Brian Dijkema

Vice President, External Affairs

 

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.

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Writings

Protections for Users of High-Cost Credit
Apr 1, 2021
Research Report
Fuelling Canada's Middle Class
Dec 2, 2020
Research Report
Response to NDP Plan for Long-Term Care
Nov 5, 2020
Research Article
Royally Flushed: Reforming Gambling to Work for, Not Against, Atlantic Canada
Jul 15, 2020
Research Report
Royally Flushed: Reforming Gambling to Work for, Not Against, Alberta
Jul 15, 2020
Research Report
Royally Flushed: Reforming Gambling to Work for, Not Against, British Columbia
Jul 15, 2020
Research Report
Structural Challenges to Personal Support Worker Funding
Jun 29, 2020
Research Report
Pressing Its Luck
Jun 9, 2020
Research Report
A Call to Action to Support Canadian Civil Society in Response to COVID-19
Mar 20, 2020
Research Report
Memento Mori
Mar 19, 2020
Comment Article
“I Didn’t Become an Apache. I Was Born an Apache.”
Feb 6, 2020
Comment Article
Smudging Indigenous Religious Freedom
Jan 17, 2020
Convivium Research & Analysis
Work is About More Than Money
Dec 17, 2019
Research Report
People Over Paperwork
Nov 12, 2019
Research Report
Who's Afraid of Social Justice?
Aug 1, 2019
Comment Article
The Changing Face of Payday Lending in Canada
Jun 26, 2019
Research Report
Another Look at the Lending Market
Jun 21, 2019
Convivium Article
The Facts on Fair and Open Contract Bidding
Jun 5, 2019
Article
Editorial: To Love is to Build
May 17, 2019
Comment Article
A Productive Manifesto
Feb 6, 2019
Comment Article
Headquarters: Work & Economics
Dec 3, 2018
Comment Article
Work and Family in Sync
Nov 15, 2018
Comment Article
Shortchanging Ontario's Cities
Sep 25, 2018
Research Report
Liberty, Equality, ...Disintegration?
Sep 18, 2018
Comment Article
Editorial: Living with Integrity
Aug 9, 2018
Comment Article
The NDP’s Anti-Labour Paradox
Jul 27, 2018
Convivium Article
Skimming Off the Top
Jul 16, 2018
Research Report
All the Lonely Workers
Jun 14, 2018
Comment Article
Springing the Debt Trap
Apr 11, 2018
Convivium Article
New Powers, New Responsibilities: A Guide for Municipalities on Payday Loan Regulation
Apr 9, 2018
Research Report
Can We Trust the Gatekeepers?
Mar 1, 2018
Comment Article
No Longer the Best: The Effects of Restrictive Tendering on the Region of Waterloo
Mar 1, 2018
Research Report
The White-Collar Pickle
Feb 8, 2018
Convivium Article
Payday Loan Regulations: A Horse Race Between Red Tape and Innovation
Jan 11, 2018
Research Report
Up, Up, and Away
Dec 6, 2017
Research Report
Yes, Economics is Religious. This is Not a Bad Thing.
Sep 26, 2017
Research Article
The Commons: Ora et Labora on the 401
Sep 1, 2017
Comment Article
Strengthening Protection for Consumers of Alternative Financial Services - Phase One
Aug 11, 2017
Research Report
How Ontario's labour law changes will affect unions
Jun 21, 2017
Research Article
Headquarters: Work & Economics
Jun 1, 2017
Comment Article
L'Etat, C'Est Toi
Jun 1, 2017
Comment Article
Can States Be Christian?
May 25, 2017
Comment Article
Behind the Tapestry: Continuing the Conversation with Andrew Bennett
May 18, 2017
Comment Article
Phoenix: PSAC chief's "don't forgive" argument weakens union
May 11, 2017
Research Article
Proper Property Rights
Apr 18, 2017
Convivium Article
We warned you, Toronto
Apr 12, 2017
Research Article
Lead us Not into Temptation
Apr 7, 2017
Research Article
The Cornerstone the Economists Rejected
Mar 30, 2017
Comment Article
Anglicans and Money
Mar 1, 2017
Research Report
Give It Up For Lent
Mar 1, 2017
Convivium Article
Testimony to Standing Committee on Social Policy on Putting Consumers First Act (Bill 59)
Feb 27, 2017
Research Report
Faith, Work, and Economics: A Guide Book
Feb 15, 2017
Research Article
Restrictive Tendering: Protection For Whom?
