batchelor Show)(Washington Centre for Equitable Growth) (Huffington Post Canada)(City News)(iHeart Radio)(The Hill Times)(American Affairs)

Public washrooms remain closed as other services reopen
Shauna Brail is quoted on public services reopening.
(Yahoo News)

How COVID-19 could reshape Canada’s federal public service
Mel Cappe is quoted on how the public service will change.
(National Post)

Sidewalk Labs pulls out of Toronto’s Quayside project, blaming COVID-19
Shauna Brail is quoted on Sidewalk Labs pulling out of the Toronto Quayside project.
(Toronto Star)(StateScoop)

COVID-19 fallout
Sean Speer talks about economic recovery.
(BNN Bloomberg)

The return to normal could mean a longer commute
Jonathan Hall says commutes may be longer as people return to work
(iHeart Radio)

As the U.S. withdraws from world leadership, China filling the void, global affairs expert says
Lynette Ong comments on the World Health Assembly’s inquiry into the WHO’s management of the pandemic.
(CBC News Network)

Reopening workplaces: The balancing of medical and economic outcomes
Anita McGahan explores the risks associated with reopening.
(BNN Bloomberg) (CBC Radio)

As Quebecers cover faces for COVID-19, some hope for tolerance of religious garb
Jeffrey Reitz talks about the comparison between Quebec’s secularism law and COVID-19 mask directives.
(National Post) (Toronto Star) (Ottawa Citizen) (CP24) (CTV) (City)

Do we have to sacrifice our privacy to fight the coronavirus?
Irene Poetranto of the Citizen Lab talks about contact tracing apps.
(Al Jazeera)

We need a financial stability board for health
Anita McGahan shares how to increase preparedness and improve pandemic response.
(Financial Times) (CBC Radio: The Current)

Students discuss the impact of COVID-19
Joseph Wong and Munk One students Atharv Agrawal and Anya Haldemann describe the university response to the pandemic.
(Times Higher Education)

Premier Doug Ford unveils next steps in reopening Ontario’s economy
Drew Fagan, Sean Speer and Ian T.D. Thomson make recommendations for the economic fallout from the pandemic.
(Toronto Star) (TVO)

How long will job losses due to COVID-19 last?
Innovation Policy Lab’s Steven Denney talks about the impact of COVID-19 on various industries.
(CTV Online and CTV News Channel)(The Globe and Mail)

As U.S. reopening barrels along, ‘hidden enemy’ infiltrates White House
Peter Loewen examines how politicians have been managing the pandemic.
(National Post) (The Globe and Mail )(BNN Bloomberg)

Will COVID-19 end neoliberalism?
Sean Speer discusses the impact of the pandemic on neoliberal politics.
(TVO: The Agenda)

Toronto is in big financial trouble — and there isn’t a plan to fix it
Articles quote Enid Slack of the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
(Toronto Star) (Vancouver Province)

Countries must respond to the virus through cooperation
Deanna Horton comments in an item about global collaboration.
(Le Devoir)

‘I can’t be afraid of the risk to privacy right now’: Coronavirus and tracking app surveillance
Media covers the latest report from Citizen Lab. John Scott-Railton offers comment.
(The Independent) (The Logic) (CBC Online) (Times of India)(Politico) (Fortune) (CNBC)(NDTV) (News18.com) (News18.com) (Hindustan Times)

COVID-19: Tracking individuals vs privacy: delicate balance
Citizen Lab’s Christopher Parsons discusses privacy issues surrounding COVID-19 tracking.
(Radio Canada International) (Global)

‘Space is the new luxury’: Could the coronavirus prompt an urban exodus in Ontario?
Shauna Brail comments on whether the pandemic marks the end of cities.
(Global News)

Coronavirus Changed China’s Big Political Event. Here’s What to Expect
Diana Fu comments on the National People’s Congress in Beijing.
(New York Times)

Everyone you know uses Zoom. That wasn’t the plan.
Citizen Lab’s Bill Marczak talks about security vulnerabilities in Zoom’s platform.
(CNN Business)

It’s time to give Japan credit for its COVID-19 Response
Phillip Lipscy comments on Abe Shinzo’s declining approval rating in the wake of COVID-19
(Tokyo Review) 

Japan is not rallying around its prime minister
Abe Shinzo, Japan’s prime minister, has seen his approval ratings drop despite the country coming through the pandemic is relatively good shape. Phillip Lipscy comments.
(The Economist)

