The author argues that productivity should be raised by bringing the low productivity segment of the workforce closer to the median. Consequently, he argues that the most pressing task for Canadians is to foster basic skills, reduce the high school dropout rate, and raise the profile of...

This paper argues that a focus on the human capital needs of the bottom third of the workforce is the most effective way to boost productivity, while at the same time creating a more equitable labour market. Given the unmet demand for adult learning on the part of the disadvantaged, he proposes...

The objective of this article is to evaluate the impact of the oil and gas industry on labour productivity growth in Canada since 2000 through an exploration of the various channels, both direct and indirect, by which the oil and gas sector affects aggregate productivity. The article sheds light...

Recent empirical studies confirm that the contribution of intangible capital investment to labour productivity growth is comparable to that of tangible capital investment for a wide range of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France. Following...

After accelerating in the second half of the 1990s, aggregate labour productivity growth in Canada has fallen off significantly since 2000. This paper examines the factors behind this development, which is puzzling given the recent acceleration of productivity growth in the United States and the...

Puzzles intrigue and motivate researchers and focus research effort, and the productivity area is fortunate in having many unresolved issues. In the second article, Andrew Sharpe of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards puts forward and briefly discusses what he sees as the ten most...

Considering the entire 1995-2003 period and compared to all OECD countries, this paper presents the view that Canada has actually performed quite well in terms of labour productivity growth. The author points to two factors that have fostered productivity growth in Canada: a high level of human...

Dirk Pilat and Paul Schreyer of the OECD discuss the new OECD Productivity Database. The database covers 26 OECD countries for labour productivity estimates, as well as 14 countries for multifactor productivity estimates. While the database represents the most comparable productivity estimates...