Canada’s wisest policy: stealing policies from other countries | The Globe and Mail
August 12, 2019 | In this piece, Christopher Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, argues that economists know the more we lean on carbon pricing, the better off our economy will be. He draws on the experience of Sweden's carbon tax and the U.S efforts to reduce acid rain by taxing sulfur-dioxide producing plants.
Canadians' media-consumption habits lead to misinformation | National Observer
August 7, 2019 | A report published by the Digital Democracy Project suggests that overall misinformation levels in Canada are low. However, certain trends in media consumption put news consumers and voters more at risk to be misinformed about key political issues.
People with strong partisan views get more facts wrong on a current events test: survey | Global News
August 8, 2019 | A survey launched by the Digital Democracy Project found that most Canadians across the political spectrum got a common set of facts from an array of mainstream media outlets. The report also highlighted voters' tendencies to select and consume news from sources that support their political beliefs, generating so-called echo chambers.
Canadians who hold strong links to political parties more likely to be misinformed about politics | The Star
August 8, 2019 | The Digital Democracy Project, an initiative of Max Bell School of Public Policy in collaboration with the Public Policy Forum, analyzes the increasing amounts of disinformation and hate in the digital public sphere. A new study shows the links between political affiliation and misinformation.
News that's safe to use: Researchers aim to track information during campaign | CBC News
August 8, 2019 | In an age where information is increasingly scrutinized yet more easily diffusable than ever, Canadians might be more misinformed than disinformed. New findings from the Digital Democracy Project show how information ricochets around the Canadian political landscape.
Climate change puts health at risk and economists have the right prescription | The Conversation
June 24, 2019 | Climate change affects many aspects of people's lives. As it is a common source of worry to doctors and economists alike, the proposed solutions to climate change are numerous. Chris Ragan, director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy and Courtney Howard, clinical associate professor at the Cumming School of Medicine (University of Calgary) argue that carbon pricing is the right solution.
Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Launched ahead of 2019 Election
Dr. Taylor Owen, holder of the Beaverbrook Chair in Ethics, Media and Communications received, with Dr. Elizabeth Dubois (University of Ottawa), a Canada History Fund grant to run the Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge. They have launched a call for proposals for projects examining the uses and impacts of digital media in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election.
Why doctors argue ‘carbon pricing’ can ‘cure’ climate change | Global News
June 30, 2019 | For doctors across Canada, the evidence at the bedside is increasingly hard to ignore: climate change poses a serious health risk. Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, adds that "Economics has a very clear prescription for these challenges: carbon pricing. In the same way that penicillin treats an infection, carbon pricing can help fight climate change."
Piecing together the public policy puzzle | 鶹AV News
July 2, 2019 | In this article published in the 鶹AV Alumni magazine, Joel Yanofsky tells the story of the creation of the Max Bell School, from the historic $10 million gift that started it all to the development of an MPP program that aims to bridge the gap between
Federal election easy prey for social media manipulators, experts warn | CBC News
JUNE 24, 2019 | Taylor Owen, an expert in the political impact of digital technologies, warns that the social media infrastructure is to blame for the spread of fake news and political interference. "What's wrong with this infrastructure is that it is calibrated for engagement," he says.
Election interference is happening in Canada: What you can do to stop it | CBC News
June 25, 2019 | Online interference is happening in the run-up to Canada's fall federal election. CBC News looked at who's behind it and what you can do to stop it. The interview featured Taylor Owen, Max Bell School professor and Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics, and Communications. Taylor Owen spoke about how the design of our digital infrastructure and social media platforms are manipulable when it comes to election campaigns and political speech.
Taylor Owen in The Globe and Mail: Who will answer the Christchurch Call? Nobody, if tech platforms continue ungoverned | OPINION
May 23, 2019 | Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communication at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, writes that the Christchurch Call might be a missed opportunity for governments to move toward global digital governance.
A cross-country "energy corridor" for Canada? | CTV News
May 24, 2019 | Conservative leader Andrew Scheer revived the idea of a coast-to-coast energy corridor, a policy that has picked up interest in recent years. Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, comments on this policy. He warns that, given the difficulty of securing approval for energy infrastructure in Canada, "the country will want to find ways to get through tough approval processes to run more east-west energy grids".
Canada to announce framework for accountability & transparency from social media platforms | Primetime Politics
May 15, 2019 | Digital media expert and Professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, Taylor Owen explains Canada's Digital Charter, the federal government'a latest engagement to provide a framework for accountability and transparency from social media platforms. He believes the greater question to date is whether, and how national regulations will apply to tech giants and corporations based in the United States.
Des politiciens s'engagent à tenir tête aux géants de la technologie | Radio Canada
May 12, 2019 | Social media companies are beginning to worry politicians around the world. In the context of the coming 2019 election, elected officials are worried that non-compliance with current laws may pose a threat to Canadian democracy. Max Bell School Professor and digital expert Taylor Owen asserts that it is not too late for Canada to beef up its laws and regulate tech giants.