Des dirigeants autoritaires malmenés par le virus
Robert Austin comments on Russia’s difficulties containing the coronavirus
(La Presse)

A crisis like no other: Canada’s finances could take years to recover from the pandemic recession
Sean Speer comments on what Canada’s post-pandemic economy could look like.
(CBC)

COVID-19 is exposing Canada’s economic vulnerabilities, innovation experts say
Dan Breznitz comments on the future of global trade in the wake of COVID-19.
(Toronto Star)

As Quebecers cover faces for COVID-19, some hope for tolerance of religious garb
Jeffrey Reitz comments on Quebec’s changing attitudes toward face coverings in the wake of COVID-19
(National Post)

Coronavirus: Israel turns surveillance tools on itself
As Israel internal security agency turns to surveillance tools to tackle COVID-19, John Scott-Railton warns of the potential for abuse
(BBC)

Depleted national stockpile leaves Canada reliant on China for masks, gowns and other supplies during pandemic
Much of the global supply of personal protective equipment comes from China, whose product doesn’t always fit Health Canada’s standard. Lynette Ong comments.
(CBC)

To preserve jobs for humans, some propose a robot tax
Dan Breznitz comments on automation and worker displacement
(Undark)

Why face masks will become the new normal in Canada
Shauna Brail comments on face mask recommendations
(Now Magazine)

How can Canadians quarantine from COVID-19 if they can’t afford it?
Shauna Brail comments on COVID-19’s impact on the gig economy
(National Post)

Coronavirus: London ranks third-highest in Ontario in safety-related work refusals
Anita McGahan comments on what workplace safety means in a post-COVID world of work
(London Free Press)

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Airbnb, Vrbo listings abound in Ontario
Shauna Brail discusses Airbnb and Vrbo continuing to list thousands of short-term rentals despite government restrictions
(The Logic)

Deglobalization, privacy trade-offs: Experts on life after COVID-19
Anita McGahan predicts changes in retail, grocery and transportation after COVID-19
(BNN Bloomberg)

How to Bring Back U.S. Manufacturing
Dan Breznitz discusses whether it’s feasible for the U.S. to bring back manufacturing
(EE Times)

A COVID-19 crisis for City Budgets
Enid Slack discusses the financial plight of Canadian cities during the pandemic
(TVO)

$750 for doing chin-ups in a park. Sitting on benches banned. Do emergency measures go too far?
Peter Loewen talks about Toronto’s fines for not adhering to social distancing
(Toronto Star)

As Ontario gears up to reopen, we asked experts which businesses will open first — you won’t like the answer
Anita McGahan discusses what it will take for the economy to reopen
(Toronto Star)

What will workplaces look like in a brave new post-pandemic world?
Anita McGahan shares what changes we might expect as we reopen schools and businesses
(TVO)

As the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 grows, Donald Trump looks for someone else to blame
Robert Bothwell comments on Donald Trump’s decision to defund the WHO
(Toronto Star)

Cities face massive financial shortfalls because of COVID. How can they cope when they can’t run deficits? 
Enid Slack talks about the financial impact COVID-19 is having on municipalities.
(Globe and Mail)

Huawei sending millions of masks to Canada as supplies grow short
Diana Fu comments on Huawei’s gifts to Canada.
(Globe and Mail)

Zoom’s encryption linked to China
Media cover a new report from Citizen Lab showing flaws in Zoom app security.
(BBC)(CTV)(Wired)(The Intercept)(Forbes)(CBC) (Financial Times – paywall)(Wall Street Journal – paywall)(CBC: The National)(TechCrunch)

City staff, school workers reinventing themselves to stave off layoffs due to COVID-19
Enid Slack of IMFG talks about the challenges facing municipalities attempting to balance budgets.
(CBC News Online)

Dealing with COVID-19 skeptics
Peter Loewen discusses compliance with pandemic measures.
(TVO: The Agenda)

Coronavirus: Israeli spyware firm pitches to be Covid-19 saviour
John Scott Railton of the Citizen Lab examines the prospect of spyware being used to predict disease spread.
(BBC Online)(Vice)(SKY TV – U.K.)(The Logic)

Wage subsidy plan will prevent mass layoffs — but businesses say six weeks is too long to wait
Mark Manger examines how the wage subsidy plan will work.
(Toronto Star)

Will COVID-19 end globalization?
Janice Stein and Sean Speer take part in a panel.
(TVO: The Agenda)

