Intellectual Property Amid Trade Tensions

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It’s often said that Canada is facing an IP trade deficit, but that claim is seldom documented statistically. In this special report, Jeremy de Beer builds evidence for IP-related trade policy, examining three possible scenarios for the future of IP as a trade asset.

Space has become more congested, commercialized and strategically contested. For Canada, simply being in orbit is no longer enough. In this policy brief, Jessica West examines Canada’s evolving role in space, arguing that Canada can strengthen stability by acting simultaneously as builder, stabilizer and steward.

The Digital Policy Hub at CIGI is a collaborative space for emerging scholars and innovative thinkers from the social, natural and applied sciences. Here are the most recent working papers published by Hub fellows.

Clarence Sokolambe Lakpini: “Fintech for Cleantech: The Nigerian Pay-As-You-Go Solar Evolution”

Jeffrey Klinck: “Protecting the Canadian Dollar’s Sovereignty Against US Stablecoin Dominance”

Wim Howson Creutzberg: “AI Benefit Sharing and the International Telecommunication Union”

Follow the links on the Hub webpage to learn more about the Hub scholars and their work.
OpenAI's engagement with the RCMP seems “too little, too late” in the face of such a tragedy. (Jennifer Gauthier/REUTERS)

The mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, cast a spotlight on the question: when AI chatbots enable or encourage real-world violence, how is AI held accountable? Susie Alegre examines the growing number of cases linking chatbot use to serious harm, arguing that more than just regulatory guardrails are needed to protect our human rights.
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Canada’s productivity problem and housing crisis are usually treated as separate issues. In this Financial Post article, Ricardo Hausmann and Eric Protzer argue that there is a deeper connection between the two — and consider what this link could mean for Canada’s long-term growth. Read the article. (A Financial Post subscription is required to read the article.)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) faces what is often framed as a “reform or perish” dilemma. Hector Torres explains how closer cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank could fill critical transparency gaps and help the WTO rebuild lost trust.

Canada is nearing a decision to renew and expand its submarine fleet. In this commentary, Matt Malone discusses how Canada can use this opportunity to bolster its industrial sovereignty and position itself as a leader in defence production.
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