Canada 2020: John Geddes in conversation with Miles Corak

After the 2011 rise of the occupy movement turned income inequality an international debating point, Miles Corak’s research into social mobility suddenly changed from being an obscure academic specialty to a matter of pressing, wide interest. The University of Ottawa economics professor’s frequently cited research into social mobility showed, among many things, that the link between what a son earns and how much his father made is about twice as strong in the U.S. as it is in Canada. Corak spoke at Canada 2020 on a panel on income security, and sat down afterwards with Maclean’s to talk over the nature of inequality and what to do about it.

Earlier, Corak made his 30-second pitch—on escalator between floors at the Ottawa Convention Centre—for where he sees Canada in 2020.