We can’t just pick up the pieces after the pandemic subsides – we need to keep them together
Bob Rae and Mel Cappe write an op-ed about how to survive the COVID-19 crisis.
(CBC: Power & Politics)

China’s COVID-19 disinformation push, aided by Canadian group, raises concerns about next pandemic
Citizen Lab’s COVID-19 Chinese censorship report is mentioned in items about disinformation in China.
(National Post)(Ottawa Citizen)(MSN Canada)(BBC Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz language)(Business Insider)(Buzzfeed)(Ming Pao Canada – Chinese language)(Forbes Mexico – Spanish language)(Global Investigative Journalism Network)

Getting money into the hands of Canadians
Mel Cappe analyzes financial support for Canadians impacted by the crisis.
(BNN Bloomberg)

Trump and Trudeau are on a collision course over COVID-19 isolation
Peter Loewen analyzes President Trump’s suggestion of lifting COVID-19 measures.
(The Globe and Mail)

Steal these ideas: 34 things Canada’s innovators think the government should do to help the economy through the COVID-19 crisis
Dan Breznitz and Sean Speer suggest ways to help Canada weather COVID-19.
(The Logic)

The mad scramble to meet Canadian needs
Mel Cappe explains why speed is important for pandemic financial support.
(CBC News: The National)

What journalists should know about coronavirus cellphone tracking
Bill Marczak discusses the implications of coronavirus tracking measures.
(The Nigerian Voice)

COVID-19 shows us why Canada needs a challenge-driven growth strategy
Robert Asselin and Sean Speer write about the impact of the pandemic.
(Public Policy Forum)

Canada’s cyber spies taking down sites as battle against COVID-19 fraud begins
Farhaan Ladhani of Digital Public Square comments in an item about COVID-19 cyber fraud.
(CBC Online)

Governments aren’t tracking your cellphone in the battle against COVID-19. But they might
Citizen Lab’s Christopher Parsons remarks on government surveillance.
(Toronto Star)(Financial Post)

Canada at home: Scenes of social distancing and self-sacrifice to stay safe from coronavirus
Student Frank Ye talks about how he is dealing with the health risks and racism around COVID-19.
(The Globe and Mail)

How China built a Twitter propaganda machine then let it loose on coronavirus
Lotus Ruan of Citizen Lab explains censorship.
(ProPublica)

As China cracks down on coronavirus coverage, journalists fight back
Citizen Lab’s Lotus Ruan talks about censorship in China.
(New York Times – paywall)(Satoshi Nakamoto Blog)

Pandemic renews calls to revive U.S. manufacturing
Munk Chair of Innovation Studies Dan Breznitz describes how to change supply networks in response to COVID-19.
(EE Times)

States of emergency across Canada, what’s been done before, and what can be done now
Robert Bothwell explores past declarations of states of emergency in Canada
(iPolitics)

Chinese regime revises position on Wuhan whistleblower
A feature item mentions the recent report by Citizen Lab.
(Paris Match – French language)

The hits and misses of managing COVID-19
Items on China’s management of the COVID-19 transmission mention Citizen Lab findings.
(Le Devoir – French language)(MSN Italy – Italian language)(MSN Italy – Italian language)(The Mandarin)(Lawfare Blog)

Chinese app censored virus content since January
Widespread media cover Citizen Lab’s report on Chinese censorship of coronavirus discussion. Ron Deibert and Lotus Ruan offer comment.

Domestic outlets include: (The Globe and Mail – paywall)(CBC via Thomson Reuters)(CBC Radio: As It Happens – Interview at 9:09)(The Globe and Mail — paywall)(Ottawa Citizen)(Financial Post)

U.S. outlets include: (U.S. News & World Report)(Newsweek)(Slate)(CNBC)(CNET)(Forbes)(BuzzFeed)(MSN)(The Verge)(PCMag.com)(VICE)

