Policy brief on centralization
I’ve written a policy brief for the Centre on Governance and Markets, Why Centralization Goes Wrong. You can download it here.
Nov 27
Panelist at ASLH conference
On November 13, I will participate in a pre-conference symposium on imperial administration at the annual meeting of the American Society for Legal History in Detroit. The theme of the panel is “The Boomerang Effect in American Imperial Administration.” I’ve written a Substack column as background for my comments on the panel.
Panel discussion at UC Berkeley
I’ll participate in a panel discussion organized by the Canadian Studies program at UC Berkeley on November 4, 2025. My co-panelist will be Professor Evert Lindquist. Details about the discussion here. I’ve written a Substack column to go along with this discussion: “The US and Canada: Two Crises of Federalism.”
NAPA Management Matters podcast
I participated in a Management Matters podcast, hosted by James-Christian Blockwood, president of the National Academy of Public Administration, on international perspectives on the American crisis. Professor Andrew Podger also participated. Listen here.
Speaker at National Federalism Initiative Summit
I’m looking forward to participating in the inaugural National Federalism Initiative Summit, to be held in Salt Lake City on September 25-26. Details to follow.
Interview with Shaye Ganam
On September 18, 2025 I spoke with Shaye Ganam of QR770AM Calgary about my Globe and Mail oped on the need for a national conversation about Canada’s future. Listen here.
Column on UoG CPP blog on centralisation
I’ve written a short piece for the blog of the Centre for Public Policy at University of Glasgow, “The temptation and danger of centralisation.” It goes along with my comments in a plenary session at the EGPA conference in Glasgow on August 29, 2025.
Op-ed in G&M: A vision for Canada
My op-ed, “We’re missing a vision for Canada,” ran in the Globe and Mail on September 17. Read it here.
Presentation at American University of Cairo
On September 17, I will give a presentation by Zoom to a faculty research colloquium in the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo. Details about the talk are here. The presentation will be based on my recent article on the crisis of design in American government.
Finalist for Shaughnessy Cohen Prize
My book The Adaptable Country has been selected as a finalist for the Writers’ Trust 2025 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. Details here. The jury citation says: “It is popular to claim Canada is broken. Public frustration builds as governments seem reluctant or unable to effectively address the everyday problems Canadians face. Alasdair Roberts expertly suggests the problem is that our institutions lack a plan to adapt to the changes the future is bringing. His evidence includes the short-term focus of politicians; no regular, constructive federal-provincial engagement on policy issues; and a public service drowning in rules and layers of bureaucracy that stymies action. In a cogently argued, tightly focused, very accessible 141 pages, The Adaptable Country outlines how Canada can fix what is broken. It’s a timely guide for rebuilding trust and efficacy in Canada’s institutions and should be required reading for all Canadians, particularly those presently sitting in parliament and provincial legislatures.”
Alasdair S. Roberts 
