John Robson: The Feds’ Green Dreams Touted at WEF Are Detached From Reality

Commentary Many people are deeply worried about Canada’s weak economic performance. But in Davos for the World Economic Forum our Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said don’t worry, be happy, we’re an investment magnet because: “Canada is absolutely determined that decarbonization for us, will mean more jobs, more growth, more manufacturing and we recognize, government needs to play a role to make that happen.” Green dreams are made of these. But what actual evidence exists for this rosy view? There’s a lot to be said for the gloomy one. Veteran economist and commentator Jack Mintz just wrote in a Financial Post column, “Canada’s abysmal productivity growth has been the subject of countless studies.” And C.D. Howe Institute chief executive William Robson warned last November that “Business investment is so weak that the stock of productive capital per worker in Canada – the buildings, tools and software they use – is falling.”...