Global outlets include: (Financial Times – paywall)(BBC Online)(BBC – Chinese language)(BBC – Vietnamese language)(Thomson Reuters)(The Guardian)(The Independent)(Investing.com – Brazil – Portuguese language)(Reuters Brazil – Portuguese language)(El Pais – Spain – Spanish language)(The Week – India)(France 24)International Business Times(NU.nl – Dutch language)(International Business Times)(Radio Programas del Peru – Spanish language)(El Heraldo de México – Spanish language)(India Times)(The Straits Times)(La Presse – French language)(Sing Pao Daily News – Chinese language)(MSN Indonesia)(MSN Hong Kong – Chinese language)(Hong Kong Economic Times – Chinese language)(Sky News Australia)(Al Jazeera English)(Haaretz)(La Tribune – France – via AFP)(South China Morning Post)(Daily Mail – U.K.)(Metro – U.K.)(The Star Online – Malaysia)(Kenyan Tribune)(Hong Kong Economic Times)(Yahoo  Malaysia)(Yahoo News Philippines)(Yahoo News Singapore)(Yahoo Finance France)(Yahoo Japan – Japanese language)(Yahoo New Zealand)

Border closures likely Friday night
Robert Bothwell offers analysis of the closure of the U.S.-Canada border during the COVID-19 crisis
(CTV News Channel)(AM 1150 Hamilton)

US-Canada border closing temporarily to non-essential travel
Robert Bothwell speaks to Associated Press about past declarations of states of emergency in Canada
(ABC – U.S.)(Boston Globe – paywall)(Al Jazeera)

Toronto’s public life all but vanishes amid COVID-19 crisis
Shauna Brail comments in an article focusing on the impact of social distancing measures.
(Toronto Star – paywall)

How the coronavirus has deepened human rights abuses in China
Reports cite Lynette Ong, Diana Fu and Citizen Lab on coronavirus and China.
(The Globe and Mail – paywall)(The Christian Science Monitor)(New York Times – paywall)(MSN Singapore)(Al Jazeera English)(Hong Kong Free Press Limited)(BuzzFeed TECH)(Yahoo News)(VICELAND Television – U.S.)(VICE)(VICE)(U of T News)

Why China’s wildlife trade ban will help, but not stop, coronavirus
Lynette Ong discusses China’s wildlife trade and consumption ban.
(Global News)

Canada issues travel health notice for seven countries amid COVID-19 outbreak
Lynette Ong talks about travel warnings.
(Yahoo News)

China ramps up virus propaganda and stirs even more outrage
Lynette Ong discusses censorship and pressure on the Chinese government amid the coronavirus outbreak.
(Bloomberg)

Death of doctor who warned of coronavirus sparks anger
Lynette Ong offers perspective on the Chinese response to coronavirus.
(CBC Radio: The Current)(CBC Radio: Here & Now)(CBC Online)(CBC News Network)(The Globe and Mail — paywall)(Yahoo! News Canada)(MSN Canada)(The Straits Times)

Here’s how China is silencing coronavirus critics in the U.S.
Lotus Ruan of Citizen Lab explains how censorship works.
(VICE)

Chinese Canadians denounce rising xenophobia tied to coronavirus
MGA student Frank Ye shares his experiences.
(Al Jazeera Online)(The Globe and Mail)

Death of Wuhan doctor sparks rare condemnations of Chinese virus response
Lynette Ong explores the impact of criticism of China’s response to novel coronavirus.
(The Globe and Mail)

Chinese Canadians speak out against racism, misinformation
MPP student Frank Ye shares his observations of racial stigma​​​​​​​.
(CBC: The Current)(CBC Online)(Yahoo! News Canada)(Huffington Post)

Canadians in China
Janice Stein comments on the federal government’s efforts in areas impacted by coronavirus outbreak.
(CBC Radio: Here and Now)

The epicentre of coronavirus
Lynette Ong explains that the Chinese response to the outbreak is unprecedented.
(CTV National)(CP24)

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has more power after coronavirus emergency declaration
Shauna Brail comments on Bonnie Crombie’s increased powers during state of emergency
(Mississauga.com)

Can Canada’s universities survive COVID?
Shiri Breznitz is quoted in a report on the future of PSE.
(Maclean’s)

COVID-19 pandemic uniting Canadians like no other event in decades
A bulletin about Peter Loewen’s work on Reopening After COVID is picked up.
(World News Monitor)

Feds need to strengthen security and intelligence capacity in post COVID-19 world
Mel Cappe is quoted on post-COVID issues.
(The Hill Times – paywall)

Canadian Politics in the Time of COVID-19
Assistant professor Sean Speer participates in panel discussion about the summer in Canadian politics.
(TVO: The Agenda with Steve Paikin)

What’s a Canadian education worth — without the ‘Canada’ part? Universities, colleges try to keep lucrative international students amid COVID-19.
Acting Vice-President, International Joseph Wong comments on investments in generating an excellent global classroom experience.
(Toronto Star)

