Jan. 29 - Feb. 02 2024; fifth week of the winter semester.

Balancing Transparency and Privacy

In our data and public policy class, we discussed data ownership within public organizations with emphasis on the tension between the need for confidentiality ("need to know") and the demand for openness ("need to share"). Balancing these aspects requires a good understanding of what information should be made public for accountability and what should remain confidential for privacy and security reasons. Our discussion underscored the importance of clear communication strategies to convey these decisions effectively, ensuring that stakeholders understand the rationale behind data management practices.

Communicating Policy

During our PPOL607: Politics and Strategy we were privileged to host a former federal MP as our guest lecturer, who provided invaluable insights into the intricacies of policy communication and public engagement. One key takeaway was the notion that by the time you're tired of your message, it's likely just starting to resonate with the public. This underscores the challenge of effective communication: it requires repetition and clarity to truly penetrate public consciousness and achieve the intended impact.

The guest lecturer adviced us to increase productivity by reading more, particularly material that challenges our existing beliefs and perspectives. Reflecting on my own past experience of engaging with diverse viewpoints and subjects that I have might initially disagree with is not just an exercise in broadening my knowledge base; it's a deliberate practice in cultivating critical thinking, empathy, and understanding. It prompts a deeper examination of why I hold certain views and opens the door to new insights and ideas that can enrich my thinking and, by extension, my writing and academic work.

The second half of the lecture we reviewed political ads, where we analyzed and discussed the effectiveness of their messaging. This exercise offered practical insights into how political campaigns communicate with voters, the strategies employed to convey key messages, and the elements that make some ads more impactful than others.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Strategies and Uncertainties

Then finally, we participated in a communication exercise based on roles from Arlie Russell Hochschild's book "Strangers in Their Own Land." This activity deepened our understanding of the emotional and cultural underpinnings of political beliefs and attitudes, providing a hands-on opportunity to apply the principles of empathy and effective communication.

In our PPOL609: Decision Analysis lecture, we explored deep the methodology and intricacies of cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The counterfactual approach involves comparing potential futures with varying sets of facts to understand the implications of different decisions, such as the construction of a new arena in Calgary versus maintaining the status quo. Key to this process is the unbiased examination of these potential outcomes, ensuring assumptions are internally consistent and avoiding double allocation of resources. The concept of Reference Area was introduced as a vital component of CBA, dictating that all costs and benefits within this defined geographic or conceptual boundary must be included in the analysis.

We also tackled the challenge of valuing externalities, highlighting their role as non-market goods or harms that necessitate the same valuation techniques as other non-market goods or services. Given the practical constraints of resources for conducting comprehensive surveys or statistical analysis, the lecture explored alternative strategies for leveraging public data and finding workarounds in the absence of sufficient data.

Economic Impact of Climate Change in Canada

SEDV633: Energy and Climate guest lecturer discussed the "Damage Control: Reducing the Costs of Climate Impacts in Canada" report by the Canadian Climate Institute presenting the economic toll of climate change in Canada. The report paints a stark picture of the economic devastation wrought by climate change across Canada, highlighting not just the macroeconomic downturns but the acute suffering by low-income communities. The analysis calls for comprehensive climate impact assessments, robust climate risk disclosures, and substantial investments in adaptation strategies to safeguard Canada's economic future.

The report's findings are alarming, predicting a potential 12% shrinkage in Canada's GDP by 2100, with low-income households facing up to a 23% drop in income in high-emission scenarios. It projects an annual $25 billion drag on economic growth by 2025 due to climate impacts, underscoring the economic imperative of investing in adaptation measures now, which promises a high return on investment. However, it is important to note a significant limitation in the study's scope—the exclusion of carbon pricing analysis, a key policy tool for driving emission reductions and aligning market behaviors with climate objectives.

Who pays for the tax?

In PPOL615: Public Fiance lecture we explored the complexities of taxation. It's essential to note that determining who actually "pays" a tax is less straightforward than it may appear. The statutory incidence (the legal responsibility for tax payment) often differs from the economic incidence (the actual burden after market adjustments). The conversation also distinguished between marginal tax rates (the tax on the next dollar earned) and average tax rates (the overall percentage of income paid in taxes).

We looked at key factors affecting tax incidence, such as the elasticity of supply and demand. Elasticity measures the responsiveness of suppliers and consumers to price changes, which in turn influences who bears the cost of taxes. The more inelastic the supply or demand, the more the tax burden falls on that side of the market.

The lecture further covered the concept of "excess burdens" from taxes, referring to the economic distortions taxes create beyond the revenue they generate. These burdens can lead to inefficient market outcomes (or even completely shutting down the market) and are critical in evaluating the overall impact of a tax system.

*Photo: Temple of Edfu Aswan, Egypt taken Dec/04 2021.

Summit photo