Brian Dijkema

Work & Economics

 

Brian Dijkema is the Vice President of External Affairs with Cardus, and an editor of Comment. Prior to joining Cardus, Brian worked for almost a decade in labour relations in Canada after completing his master's degree with Cardus Senior Fellow, Jonathan Chaplin. He has also done work on international human rights, with a focus on labour, economic, and social rights in Latin America and China.

Brian can often be found making presentations on Parliament Hill, contributing to newspapers and periodicals across Canada and regularly speaks to industry and professional associations on labour, competitiveness and economic trends.

His primary research interest at Cardus are the institutional and policy relationships between government, civil society and the markets; with a particular view to exploring how a diverse civil society contributes to a vital and thriving market economy and stable government.

All of this, however, is chaff compared to the greatest accomplishment of his life: marrying his wife Nicole and being a father to their four children—an accomplishment memorialized recently by Gary Clement in the National Post. Brian and Nicole live with their children in a small villa on Hamilton's mountain brow.

Read More

Media Coverage

Why Are Lucrative Skilled Trades a Tough Sell to Young People?
Sep 30, 2022
Mourning Queen Elizabeth II - Why September 19th Should Be a National Holiday
Sep 13, 2022
The Case for Getting Back to the Office
Sep 7, 2022
Reforming Gambling in British Columbia is a Social Justice Issue
Aug 10, 2022
Advisory Panel: No More Canadian Military Chaplains Who Believe in Conversion, Male Leadership
Jul 1, 2022
Turning Aces Into Assets: The Case For Gambling Reform In Ontario
Jun 21, 2022
This Proposed Assault on Canada's Religious Freedom Cannot Stand
May 9, 2022
Reaction to Budget 2022’s Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities
Apr 22, 2022
Rethinking How We Support People with Disabilities
Apr 21, 2022
The Holistic Value of Work, Religion in a Pluralist Society, and Why Quebec’s Bill 21 Must Be Challenged
Feb 17, 2022
Can the GOP Become the Party of the Working Class?
Feb 9, 2022
Unions need serious renewal if they want to make it in the modern economy
Feb 8, 2022
Hamilton joins other municipalities in condemning Quebec's Bill 21
Jan 21, 2022
How can we become smart, ethical shoppers in a consumerist world?
Nov 25, 2021
Pandemic takes toll on charitable giving
Nov 6, 2021
Managers shouldn't decide if employee vaccine views are valid: federal unions
Oct 29, 2021
How vax mandates fail to protect public health
Oct 28, 2021
Time to end vaccine passports in Ontario
Oct 15, 2021
Let’s move away from Ontario’s vaccine passport system
Oct 14, 2021
Opinion: It’s no coincidence we have shortages in the most regulated sectors of our economy
Sep 9, 2021
Opinion: The childcare debate is off to a good start this election. But let’s take it further
Sep 1, 2021
Conservatives’ plan would modernize child-care and family policy
Aug 19, 2021
Taxing today’s religious institutions because of residential-school horrors would be missing the point
Jul 19, 2021
Should Churches pay Taxes?
Jul 6, 2021
How Ontario can change its gambling policies to help, not hurt, low-income families
Jun 17, 2021
Single game betting rewards regressive gambling monopolies
Nov 30, 2020
To save small charities that serve the vulnerable, Ottawa must match donations
Nov 3, 2020
Labor’s Conservative Heart
Sep 8, 2020
In times of crisis we need to give more
Aug 7, 2020
Ontario's Gambling Profits Flow From a Hidden Tax on the Vulnerable
Jul 31, 2020
Charitable sector needs a government boost
Jul 23, 2020
Helping Canada's Charitable Sector Survive
May 12, 2020
Saving the Charitable Sector from its COVID Crisis
Apr 10, 2020
Charities Need Government Support as Demands Rise for Their Services
Mar 30, 2020
Places of worship need immediate government support, too
Mar 18, 2020
Don't overlook independent schools
Mar 17, 2020
Thinking about work as more than a paycheque
Jan 24, 2020
Losing your job is just the start of your unemployment problems
Dec 20, 2019
New study addresses concerns in long term care system
Nov 12, 2019
Independent schools meet an important need
Sep 25, 2019
Letter to the Editor: Our numbers were right, says Cardus