Jan 17, 2017
Research Report
The Will is Not Enough
Dec 1, 2016
Comment Article
Freedom’s Fullest Function
Nov 22, 2016
Convivium Article
Editorial: Cultural Jigs
Nov 10, 2016
Comment Article
Thinking Carefully about "Creative Destruction"
Sep 1, 2016
Comment Article
Workers Present
Jul 5, 2016
Convivium Article
Lowering the Cost of Borrowing for Payday Loans in Ontario
May 27, 2016
Research Report
Business Gone Quiet
Apr 5, 2016
Research Report
Reconstructing the Alliance Between Christianity and Organized Labour
Mar 24, 2016
Comment Article
Which NDP will introduce the "Act to End Predatory Lending"?
Mar 23, 2016
Convivium Article
Headquarters: Payday Lending
Mar 3, 2016
Comment Article
Banking on the Margins
Feb 22, 2016
Research Report
Opening the Soul of the City: Talking About Cities with Noah Toly and Milton Friesen Part II
Jan 13, 2016
Comment Article
Urban Drama: Talking about Cities with Noah Toly and Milton Friesen, Part I
Jan 7, 2016
Comment Article
How to Read an Encyclical (and Why)
Dec 1, 2015
Comment Article
Competing Memories: A Conversation with Rudzani Muloiwa
Dec 1, 2015
Comment Article
Banking on the Margins: Reforming Payday Loans
Oct 29, 2015
Research Article
Common Good & The Classroom
Aug 1, 2015
Convivium Article
The Ethics of Attention in an Age of Distraction
Jun 25, 2015
Comment Article
Making Marriage Work
Jun 1, 2015
Comment Article
"Creation Regained" at Thirty, Part II
Apr 23, 2015
Comment Article
"Creation Regained" at Thirty
Apr 16, 2015
Comment Article
The American Housing Massacre
Mar 12, 2015
Comment Article
The Work of Our Hands
Mar 1, 2015
Comment Article
Learning with Your Hands
Mar 1, 2015
Comment Article
The Joy of Sex, the Pangs of Labour
Jan 15, 2015
Comment Article
La Verdadera Libertad
Dec 19, 2014
Convivium Article
A Prudential Manifesto: Class Struggle for the Common Good
Dec 1, 2014
Comment Article
The Building Meaning Project Paper and Recommendations
Nov 19, 2014
Research Report
Hiding in Plain Sight: Evaluating Closed Tendering in Construction Markets
Sep 9, 2014
Research Report
Expand the Inner Circles
Aug 21, 2014
Convivium Article
What the Government Should Do
Jun 3, 2014
Convivium Article
Regimes of Tolerance
Apr 29, 2014
Convivium Article
It Really Is All About You
Apr 17, 2014
Convivium Article
Turn your back to them
Apr 8, 2014
Convivium Article
The Other Side of the Economics Coin
Mar 26, 2014
Convivium Article
An Enabling Economy
Mar 4, 2014
Convivium Article
In Good Faith: Compromise in the Face of a Revolution
Mar 1, 2014
Comment Article
Consumption and Culture-Making
Mar 1, 2014
Comment Article
Sacrifice: A Measure of Success
Feb 25, 2014
Convivium Article
The Business of Patronage
Feb 11, 2014
Convivium Article
Hammering at the Big Questions
Jan 28, 2014
Convivium Article
Listen to Sally Singh!
Jan 7, 2014
Convivium Article
Competition and Cooperation
Dec 19, 2013
Research Report
Canadian Christmas in the Reflektive Age
Dec 17, 2013
Convivium Article
Seeking Empty Stomachs
Dec 3, 2013
Convivium Article
Simon Says: Faith is Great for Business
Nov 21, 2013
Convivium Article
Remembering How?