Wide sidewalks key to help commercial real estate weather the pandemic
Associate professor Shauna Brail provides examples of innovation in urban responses to the pandemic.
(The Globe and Mail)

COVID-19 and World Order: The Future of Conflict, Competition, and Cooperation
A press release announces a new book including essays from Founding Director Janice Stein and Distinguished Fellow Margaret MacMillan.
(Business Insider)

We lost our fiscal anchor. We’re going to need a new one.
Senior Fellow Robert Asselin analyzes the absence of a budget target allowing the federal government to control the deficit and the debt.
(Maclean’s)  (La Presse – French language)

If You Want To See A Recovery, Focus On Scale-ups: And Here’s Why
An article on economic recovery quotes research from the Innovation Policy Lab on COVID and joblessness.
(Bay Street Bull)

‘Combatting a pandemic requires mobilizing intelligence’: former PCO clerk calls for reforms to emergency preparedness
Professor Mel Cappe comments on the improvements that should be made to increase federal ministerial capacity.
(The Hill Times – paywall)

Poor data collection, poor Canadian response to COVID-19, say experts
Associate professor Jonathan Craft discusses failures in Canada’s initial response to the pandemic.
(Journal de Montreal – French language)

A university professor prepares for the fall term
Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation Joe Wong shares his perspective on how he is preparing for teaching Munk School students in the year ahead.
(CBC Radio: Metro Morning)

Who’s afraid of the COVID alert app?
Christopher Parsons of Citizen Lab takes part in a discussion of privacy concerns.
(Canadaland: OPPO podcast)

Josh Dehaas: COVID Alert protects our privacy — but should still concern us
Citizen Lab’s Christopher Parsons is quoted on the impact of COVID-19 contact tracing.
(National Post)

From education tech to personalized protective equipment: InkSmith’s pandemic pivot
Dan Breznitz of Innovation Policy Lab comments in this item about cost effectiveness in manufacturing in Canada.
(The Globe and Mail – paywall)

Rollout of COVID Alert app faces criticism over accessibility
Christopher Parsons of the Citizen Lab explores COVID Alert accessibility.
(CBC) (The Globe and Mail – paywall) (Ming Pao Canada – Chinese language) (CBC) (Global Toronto)  (Toronto Star – paywall) (The Globe and Mail – paywall) (Global) (CTV) (National Post) (CityNews) (CBC Radio: The World at Six) (CBC News Network) (CBC News: Kids)

How much will Toronto get?
Institute on Municipal Finance & Governance’s Enid Slack talks about federal funding for municipalities.
(CBC Toronto)

What to believe?  
Eric Merkley of Policy, Elections and Representation Lab talks about pandemic conspiracy theories.
(AM 900 – Hamilton)

Beijing balances COVID risk and fatigue in beating latest wave
Lynette Ong examines public reaction to pandemic measures.
(Nikkei Asian Review)

China under pressure
Asian Institute’s Lynette Ong discusses tension between China and other countries.
(BBC World) (BBC Radio News)

Support for cities
Enid Slack comments on federal support for municipalities.
(CBC Radio Syndication)

Where is the COVID-19 contact tracing app that was supposed to launch in Ontario earlier this month?
Items quote Citizen Lab’s Christopher Parsons on concerns about contact tracing.
(CTV) (iHeart Radio) (Rabble) (Radio-Canada International)

Canada’s coronavirus performance hasn’t been perfect. But it’s done far better than the U.S.
Policy, Elections & Representation Lab’s Eric Merkley talks about why Canada’s containment of the virus has been more successful than in the U.S.
(Washington Post – paywall) (National Post via Washington Post)

Leadership and COVID-19
Randall Hansen talks about political leadership in the context of the pandemic.
(Newstalk 1010)

Zooming in on cyber governance: Top ten actions for boards and execs
A feature refers to Citizen Lab findings on Zoom security.
(Forbes)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Won’t Cross the Border for Washington
Janice Stein remarks on the idea of Trudeau visiting the U.S.
(New York Times – paywall) (News 24)

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your life?
A future Munk School student shares her experience.
(ICI Radio-Canada Quebec)

Infrastructure bank to invest $10 billion in priority areas for pandemic recovery
In his role as Chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank board, Michael Sabia makes an announcement with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
(CBC News Network – Michael Sabia’s remarks at news conference)(Toronto Star via Canadian Press – paywall) (The Globe and Mail – paywall) (Global) (Bloomberg) (Bloomberg Markets) (CTV via Canadian Press) (CTV: Power Play) (CBC: Power and Politics)(Toronto Star – paywall) (CBC)

