Foreign-controlled firms are more productive than Canadian ones, according to an analysis of economic data for the years 2000–2014 conducted by Statistics Canada. (The Logic)

Talking point: Labour productivity in Canada has dropped 3.21 percentage points since 2000. There’s been a similar trend in other advanced economies, which some have argued can be linked to a reduction in the spread of digital technologies. This study offers some support for that thesis. Foreign firms, which often have access to superior technology from their parent companies, beat out their Canadian counterparts. Another Statistics Canada study released today shows that the top 10 per cent of overall productive firms had higher labour productivity than the bottom 90 per cent, but questioned whether the difference had much to do with a decrease in technology.