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kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan
@kevinmilligan.bsky.social
6.2K followers 170 following 900 posts

Professor of Economics, Vancouver School of Economics

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Economics 25%
Business 19%
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kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 3h
View from Iona Building front door this morning. @ubcvse.bsky.social looking good today!

Reposted by Kevin Milligan

cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social
Stephen Quinn @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social · 4h
The latest episode of our podcast is a good one: "Why can't Vancouver get a Skytrain to UBC built?"
Hear transit nerds nerd out about transit.
Okay, I'm one of them.

"This is Vancouver" - Listen here: www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-p...

Reposted by Mark Galeotti, Ben H. Ansell, David M. Schultz , and 23 more

seva.bsky.social
Seva @seva.bsky.social · 2d
I just finished a three-year term as an editor at an international relations journal. I began at the start of the LLM era but ended right in the middle of it. Our volume of submissions tripled and our desk reject rate rose to 75%. I have some thoughts.
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
The Age of Academic Slop is Upon Us
what happens when AI automates "normal science"?
open.substack.com

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Stephen M. Walt, Kori Schake , and 88 more

federalreserve.gov
Federal Reserve @federalreserve.gov · 3d
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell
YouTube video by Federal Reserve
www.youtube.com

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 4d
beautiful

Reposted by Kevin Milligan, Lindsay M. Tedds

tammyschirle.bsky.social
Tammy Schirle 🇨🇦 @tammyschirle.bsky.social · 13d
Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de politiques Dec 2025 issue is open access.

Carolyn Wilkins, The Doug Purvis Memorial Lecture: Central Bank Independence (You Don't Know What You've Got ‘til It's Gone)
doi.org/10.3138/cpp....
Central Bank Independence (You Don't Know What You've Got ‘til It's Gone): The Doug Purvis Memorial Lecture | Canadian Public Policy
This Doug Purvis Memorial Lecture, delivered at the 59th Annual Meetings of the Canadian Economics Association in May 2025, explores the evolution, benefits, and modern challenges of central bank independence (CBI), focusing on the Bank of Canada. It traces the Bank's development since it began operations in 1935 and compares its independence with peer institutions. The lecture highlights how CBI has supported Canada's macroeconomic stability, even as the Bank's COVID-19 response and post-pandemic inflation have challenged its legitimacy. To reinforce CBI, five steps are proposed: (1) codify price stability as the Bank's core mandate in legislation; (2) formalize governance for QE and QT; (3) strengthen forward guidance communication; (4) clarify fiscal–monetary co-ordination; and (5) establish regular, independent performance reviews. These reforms aim to preserve the Bank's credibility while enhancing transparency and accountability. In a world of rising debt and politicized economics, it remains essential to macroeconomic and financial stability that central banks continue to be strong and independent.
doi.org

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 14d
Last sunset of 2025...

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 23d
that'll need an assessment from 'ole @jmcelroy.bsky.social

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 23d
Northern solidarity.

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 29d
someone at Tunney's pasture is gonna have to put in some OT to make sure the (awesome) pop clock knows how to run backwards.....

www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-60...
Canada's population clock (real-time model)
This data visualization product provides information on the pace of population renewal in Canada. The web page shows a real-time model of population growth in Canada. The components of population grow...
www150.statcan.gc.ca

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 29d
(GDP / pc is an important economic indicator, normally. It's strongly correlated across countries with almost all the good things we like. Like Scotty, I had concerns some commentators over-indexed on it during an era with truly weird and abnormal population dynamics. It's sorting itself out now.)

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 29d
hat tip to the ever-prescient @scottycameron.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/kevi...
kevinmilligan.bsky.social Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 20
Just went back and found this tweet from @scottycameron.bsky.social from September.

Good chance it starts looking **very*** prescient.

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · 29d
GDP/pc maximalists ready to PARTY

www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/66d740f...

cc @scottycameron.bsky.social
Canada’s population contracts for the first time since early pandemic years
Statscan figures show the population fell 0.2% in the third quarter, driven by decline in international students
www.theglobeandmail.com

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Dec 9
Deadline for MA and PhD applications for the 2026 intake at VSE is coming up on Monday the 15th!