By setting the agenda, the Liberals’ prorogation play pays off
Drew Fagan co-authors an op-ed.
(The Globe and Mail – paywall)

An American success story, ‘opportunity zones’ could be the key to unlocking a more equitable recovery for all Ontarians
An op-ed quotes Ontario 360’s Lorenzo Gonzalez and Sean Speer.
(Toronto Star – paywall)

Turning a crisis into a better Canada
Director Michael Sabia assesses Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(TVO: The Agenda)

If Donald Trump drags the U.S. economy down, Canada’s economy is going along for the ride
Policy, Elections, and Representation Lab’s Peter Loewen remarks on Canada’s future.
(Toronto Star – paywall)

Donald Trump has taken the U.S. down a dark path, and these Canadians are scared of where it leads
Peter Loewen examines issues impacting the upcoming U.S. election.
(Toronto Star – paywall)

The pandemic ahead
Student Jad El Tal shares his reaction to the Prime Minister’s address.
(CBC Radio: Metro Morning)

US-China acrimony at 75th UN General Assembly as Trump slams Beijing for coronavirus and Xi decries ‘stigma’
Asian Institute’s Diana Fu offers comment on diplomacy between U.S. and China.
(South China Morning Post)

PM should create permanent emergency preparedness cabinet committee, say experts, political players
Mel Cappe offers insight on how to mitigate crises going forward.
(The Hill Times – paywall)

Toronto’s Waterfront community seeing most new cases in the city
Arjumand Siddiqui analyzes the need for city supports in regions affected by COVID-19.
(CBC)

Dear Leader: Lessons on leadership in the time of pandemic
Distinguished Fellow Sir Richard Evans critiques America’s global leadership.
(CBC Radio: Ideas)  

Remaking a Living: Surviving COVID-19 economy, a special edition of The Current
Anita McGahan talks about how to make the best of how the pandemic has changed industry.
(CBC Radio: The Current)

Canadians interacting and travelling much less during pandemic, cellphone data study shows
Anita McGahan explains the findings of a new report published by Innovation Policy Lab.
(CBC Online) (National Post) (CP24) (City) (Toronto Star – paywall) (680 News) (News 570) (Yahoo News Canada) (The Public Record)

Sean Speer on CBC Metro Morning
(CBC Metro Morning)

In the battle against COVID, Canadians have accomplished a lot — and we need to do more
Anita McGahan writes and op-ed on the topic of her latest work.

(Toronto Star – paywall)

Prepare for the worst? No, prepare for multiple worsts – and better scenarios, too
Sean Speer, Drew Fagan & Michael Cuenco co-author an opinion piece on the provincial budget.
(National Post)

Three hands could make lighter work
Neil Bradford and Tomas Hachard of the Institute on Municipal Finance & Governance co-author an op-ed.
(The Hill Times – paywall)

It’s been months since the COVID-19 pandemic started. How have our behaviours changed?
Innovation Policy Lab’s Anita McGahan discusses her research.
(Global Morning)

Democracies must invest in the future of technology before it’s too late
Senior Fellow Deanna Horton co-authors an op-ed calling for liberal democracies to invest in progressive technologies.
(Vancouver Sun)

Planning ahead
Ontario 360’s Sean Speer comments on radio syndication about government budget challenges.
(CBC Radio: Metro Morning)

What Canada’s economic recovery might look like
Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance’s Enid Slack discusses the role of municipal funding.
(Maclean’s)

The restaurant industry is hurting. That’s not stopping these entrepreneurs
Innovation Policy Lab’s Shauna Brail talks about the data research she is leading.
(The Globe and Mail – paywall)

Les deux tiers des Canadiens veulent se faire vacciner
Policy, Elections and Representation Lab’s Eric Merkley remarks on the impact of vaccine misinformation.
(Radio-Canada.ca – French language)

Events

The world after COVID-19
Hosted by the Innovation Policy Lab

How is COVID-19 Affecting Global Supply Chains?
Hosted by the Innovation Policy Lab

In Conversation with Canada’s Foreign Minister
Hosted by the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

A Question of Trust: Politics, Perception and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Hosted by the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

COVID-19 and the Informal Economy
Hosted by the International Centre for Tax and Development