A look at Mancur Olson’s theory of why smaller lobby groups seem to persistently outmanoeuvre the wider voting public at election time.
David Seymour
David Seymour directed the Frontier Centre’s Saskatchewan office from 2007 to 2011. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Philosophy from the University of Auckland, where he also tutored Economics. After working as an engineer in New Zealand, he applied his passion for sound policy analysis to policy issues on the Prairies. In four years working for the Frontier Centre, David carried out extensive media work, presenting policy analysis through local and national television, newspapers, and radio. His policy columns were published in newspapers in every province as well as the Globe and Mail and the National Post. David produced policy research papers on telecommunications privatization, education, environmental policy, fiscal policy, poverty, and taxi deregulation. However, his major project with the Frontier Centre was the annual Local Government Performance Index (LGPI) which compiled financial performance statistics across all major Canadian cities. David also produced an 18 part video series based on Henry Hazlitt’s classic book Economics in One Lesson and wrote the book “Birth of a Boom – Saskatchewan’s Dawning Golden Age” in 2011.
Research by David Seymour
Why it is Rational to Vote Irrationally (Part 1 of 3): Changing one’s mind is hard, and elections provide no incentive to do so.
A look at Bryan Caplan’s theory on why rational voters maximise their welfare by holding irrational beliefs on public policy.
Mayor Nenshi to Slay Taxi Cartel?
Calgary’s Mayor may be a true reformer.
Roy Romanow stars as Eeyore on the Environment
Former SK Premier Romanow is Mr. Glum.
Featured News
Traditional Teaching is not Obsolete
Artificial intelligence has come a long way. Unlike the rudimentary software of the past, modern-day programs such as ChatGPT are truly impressive. Whether you need a 1,000-word essay summarizing the history of Manitoba, a 500-word article extolling the virtues of...
Ottawa’s Policies Defeat Its Critical Minerals Push
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a recent rush visit to the Saskatchewan Research Council’s experimental rare earth refining facility in Saskatoon. He touted his government’s efforts to promote rare earth discovery, development, and extraction, along with the...
Usage Based Billing – US Update
If usage based billing is the way of the future as claimed by Bell and the Chair of the CRTC, how come has Amazon introduced a service that offers fixed rate, monthly pricing for unlimited access to video/movie library and unlimited 2-day shipping service on the delivery of physical goods? The Globe and Mail
The Nirvana Fallacy
It’s okay to say markets are imperfect, so long as you acknowledge that government interventions are too.
It’s not a question of not being driven. We are.
An eye witness report in the Daily Telegraph shows how much potential a real market with truly autonomous schools has.
So bloody-well obvious!
David Cameron communicates bold reform clearly in a Daily Telegraph op-ed.
Who’s Being Subsidised?
Saskatchewan prolongs the folly of government housing investment.
FDR on Public Sector Unions
A letter from FDR’s archives shows a surprising position on unionisation in the public sector.
The Economists’ Consensus
A reminder of some basic propositions agreed on by the overwhelming majority of economists.
CWB Kills Wheat Acreage: Single desk prairie provinces lose wheat acreage while open market Ontario gains.
Canada is losing its status as a wheat super power with acreages steadily falling over the past fifteen years. Acreage is falling in all Prairie provinces but not in Ontario. This may be because the Prairie farmers are bound to the Canadian Wheat Board, but Ontario farmers have marketing freedom.
Myth Busters: The decline of U.S. Manufacturing
Rumours of Manufacturing’s death in the U.S. and Canada…