Jun 28, 2019
Letter To The Editor: Cardus issues letter to procurement expert
Jun 13, 2019
Public construction contracts should go to most qualified bidder
Feb 18, 2019
It’s important to keep a clear eye on the centre of the Bill 66 debate
Jan 21, 2019
Restricted Tendering Stunts Renewal
Sep 20, 2018
Island Voices: Infrastructure plan will make labour shortage worse
Jul 22, 2018
New regulations require BC infrastructure projects to be union-only
Jul 16, 2018
Economics expert thinks new B.C labour agreement could be pricey for taxpayers
Jul 16, 2018
Unions must adapt to survive
Jul 7, 2018
From Pools to Puddles
Jun 27, 2018
Cities crack down on payday lenders
Apr 16, 2018
Cities Have Better Options for Dealing with Payday Loan Shops
Apr 11, 2018
Toronto Considers Licensing City's Payday Loan Outlets, Capping Number Allowed City-Wide
Apr 9, 2018
William Watson: How much are all these barriers stifling competition hurting Canada? Plenty
Apr 6, 2018
Carpenters’ slam Cardus report on Waterloo contracts
Mar 13, 2018
Brian Dijkema on 570 News
Mar 5, 2018
Mandatory Carpenters’ Union Certification has Been Costly to the Region of Waterloo
Mar 5, 2018
Payday Loans Are Catching the Eye of Regulators
Feb 16, 2018
Brian Dijkema on CFPL London
Feb 5, 2018
Councillor Eyes New Rules for Payday Lenders
Jan 14, 2018
Brian Dijkema on AM570 Kitchener
Jan 12, 2018
Brian on AM640’s John Oakley Show
Jan 11, 2018
Ontario Gets ‘F’ for Capping Payday Loan Interest Rates
Jan 11, 2018
New Hamilton Rules Would Only Allow 15 Payday Loan Outlets
Jan 8, 2018
Are There Negative Consequences to a Limit on Payday Lenders in Hamilton?
Jan 8, 2018
Construction Tendering Could Become Election Issue
Dec 7, 2017
Region's Restricted Bidding Continues to Drive Up Costs: Study
Dec 7, 2017
Why Can Only Certain Construction Companies Bid for Projects in Hamilton?
Dec 7, 2017
Phoenix: PSAC chief’s ‘don’t forgive’ argument weakens union
May 10, 2017
Brian Dijkema in Toronto Star: Solutions for public housing
Jul 28, 2015
Making Public Housing Dollars Go Further
Jul 28, 2015
Dijkema and Dade in Financial Post: Let's build on the 'Canadian advantage'
Jul 8, 2015
Let Commodities Lead the Way
Jul 8, 2015
Brian Dijkema in National Post: Why pay more for infrastructure?
Jun 13, 2015
Why pay more for infrastructure?
Jun 13, 2015
Is Catholic Social Teaching the Same as Individual Contract Theory?
Jan 7, 2015
Unlike animals, human workers shouldn't be electronically banded
Aug 27, 2014
Dijkema in National Post: Get rid of Ontario's closed union shop
Jun 20, 2014
Cooperation and competition should be part of a new Canadian approach to labour policy
Apr 16, 2014
Brian Dijkema published in Inside Policy
Apr 15, 2014
Ontario Chamber of Commerce paper cites Cardus research
Nov 5, 2013
Hamilton Spectator comes out in favour of open tendering
Jul 24, 2013
Opinion: Canada's labour model is broken
Jul 17, 2013
Closed tendering drives up costs
Jun 10, 2013
Cardus study mentioned in The Record
May 30, 2013
Dijkema quoted in the Financial Post
May 23, 2013
Cardus cited in CD Howe Institute research paper
May 6, 2013
Cardus Construction Competitiveness Monitor mentioned in The Record
Mar 22, 2013
Cardus Construction Competitiveness Brief mentioned on AM570 News
Feb 22, 2013
Big isn't always better when it comes to unions
Jan 10, 2013
Peering into the Bird's Nest of Public Service Unions
Dec 7, 2012
Senior Researcher Brian Dijkema quoted in The B.C. Catholic
Dec 4, 2012
Cardus researcher Brian Dijkema quoted in the Daily Commercial News
Dec 3, 2012
Conservative bill forcing union disclosure is costly and inefficient
Nov 12, 2012
The Chicago Teachers' Strike: A Just Conflict?
Sep 21, 2012
Cardus research profiled in Hamilton Spectator, "College of Trades to regulate thousands of workers"
Mar 10, 2012
Unions and the Common Good
Dec 15, 2011
Mixed reaction from Ontario construction associations to College of Trades appointments
Nov 10, 2011
Construction associations call for infrastructure focus from Ontario Liberals
Oct 17, 2011
Dijkema responds, defends impossibility of College of Trades
Oct 11, 2011
Cardus College of Trades research covered at Building journal
Oct 5, 2011
Daily Commercial News on Cardus trades review
May 12, 2011
Winning not just Hearts but Minds
Dec 18, 2009

Writings