Manitoba has had fifteen years of academic decline in reading, math, and science. That is the track record of the current NDP government. Once near the Canadian average, Manitoba now sits second last out of the Canadian provinces. In a study recently released by the...
Year: 2014
Frontier Centre Releases Pipe, Dam and Electricity Dreams: Burdening Manitoba’s Next Generation
Today the Frontier Centre fror Public Policy released its latest report, Pipe, Dam and Electricity Dreams: Burdening Manitoba’s Next Generation written by Andrew Pickford. On June 20, 2014, the Public Utilities Board panel provides its report to the Manitoban...
Pipe, Dam and Electricity Dreams
A decision will shortly be made about whether to build the Keeyask and Conawapa hydroelectric dams and the associated Bipole III transmission line, which could cost Manitoba billions of dollars. This paper argues that, if approved, this will burden the next generation...
It’s Time for Internal Canadian Free Trade
Since taking office in 2006, the Harper government has negotiated over 40 separate international trade agreements and has championed the idea of free trade around the world as a means of economic and political liberalization and progress. While Canada’s approach...
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Policy Restrictions have Caused the Housing Crisis
The choice we face is clear: a modest expansion of greenfield development or greater housing poverty For 18 years, I have been monitoring international housing affordability, as author or co-author of the Demographia Housing Affordability series. The latest...
Leaders on the Frontier | So Much More We Can Be with the Hon. Grant Devine, Premier of Saskatchewan 1982-1991
The April 1982 Saskatchewan election proved to be a major turning point in the province's history. Over its nine years in office, the Devine government commenced and completed numerous policy initiatives in spite of considerable challenges including two recessions. ...
Public schools in Ontario and Quebec are infected with the cost disease
Taxpayers have good reasons to be concerned about the skyrocketing costs of education. Recently, William Baumol, professor emeritus of economics at Princeton University, used the term “cost disease“ to describe the exponential increase in the cost of social services—a...
Costs Soaring in Canada’s Schools
A new study jointly published today by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy and the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies shows that per-pupil education costs are soaring all across Canada. As taxpayers shoulder an ever-increasing burden, there is little evidence...
Funding Education in Manitoba: Let’s Pay Fair
Breakfast on the Frontier with Lorne Weiss, February 19, 2014. Thirty to forty percent of the direct cost of providing kindergarten to grade 12 education in Manitoba is paid for by property owners as a part of their property tax bill. In many cases property owners are...
Tired government can’t break spending habit
If you hoped for a balanced budget or a serious break on your taxes in the March 6 budget, you were disappointed. As to the budget itself, the government's increasing reliance on Crown corporations to pay its bills, along with its methods of reporting and accounting,...
Be prepared for realpolitik over arktik politik
In a March 6 article, Kevin McGwin rightly noted that “Arctic leaders have expressed their outrage over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but when it comes to the region’s issues it is still co-operation as usual”. Russia’s behaviour in Ukraine has been met with...
Cost sharing must be transparent and predictable
The City of Regina recently informed a number of property owners about upcoming multi-million dollar renovations that are planned for their streets. The Council plans to conduct these renovations via 'cost-sharing local improvement programs' that will require the...
Supply Management: Past its Expiration Date!
Lunch on the Frontier with Martha Hall Findlay, December 2, 2013 in Winnipeg. Despite a professed commitment to free trade, Canada has retained a staunchly protectionist supply management regime in several agricultural sectors, notably in the dairy industry. This...
How to Keep Hydro’s Power Affordable and Convenient
Is it still possible to hold future electricity rate increases to the rate of inflation? Following nine years of rate increases well above the rate of inflation, Manitoba Hydro's $30-billion plus plan includes increasing electricity rates by four per cent every year...
Canada Should Continue Creating its Own Trade Agreements
Many economists agree that free trade promotes economic growth, reduces poverty and benefits all countries that participate. The World Trade Organization is supposed to facilitate global trade by helping to reduce and eventually eliminate barriers like tariffs and...