Max Bell School of Public Policy

How a youth employment supplement could help young Canadians A youth employment supplement to the Canada Workers Benefit could help young Canadians facing housing costs, debt and weak job prospects.

Last year at @maxbellschool.bsky.social, my team and I proposed a Youth Employment Supplement. Today it’s in Policy Options thanks to @scpartners.bsky.social. Half of young renters spend 50% of income on rent. Our proposal would reach 2M young Canadians.
policyoptions.irpp.org/2026/02/yout...

Amid François Legault’s resignation, The Max Bell School hosted an event with Eric Girard and @desireemcgraw.bsky.social, moderated by Paul Wells. The discussion examined governing Quebec during transition and policy pressures shaping the province’s next phase.

www.mcgill.ca/maxbellschoo...

We're delighted for our colleagues at the Trottier Institute for Science and Public Policy: Nick King as Associate Director and Rhonda Moore as Professor of Practice!

www.mcgill.ca/tispp/channe...

Taylor Owen's Report to the AI Strategic Task Force | The Globe and Mail January 22, 2026 | Taylor Owen recently submitted a report to the Minister of AI and Digital Innovation with recommendations on democratic governance and safety in his capacity as a member of Canada's...

@taylorowen.bsky.social submitted a report to the Minister of AI and Digital Innovation with recommendations on democratic governance and safety in his capacity as a member of Canada's AI Strategy Task Force.

Read the article on @theglobeandmail.com or the report on @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social:

Join us on February 13 at 12:00 noon EST for a webinar featuring Maria Popova, Vincent Rigby, and Carsten-Andreas Schulz on Trump’s Foreign Policy and Canada’s Strategic Dilemmas @cpsa-acsp.bsky.social @mcgillpolisci.bsky.social @popovaprof.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.ca/e/trumps-for...

New World Order: Canada on the World Stage with David Mulroney & Jennifer Welsh Podcast Episode · The Herle Burly · 2026-01-17 · 1h 19m

Jennifer Welsh joined The Herle Burly podcast to discuss the implications of Prime Minister Carney’s recent trip to China.

Welsh argues that while a “New World Order” is indeed emerging, the real question is what form it will ultimately take.

Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/t...

Meet one of the program directors for The Art of Writing About Policy, Neil Bouwer!

Currently a professor of practice at @mcgill.ca’s @maxbellschool.bsky.social, Neil shares his expertise in framing complex issues and communicating them clearly to diverse audiences.

Looking Back on 2025 at the Max Bell School Through out 2025, the Max Bell School was a dynamic hub for debate, analysis, learning, and collaboration on some of today’s most pressing public policy challenges. Through teaching, research, policy ...

It’s been an exciting year at Max Bell! As we wind down for the holiday season, we’re reflecting on the progress we’ve made together.

We’re deeply grateful for our policy community, and we look forward to another year of growth, thoughtful dialogue, and meaningful impacts. See you in 2026! 🎉📚 🤗

Panel: Data Privacy in an AI World | Attention: Govern Or Be Governed At Attention: Govern Or Be Governed, Philippe Dufresne (Privacy Commissioner of Canada), Elizabeth Gary (Chair, Jersey Data Protection Authority, and former UK Commissioner of Information), and Claire Atkin (Co-Founder and CEO, Check My Ads Institute) joined Jennifer Welsh (Director, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University) to discuss what the current age of AI means for data privacy. Attention: Govern Or Be Governed was a two-day international gathering, dedicated to understanding how the world's democracies can chart a new path forward in the digital age. This event was presented by Paradigms, the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, and the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Videography by Victor Oly, Natasha Zimin, and Jorge Vasconez. Visit the Attention website to learn more: https://www.attentionconferences.com/conferences/2025-forum

Philippe Dufresne, Elizabeth Denham (Chair, Jersey Data Protection Authority) & Claire Atkin (Co-Founder & CEO, @checkmyads.org ) joined @jennifermwelsh.bsky.social (Director, @maxbellschool.bsky.social) to discuss current privacy laws and AI governance.

Watch their panel here: tinyurl.com/2xvt2jsy

Employment Opportunities at the Max Bell School Use the sidebar menu to explore career opportunities at the Max Bell School. Find out more about working at McGill. Course Lecturer Course Lecturer positions are governed by the McGill Course Lecturers and Instructors Union (MCLIU) collective agreement. Please consult the collective agreement for detailed information. In accordance with the University's collective agreement with the McGill Course Lecturers' and Instructors' Union (MCLIU), a list of individuals who currently have priority points, with the Max Bell School, can be found here. All Course Lecturer positions are now posted through Workday on McGill’s Careers Website: https://mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/mcgill_careers NOTE: IF YOU ARE A CURRENT EMPLOYEE at McGill, with an active appointment in Workday who has successfully logged into Workday with an @mcgill.ca account, you must apply as a "Current employee". You must be signed into VPN using your @mcgill.ca email account prior to logging into Workday in order to be able to apply. IF YOU ARE NOT A CURRENT EMPLOYEE you must apply as an “External candidate". When you click on "apply" for a position of interest, you will then be prompted to sign into Workday. At this point, you must create an account with the use of a personal email address exclusively (i.e. @gmail.com, @yahoo.ca, etc.). DO NOT create an account using your @mail.mcgill.ca address this will cause technical issues.

The Max Bell School of Public Policy invites applications for four open positions, all with ideal start dates of Sept. 1, 2026.

