Michael Wolfson

Dr. Michael C. Wolfson, B.Sc., (Toronto — mathematics, computer science and economics 1971), Ph.D. (Cambridge — Economics 1977) recently retired as Assistant Chief Statistician, Analysis and Development, at Statistics Canada. He was awarded a Canada Research Chair in Population Health Modeling / Populomics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa in 2010.

Dr. Wolfson’s areas of expertise include program review and evaluation, tax/transfer policy, pension policy, income distribution, design of health information systems, microsimulation modeling of socio-economic policy and health dynamics, and analysis of the determinants of health.

He held positions in the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance, the Privy Council Office, the House of Commons, and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office prior to joining Statistics Canada. He was also a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Program in Population Health (1988-2003).

His numerous articles have addressed topics such as assessing the inter-generational equity of Canada’s pension and health care systems, the design of an appropriate system of health statistics, modeling disease determinants and treatments, income inequality and polarization trends, and income and income inequality as determinants of population health.

Dr. Wolfson is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and a member of the International Statistical Institute.

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Commentaries by Dr. Michael Wolfson:

Is it time for a major tax reform // Une importante réforme fiscale : l’heure est-elle venue?
Qu’ont réellement à craindre les médecins du resserrement des règles proposé par le fédéral en matière d’impôt?
Should the loudest voices prevail on proposed tax reform — even if it is shrill hyperbole? // Les voix les plus fortes devraient-elles prévaloir contre la réforme fiscale proposée, même s’il s’agit d’une réaction excessive?
What do doctors really have to fear from the feds’ tax crackdown?
The sky is falling on small business – or is it? // Le ciel est-il en train de s’abattre sur la tête des petites entreprises?
People need less money to live as they get older? If only.
Do Canadians spend too much on taxes?
Saving our health system means reining in costs for doctors, tests and drugs // L’assainissement des coûts liés aux services des médecins, aux examens et aux médicaments pour assurer la viabilité de notre système de santé
Statistics Canada releases data on the top 1% income earners for the first time
Not-so-modest proposals for improving the CPP/QPP
How our health system contributes to a more equal society
Why we need an improved and sustainable CPP
How much is enough retirement income?
Income mobility is still a problem in Canada
Generational Fairness and Old Age Security
OAS savings could turn out to be costly
Why Canada needs to expand its public pension system