Nov 11, 2013
Convivium Article
Law Good, Virtue Better
Nov 8, 2013
Convivium Article
Contingency in Politics
Oct 25, 2013
Convivium Article
Pomp and Pluralism
Oct 17, 2013
Convivium Article
A Double-Edged Sword
Sep 26, 2013
Convivium Article
Draw the Shades on the Fishbowl
Sep 19, 2013
Convivium Article
What Lies Beneath Public Discourse
Sep 12, 2013
Convivium Article
Made to Measure: A History of Institutions
Sep 1, 2013
Comment Article
The Back End of the Golden Goose
Aug 15, 2013
Convivium Article
The Play-Date Apocalypse is Upon Us
Aug 9, 2013
Convivium Article
Usury and Unity
Aug 8, 2013
Convivium Article
Sacrifice Binds Us
Jul 25, 2013
Convivium Article
Shalom—Now Chestnut-Coloured and With a Hoppy Finish
Jul 18, 2013
Convivium Article
Socialist Acts?
Jul 2, 2013
Convivium Article
Engagement > Catharsis
Jun 28, 2013
Convivium Article
Markets in Love?
Jun 26, 2013
Convivium Article
Where are the Atheist Churches?
Jun 6, 2013
Convivium Article
More is Not Enough
May 23, 2013
Convivium Article
Open Tendering Briefing Note
May 21, 2013
Research Report
Le Parti Moustique
May 16, 2013
Convivium Article
Bad Medicine For Trade Unions
May 6, 2013
Convivium Article
Neither Too Simple Nor Too Complex: The Bangladesh Tragedy
May 3, 2013
Convivium Article
Straight Lines and Last Names: How to See Like a State
Apr 19, 2013
Comment Article
Playing Peek-a-boo with Political Principles
Apr 18, 2013
Convivium Article
Keep the Super PACs out of Canada
Apr 11, 2013
Convivium Article
Standing Horn to Horn
Mar 25, 2013
Convivium Article
Less Power, More Flourishing
Mar 22, 2013
Convivium Article
Green Shoots of Humanity
Mar 18, 2013
Convivium Article
Cardus Construction Competitiveness Brief
Feb 20, 2013
Research Report
Religion and Realism in Canadian Foreign Policy
Feb 13, 2013
Convivium Article
Glorious Adulation
Feb 7, 2013
Convivium Article
Quinoa Strikes Help No One
Jan 25, 2013
Convivium Article
Theology Matters
Jan 16, 2013
Convivium Article
Less than Exemplary
Jan 10, 2013
Convivium Article
A whole lot of decisions to be made
Jan 8, 2013
Convivium Article
Blinded by the Light
Dec 21, 2012
Convivium Article
An Engagement with Acton on Right to Work
Dec 14, 2012
Convivium Article
A Fate Worse Than Death
Dec 6, 2012
Convivium Article
Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water or a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey?
Nov 29, 2012
CPiP Article
Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water or a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey?
Nov 29, 2012
CPiP Article
Battlefield: University
Nov 15, 2012
Convivium Article
Memento Mori
Nov 9, 2012
Convivium Article
Marvel and Wonder in October
Nov 1, 2012
Convivium Article
The Curious Case of Canadian Democracy
Oct 25, 2012
Convivium Article
Cardus Construction Competitiveness Monitor
Oct 25, 2012
Research Report
Public Wastelands
Oct 18, 2012
Convivium Article
Where is this Ship Headed, Captain?
Oct 12, 2012
Convivium Article
A Bit of Perspective
Oct 4, 2012
Convivium Article
Labour Storms
Sep 14, 2012
Convivium Article
Persuade Me
Sep 10, 2012
Convivium Article
Limits on Scripture
Aug 30, 2012
Convivium Article
Secular Does Not Mean What You Think it Means
Aug 15, 2012
Convivium Article
The Peach is Charged with the Grandeur of God
Aug 8, 2012
Convivium Article
Whispering in Public
Aug 2, 2012
Convivium Article
Buildings Encouraging Idiocy?
Jul 26, 2012
Convivium Article
A Culture on Fire?