Please let your promising undergraduate students know...
ubcvse.bsky.social UBC Economics @ubcvse.bsky.social · Nov 25
The Vancouver School of Economics is still accepting applications to its MA and PhD programs. We would encourage anyone who is interested in the techniques used for addressing important economic questions.

Learn more at: economics.ubc.ca/graduate/

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Dec 6
You are correct.

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Dec 6
Great flight. Highly recommended if you have a chance on a clear day.

I had window seat south side, so pretty boring US Gulf islands instead of mountains and our gulf islands.

But the approach to Vancouver had me on the city side. See circled Iona Building!
Vancouver Harbour Lost Lqgoon and West Georgia from the air. Iona Building from the air. Looking north toward Salt Spring Island, I think. Maybe Galiano?

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Dec 6
Gonna be a bit windy, so extra fun on the ride.

(Going Victoria Harbour to Vancouver Harbour. 35 min trip...)

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Dec 5
I am unskilled at high heels and dresses, but if I had exited the window in picture 4 like this lady I would not be as chill and composed as she is in picture 5....

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Dec 5
Heading to U Vic today. Float plane was cancelled due to fog, so I got switched to a twin otter. Still fun!

Victoria is pretty much a straight shot south from YVR/Richmond.

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 30
Reindeer lichen and yarrow.

Beautiful sunny day for a walk in the forest.
Reindeer lichen Yarrow

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 25
Our @ubcvse.bsky.social application deadline is coming up soon for next year's MA and PhD entrance cohorts. Full details in the QT below!
ubcvse.bsky.social UBC Economics @ubcvse.bsky.social · Nov 25
The Vancouver School of Economics is still accepting applications to its MA and PhD programs. We would encourage anyone who is interested in the techniques used for addressing important economic questions.

Learn more at: economics.ubc.ca/graduate/

Reposted by Kevin Milligan, Nathan Nunn

ubcvse.bsky.social
UBC Economics @ubcvse.bsky.social · Nov 25
The Vancouver School of Economics is still accepting applications to its MA and PhD programs. We would encourage anyone who is interested in the techniques used for addressing important economic questions.

Learn more at: economics.ubc.ca/graduate/

Reposted by Kevin Milligan, Noel D. Johnson

mdrelichman.bsky.social
Mauricio Drelichman @mdrelichman.bsky.social · Nov 24
A @voxdev.bsky.social column on the impact of public education through the lens of economic history, by my (former) student Ben Milner @benjaminlm.bsky.social.

voxdev.org/topic/educat...
How public education transforms opportunity: Evidence from the 1870 Education Act
The 1870 Education Act demonstrates how targeted public investment in education can help narrow the gap in opportunity between rich and poor children.
voxdev.org

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 19
I'm gonna interpet that as a compliment....hahaha:)

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 17
" but the goal would have to be to provide investors with a way out, not a bailout."

I wonder what the difference is?

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 17
Saw this headline and wondered what real-estate industry booster was advocating the gifting of implicit put options to condo bag-holders.

Was more than a bit surprised to see it was from the CCPA?!?

www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
Opinion: Now that condo prices are down, Ottawa should buy them in bulk
The measure would have to be communicated as a one-off; the government wouldn’t want to encourage new condo developments
www.theglobeandmail.com

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 15
Lol

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 14
Today I learned that Yukon is in Mountain Time Zone.

But, if I have this right, they don't do daylight savings time so for 8 months a year they are effectively aligned with PDT in (most of) BC.

Do I have that right?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukon_T...

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 13
Real 'Willie Wonka Experience in Glasgow' vibe

kevinmilligan.bsky.social
Kevin Milligan @kevinmilligan.bsky.social · Nov 13
Granville Bridge renovations.....promise and delivery. Curious how many staff hours went into design of this.
cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social Stephen Quinn @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social · Nov 12
Vancouver in two pictures: