Start from a different place . . .
"I don’t think we spend too much money on it in the government. I just don’t think that we spend it very well. I think we spend it in a very cliquish, narrow sort of way. But I don’t think that we need to spend a lot more. I certainly don’t think that we should spend a lot less. .. Art and culture critic Robert Fulford on arts spending in a Frontier Conversation . . .          "Politicians don’t realize that the science is not settled on climate change. They think it’s a done deal and it’s inevitable that they have to take action so the question that they face is what type of action should we take? But I think they need to step back and do the science because it’s not clear that there is a problem because of climate change. There may be no problem at all." - Frontier's conversation with Lawrence Solomon, author of "The Deniers" . . . .           "As a thought experiment, if SaskPower, SaskEnergy and SaskTel were privately owned and independently regulated, would the public of Saskatchewan support a government policy to borrow billions of dollars to nationalize them?" - a Frontier conversation with Sheldon Schwartz . . .           Although Human Rights Commissions were founded to address insupportable abuses in the areas of employment and accommodation, their mandate has been unwisely expanded to include what is, in effect, a censor’s role. Read the latest Policy Series Paper . . .           Allowing public housing tenants the "right to buy" - a Frontier Policy Series Paper . . .           Getting rich by exporting water to the United States - read the provocative new Frontier Backgrounder . . .          Frontier's first video documentary debuts - Watch "Your Land is not Your Land" - How the RM of Ellice expropriated an 87 year old farmer's property for murky "tourism development" purposes.          Professor Bryan Schwartz explores Manitoba as a "supplicant society" - A Conversation on the Frontier . . .          Test your climate change knowledge on Frontier's Smart Green Climate Change Quiz . . .          Making the case for fiscal constitutions in the provinces - Leveling the Spending Field - a Policy Series Paper . . .          Our schoolkids are being taught a particular environmental ideology - why that's a problem - A Frontier Education Backgrounder . . .           Making the case that principals should not be in the teachers' union - another Education Backgrounder . . .          When factors such as household income are controlled, there is no evidence that greater access to computers at school has a positive correlation with academic achievement . . . Read the Frontier Backgrounder on computers in our schools . . .          Indigenous Peoples from an International Perspective - Comparing aboriginals in Australia, New Zealand and Canada - Policy Series Paper . . .          The Frontier Centre for Public Policy releases its 2nd Annual Aboriginal Governance Index, based on a weighted composite of scores evaluating six broad areas of good governance. This year's index covers 112 Aboriginal communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Read Canada's only independent assessment of First Nations governance here . . .          A Canadian and European think tank jointly release the first ever international consumer-focused bench-marking of national healthcare systems comparing Canada and 29 European countries. We unveil the 2008 Euro-Canada Health Consumer Index . . .          A smarter way to fight poverty - "Removing more people at the bottom of the income ladder entirely from the tax code is a superior means of fighting poverty." - Read the Policy Series Paper . . . .          The line losses on Manitoba's planned west side transmission line alone will generate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to an extra 40,000 cars a year. Read the Policy Series Paper - "A Thread Down a Football Field" . . .           Frontier Centre releases its inaugural comprehensive evaluation of the finances of Canada's 30 most populous cities - read our preliminary snapshot of the financial landscape of urban Canada as profiled in the 2007 Local Government Performance Index . . .          David MacKinnon, Ontario critic of regional subsidies discusses how "unthinking money" from Ontario and Alberta retards Manitoba's policy landscape, a Conversation on the Frontier . . .          "Notwithstanding a weaker propensity to invest and expand, publicly retained SaskTel is indistinguishable from MTS . . ." - read the Policy Series Paper comparing SaskTel and MTS . . .          Taking all the cars off Canada’s roads would get us only halfway to Kyoto’s targets for greenhouse gas reductions. . . 10 "Smart Green" ideas to reduce greenhouse gases. . .           Modernizing environmental policy in Canada - the seven principles for making policy "smart green" - A Frontier Policy Series Paper . . .           
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The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent public policy think tank whose mission is "to broaden the debate on our future through public policy research and education and to explore positive changes within our public institutions that support economic growth and opportunity." ...More

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Why Our Independence Matters to You

1. No Government Funding

Because we seek to comment objectively on public policy, FCPP is the only registered Prairie-based think tank which declines government grants.

2. Diversified Funding Base

We diversify our funding base as much as possible to ensure that we are not beholden to any particular industry, interest or persons. Individuals and businesses that see value in exploring better policy support FCPP. The bulk of our funding comes from charitable foundations that support public policy work in Canada.

3. Board/Staff Firewall

A respected Board of Research Advisors guarantees the independence and integrity of our work. The Centre has a formal policy, embodied in a Board of Directors resolution, that forbids any direct Board involvement or influence in the Centre's education efforts.

For an objective, arm's length take on public policy you can trust the very independent . . . Frontier Centre for Public Policy.