Jul 13, 2012
Convivium Article
Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets
Jul 4, 2012
Convivium Article
Apocalypse & Gloria
Jul 1, 2012
Convivium Article
Reaping the Whirlwind
Jun 29, 2012
Convivium Article
Competition or Regulation? Reforming Labour Relations in Canada
Jun 22, 2012
CPiP Article
Taking the Heidelberg Catechism to Work
Jun 21, 2012
Convivium Article
Absurd, and Good
Jun 14, 2012
Convivium Article
Why the Queen is Better Than We Are
Jun 7, 2012
Convivium Article
What kind of culture of generosity do we want?
May 31, 2012
Convivium Article
Cultivating Civic Virtue
May 24, 2012
Convivium Article
Sick Schools, Sick Students, Sick State
May 8, 2012
Convivium Article
A little thin, isn't it?
May 4, 2012
Convivium Article
Canada Includes the State, But Is More than the State
Apr 27, 2012
Convivium Article
The Race to the Top
Apr 18, 2012
Convivium Article
A Band of Love
Apr 12, 2012
Convivium Article
Please, do my job for me
Apr 4, 2012
Convivium Article
Surprising Evidences of Unity
Apr 4, 2012
Comment Article
Truly, God never abandons
Mar 29, 2012
Convivium Article
Centrist politics: the problem, not the solution
Mar 26, 2012
Convivium Article
What's a Soul Worth?
Mar 22, 2012
Convivium Article
Government Addictions
Mar 15, 2012
Convivium Article
Contesting the Defence of Liberal Hegemony
Mar 1, 2012
Convivium Article
Editorial: Mixed Reviews
Mar 1, 2012
Comment Article
Condemnations, contradictions, and rich ironies
Feb 24, 2012
Convivium Article
Ignoring a Key Reason for the Decline of Unions
Feb 16, 2012
Convivium Article
The Repentance of Thieves and Murderers
Feb 9, 2012
Convivium Article
Inside Baseball: Why NeoCalvinists are Newer Calvinists Than They Think
Feb 2, 2012
Convivium Article
What the Monks of Tibhirine Teach Us about Faith and Public Life
Jan 27, 2012
Convivium Article
Helping the Humanities Out of its Funk
Jan 26, 2012
Convivium Article
We live in a Culture of Lies . . . So What?
Jan 20, 2012
Convivium Article
Go Inquire About What is Written in this Book that has been Found
Jan 18, 2012
Convivium Article
How we think of religious freedom
Jan 12, 2012
Convivium Article
What does debt do to us?
Jan 5, 2012
Convivium Article
Hope Against Those Who Have No Hope
Dec 22, 2011
Convivium Article
Hidden Costs of Prosperity
Dec 15, 2011
Convivium Article
White Bread Liberalism is Stale
Dec 8, 2011
Convivium Article
Taking responsibility together
Dec 1, 2011
Convivium Article
Ireland and Quebec
Nov 25, 2011
Convivium Article
Money Ain't a Thing
Nov 17, 2011
Convivium Article
Remember and Believe
Nov 10, 2011
Convivium Article
I'll Take the Candy—Hold the Confusion
Oct 27, 2011
Convivium Article
Going Local: A New Kind of Short-Termism?
Oct 27, 2011
CPiP Article
The New York Times' (and America's) Rejection of Faith
Oct 20, 2011
Convivium Article
College of Trades: An Impossible Institution
Sep 8, 2011
Research Report
Editorial: What we talk about when we talk about society
Sep 1, 2011
Comment Article
The Enchanted Animal
Jul 27, 2011
Comment Article
Beauty and the Best of It
Jun 6, 2011
Comment Article
Why Eagleton Is Half-Right
May 20, 2011
Comment Article
Promise of Rain
Oct 22, 2010
Comment Article
International Unions: The Midwives of Rights Regimes
Jun 16, 2010
CPiP Article
I, like a tomato plant
Mar 12, 2010
Comment Article
Shop Class as Soulcraft
Oct 30, 2009
Comment Article
Head and hand together: rediscovering craftsmanship
May 8, 2009
Comment Article
Living with Liberalism: six strategies for faithfulness
Dec 1, 2006
Comment Article

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