Sustaining Prosperity

In a time of shifting economic and cultural milieu, it is important to expand and sustain Canada’s competitiveness and the social and economic well-being of Canadians. The Program in Sustaining Prosperity is aimed at informing policies with these objectives through a focus on balanced and high quality research, education and outreach. Along with the production and wide dissemination of research papers on topics supporting Sustaining Prosperity objectives, The School promotes well-informed discussion through the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, the joint Master of Business Administration/MPP and Juris Doctor (JD)/MPP programs. These professional education programs produce future leaders that are equipped with the knowledge and practical experiences to create significant long term impacts.

The Program in Sustaining Prosperity is anchored in three key themes:

Fundamental Principles

Through examination of Canadian policy and case studies, students and the public are reminded and shown how overlooking and deviating from fundamental principles supporting efficiency and wealth creation has an adverse effect on policy design and the goal of sustaining prosperity.

Keeping an Eye on the Long Term and Interconnections

In policy design there typically is an excessive focus on short-term objectives at the expense of the long-term. Looking at fundamental long-term objectives will help us maintain and enhance prosperity through a focus on competitiveness and wealth creation. Success in this area requires stable policies and regulatory systems that systematically encourage productivity, innovation and adaptability.

Learning from Mistakes and Avoiding Memory Loss

Much can be gained by looking at previous policy errors and using past mistakes as a part of the learning process for crafting new policies. Looking at failed policy and understanding past mistakes needs to be communicated and taught with regularity and incorporated in policy design.