- Fellowship in Sustainability
- JW McConnell Professor of Practice in Public Policy
- JW McConnell Visiting Scholar in Public Policy
- Slater Family Visiting Scholar

From left: Jennifer Welsh, Philippe Dufresne, Elizabeth Denham, and Claire Atkin. Photo by: Dzesika Devic.

For plenary panel: Data Privacy in an AI World, moderator Jennifer Welsh (@maxbellschool.bsky.social) was joined by Philippe Dufresne (Privacy Commissioner of Canada), Elizabeth Denham (Chair, Jersey Data Protection Authority), and Claire Atkin (Co-Founder and CEO, @checkmyads.org).

Lessons from Vincent Rigby on National Security and the Navigating Public Service For students walking into Vincent Rigby’s classroom at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, the conversation about national security is anything but theoretical. As the Slater Family Professor of Pra...

Vincent Rigby, a former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, pushes students to rethink what security means in an era shaped by climate change and shifting global power.

Read his reflections: www.mcgill.ca/maxbellschoo...

Interested in what it's like to be a policy analyst? RSVP for our interactive session with Neil Bouwer, a seasoned policy professional.

RSVP: future.mcgill.ca/register/F26...

YouTube video by Max Bell School of Public Policy Addressing Climate Disinformation Beyond Borders | Climate at a Crossroads

In the keynote, Charlotte Scadden, UN Senior Adviser on Information Integrity, warns that “we will not achieve our climate goals without strengthening the information ecosystem.” In conversation with Jennifer Welsh, she urged democracies like Canada to lead through transparency and digital literacy.

YouTube video by Max Bell School of Public Policy Building Resilience Against Climate Disinformation | Climate at a Crossroads

Moderated by Molly Thomas, this panel explored how societies can resist climate disinformation. Andrea Cairola warned of a “perfect storm” for journalists, Geoff Dembicki urged countering fossil fuel narratives, Juhi Sohani highlighted “auntie networks,” and Adam Lynes-Ford stressed community trust.

YouTube video by Max Bell School of Public Policy Markets Under Pressure: Ecofiscal Tools and Climate Disinformation | Climate at a Crossroads

The second panel moderated by Christopher Ragan explored how misinformation and polarization erode trust in climate policy. Kathryn Harrison tied views on carbon pricing to partisanship, Andrew Leach warned of oversimplification, and Catherine McKenna urged confronting fossil fuel disinformation.

YouTube video by Max Bell School of Public Policy Mapping the State of Climate Disinformation | Climate at a Crossroads

The first conference panel moderated by Sonja Solomun traced how climate disinformation has moved from denial to delay. Chris Russill discussed conspiratorial narratives, Amy Janzwood examined “extractive populism,” and Michael Khoo urged stronger regulation to restore trust in digital platforms.

Climate at a Crossroads | Ecofiscal Annual Conference - YouTube Thursday, October 9, 2025 https://www.mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/events/past/2025/climate-crossroads At a time of mounting climate urgency, the integrity of our...

If you missed last week’s "Climate at a Crossroads," the recordings are now up! Hosted by The Walrus, the Max Bell School and the Centre for MTD, expert panels examined how climate disinformation crosses borders and shapes global action.

Watch the recordings below.

Incredible #ClimateAtACrossroads event yesterday, hosted by @thewalrus.ca & McGill's @maxbellschool.bsky.social. I joined a passionate panel alongside Kathryn Harrison, Andrew Leach, and Christopher Ragan for a feisty discussion about fighting climate disinformation & greenwashing.

Climate at a Crossroads Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

You can watch the livestream here: tinyurl.com/24e23wd5 or at thewalrus.ca

Tune in to hear Deputy Director at the Centre, @sonjasolomun.bsky.social, in panel 1: Mapping The State of Climate Disinformation.

Be sure to check out Climate at a Crossroads today! This day-long event from @thewalrus.ca and @maxbellschool.bsky.social, in partnership with the Centre, brings together global experts to explore how climate disinformation is restraining progress. 🧵

🗓️ "The Future of Canadian Immigration"
Nov. 27, 5:30pm // Toronto Reference Library; Toronto
with Parisa Mahboubi, PhD and Rebekah Young

RSVP & learn more: mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/lectures

🗓️ "Five Walls and a Door: The Secret Sauce of Canadian Immigration"
Nov. 18, 5pm // Chrysler Pavillion, Pier 21; Halifax
with Ninette Kelley

RSVP & learn more: mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/lectures

🗓️ "How Canada Got Immigration Right, and Then Wrong"
Oct. 28, 5pm // National Music Centre, Studio Bell; Calgary
with Martha Hall Findlay

RSVP & learn more: mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/lectures

In "Borderline Chaos: How Canada Got Immigration Right, and Then Wrong," and accompanying lectures, @theglobeandmail.com columnist Tony Keller considers how Canada's immigration system can be rebuilt better than before.

mcgill.ca/maxbellschool/lectures

Season 2 of Machines Like Us is out now!

AI has thrown universities into turmoil. This week's episode: should educators embrace AI or ban it outright?

#MachinesLikeUs #Podcast #AI #HigherEd

🚨 Information Incident Notification: Ripple Effects of the Charlie Kirk Assassination in the Canadian Information Ecosystem. 🧵

#charliekirk #cdnpoli #uspoli

In an article for The Globe and Mail, authors Jennifer Welsh and Denise Dresser argue that Canada and Mexico must deepen their partnership to tackle the challenges posed by U.S. protectionist trade policies and the security agenda

Read the article: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

🚨 Upcoming event: Join Deputy Director at the Centre, @sonjasolomun.bsky.social, on October 9th for Climate at a Crossroads, presented by @maxbellschool.bsky.social and @thewalrus.ca.