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Latest Frontier Channel Video
Jun 29, 2008 The Deniers - The Science Is Not Settled on Global Warming (Solomon)
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    • May 23, 2008 Your Land is Not Your Land - Frontier's first video documentary
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    • Apr 13, 2008 Opiate of the Messes (Schwartz)
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    • Feb 13, 2008 Aboriginal Governance Rankings (CBC)
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    • Feb 13, 2008 Aboriginal Governance Rankings (CTV - Regina)
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    • Feb 8, 2008 Housing Affordability (Canada AM)
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    • Feb 8, 2008 Saskatchewan's Affordable Housing (CTV-Regina)
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    • Jan 27, 2008 Euro-Canada Health Consumer Index 2008 - MPE Seminar
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    • Jan 23, 2008 Putting the Consumer First in Healthcare (CBC French TV)
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    • Jan 15, 2008 The Route Not Taken (Hugh McFadyen)
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    • Jan 11, 2008 Your Land is Not Your Land (Antoine Hacault)
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    • Dec 20, 2007 Manitoba Farm Land Expropriation on CJOB
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    • Nov 20, 2007 Why Ontario Should Not and Can Not Pay Much Longer (MacKinnon)
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    • Nov 13, 2007 People-Centred Healthcare (Speech)
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    • Nov 7, 2007 Ontario Tires of Equalization (Global TV)
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    • Oct 28, 2007 Globalization and the Fashion Industry (Michael Silver)
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    • Oct 24, 2007 Give Me a Break - Stossel on Global Warming
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    • Oct 17, 2007 Europe Ends the Closed Shop - Södergren & Mortimer
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    • Oct 6, 2007 Cracking Egg-Heads at the U of M - Rod Clifton
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    • Sep 18, 2007 A Personal View of the Indian Reserve System - Don Sandberg
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    • Jun 27, 2007 A Path to Prosperity for First Nations - Calvin Helin
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    • Jun 27, 2007 It’s Time to Sink the Fish Marketing Monopoly - Kim Sigurdson
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    • May 28, 2007 Once Were Warriors - Alan Duff
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    • May 14, 2007 Best Way to Fund Public Schools - Cirtwill
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    • May 4, 2007 Alan Duff & Henare O'Keefe on APTN News
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    • Apr 22, 2007 A Really Balanced Report Card
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    • Apr 18, 2007 The Milk Mafia
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    • Mar 22, 2007 Economic Indicators for Natives (Don Sandberg on APTN)
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    • Mar 20, 2007 The Present and the Past - Hon. Charlie Mayer
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    • Mar 17, 2007 Killing with Kindness - How Equalization Harms Manitoba
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    • Mar 16, 2007 Manitoba Prosperity, Niels Veldhuis
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    • Feb 26, 2007 The Chaoulli Decision - John Carpay
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    • Feb 9, 2007 Show Me the Money - John De Pape on Barley Marketing
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    • Jan 31, 2007 Why There’s Nothing New About Climate Change (Tim Ball)
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    • Jan 29, 2007 Why PowerSmart Pricing Makes Sense in Manitoba (Peter Miller)
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    • Dec 2, 2006 On Oil, Electricity & Ethanol (Vaclav Smil)
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    • Nov 30, 2006 Bjorn Lomborg on Air Pollution
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    • Nov 28, 2006 Building a 21st Century Canadian Economy -Scott Brison
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    • Nov 10, 2006 Prairie Wheat Politics - Professor Al Loyns
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    • Sep 13, 2006 Dissipated Energy (Markus Buchart)
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    • Jun 22, 2006 Harry's Policy Manifesto
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    • Jun 18, 2006 The Aboriginal Governance Index (Don Sandberg on APTN)
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    • Jun 11, 2006 Re-energizing Energy Policy (Edward Schreyer)
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    • Apr 25, 2006 First Nations and the Accountability Act (Don Sandberg)
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    • Apr 6, 2006 The Subsidy Snare (Rolf Penner)
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    • Mar 29, 2006 Integrating Science & Policy (Andrew Sharpley)
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    • Mar 29, 2006 Manitoba Phosphorous Loss (Don Flaten)
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    • Mar 29, 2006 Phosphorous Management Practices (Andrew Sharpley)
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    • Mar 14, 2006 Harper Conservatives (Coyne)
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    • Feb 16, 2006 Switchgrass Energy Revolution (Samson)
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    • Feb 14, 2006 Charter Schools: Alberta's Best Kept Secret
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    • Feb 12, 2006 Farming Myths (Avery on Agvision)
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    • Jan 17, 2006 On Supply Management (Penner on Agvision)
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    • Jan 17, 2006 Putting Choice Back into Healthcare (Godley)
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    • Jan 16, 2006 Myths of Modern Farming (Avery)
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    • Dec 10, 2005 Conservative Revival? (Kheiriddin)
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    • Dec 9, 2005 The Perfect Calm
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    • Dec 8, 2005 Water and Wastewater Contracting (Segal)
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    • Dec 7, 2005 Lake Winnipeg Solution? (Steeves)
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    • Dec 5, 2005 Dead Meat
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    • Dec 4, 2005 Bjorn Lomborg - Kyoto and Global Warming
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    • Nov 18, 2005 Private Healthcare Myths (Adler on Global)
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    • Oct 31, 2005 Creating High Performance Public Schools
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    • Oct 25, 2005 A Case for Mandatory Voting?
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    • Oct 9, 2005 Bjorn Lomborg: The Real State of the World
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    • Sep 29, 2005 Bad Year for Agriculture
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    • Sep 12, 2005 Manitoba's "Un Green" Electricity Pricing (Jim Harris)
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    • Jun 21, 2005 Swedish School Vouchers (Peje Emilsson)
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    • Jun 9, 2005 A Better Way to Run the Country (Hon Bob Rae)
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    • Jun 9, 2005 How Equalization Harms Saskatchewan (Brian Crowley)
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    • Jun 5, 2005 Equalization: Welfare Trap or Helping Hand? (Brian Crowley)
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    • May 26, 2005 A Government of Our Own (Chief John Miswagon)
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    • Apr 27, 2005 The Disciplined State (Ruth Richardson)
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    • Apr 1, 2005 Should Canada Permit More Private Health Care?
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    • Mar 13, 2005 How Big is Manitoba Government?
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    • Feb 5, 2005 Kyoto No No - Tim Ball on Global Cooling
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    • Feb 4, 2005 Randal O'Toole on LRTs and Sprawl
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    • Feb 4, 2005 Rolf Penner on Trans Fats
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    • Dec 11, 2004 Paul Driessen on Eco-Imperialism
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    • Nov 30, 2004 Changing Canadian Healthcare Perceptions
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    • Sep 16, 2004 Russell Means Frontier Centre Speech
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    • May 25, 1998 The New Unionism - Can the Public Sector Compete?
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    • 2002 Frontier Channel Video
    Dec 05, 2002 Speech: "You Can't Build A City On Pity"
    Dec 05, 2002 Highlights: "You Can't Build A City On Pity"
    May 09, 2002 "Empowering Cities" - Frontier Centre Speech by Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray, May 9th 2002, Winnipeg
    Jan 29, 2002 Robert Sopuck's Breakfast on the Frontier speech on the Fedral Government's heavy handed approach to Fish Habitat Regulation on the Praries

    2001 Frontier Channel Video
    Nov 27, 2001 Les Campbell, On the NDP
    Nov 14, 2001 Nobelist James Buchanan Questions Equalization
    Aug 16, 2001 Stephen Goldsmith, Resurrecting Urban America
    May 22, 2001 Nick Newton on The Future of Transit
    May 14, 2001 Henry Zondervan, The Charter School Solution
    Mar 09, 2001 Modernizing Medicare

    2000 Frontier Channel Video
    Dec 14, 2000 Dennis Owens on Global Warming
    Dec 05, 2000 Optimum Size of Government speech by Andrei Illarionov
    Dec 05, 2000 Andrei Illarionov: Questions & Answers
    Dec 05, 2000 Andrei Illarionov: University of Manitoba Seminar
    Oct 19, 2000 Dennis Owens on Swedish Healthcare (A-Channel)
    Oct 19, 2000 Sweden's Health Reforms, Speech, By Johan Hjertqvist
    Sep 27, 2000 Managed Competition, The Phoenix Experience, Speech, By Ron Jensen
    Aug 31, 2000 Peter Holle & Dennis Owens on Liquor Retailing a Core Government Function? (A-Channel)
    Aug 23, 2000 Peter Holle & Garth Steek on Separating Politicians from Administration (A-Channel)
    Jul 21, 2000 Dr. David Beito - "From Mutual Aid to the Welfare State"
    Jun 29, 2000 Dr. Tom Flanagan on First Nations Policy
    Jun 21, 2000 Dr. David Gratzer on Canada's Failing Medicare System
    May 08, 2000 The Celtic Tiger, Speech by John Bruton, Prime Minister of Ireland (1994-97)

    Early Frontier Channel Video
    - Peter Holle on Public Sector Pay
    - Pushing Back Privatization - The Indianapolis Story
    - Managed Competition In Indianapolis

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    E-mail: newideas@fcpp.org Homepage: www.fcpp.org


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    In The News

    2008-08-21
    Montreal Gazette Urges Flat Tax for Canada
    o Canada's 1917 income-tax act was just 10 pages long; today's comprises more than 1,100 pages in each language. The forms and publications (www.cra-arc.gc.ca) are trackless thickets of legalese. Even the simple basic personal tax form (due today!) is a challenge, so most of us need professionals to fill it out. Very few corporations can do without tax pros.

    o Income tax is so complicated because the system does so many things. Home-relocation loans, "grubstakers' shares," northern residents, "ecological gifts," the list of special deals goes on and on.

    o The Canada Revenue Agency needs 44,000 employees, to joust with the countless expensive private-sector tax wizards who help corporations and the rich exploit every loophole and argue for more. None of them creates any wealth; they just haggle over the wealth others create.

    o There is a better way. Imagine everyone paying at one rate, on every dollar earned. You could "do your taxes" on a postcard. About 20 versions of the flat tax exist already, many in ex-communist countries where a new tax system was designed without kowtowing to special interests. Alberta has it.

    Source: "Flat tax would make today a lot easier," The Montreal Gazette, April 30, 2008.