A popular quote asserts, “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” Schooling has never been a neutral enterprise. Disputes over the control of education and what children should learn have been with us for...
Throughout history, admirers of America have viewed the Republic as a beacon of liberty and a laboratory of democracy. In the early decades of the 19th century, French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville had high praise for “Democracy in America.” After...
Political issues always have a history. Looking back, scholars have identified a unique mixture of classical liberal and conservative thought that produced one of the most promising eras in the history of the English-speaking peoples. Classical liberalism emerged in...
The intersection of music and politics has been one of the most striking features of modern culture. Almost all of the nation-building movements that swept through the West after the American and French revolutions owe some of their energy to the emotional appeal of...
Those of you who are tired of my rants about the demise of our once great health system will be pleased to know that this is my last editorial. I am retiring from the BCMJ Editorial Board; currently, I am the longest-serving member (more than 20 years). I have been a...
Back in the lofty, pre-Justin Trudeau government days of 2014, back when oil was booming, pipelines were planned to east and west coasts, and Alberta and Saskatchewan were swimming in money, around $81 billion was spent in capital expenditures (CAPEX) in the Canadian...
Officials in Winnipeg and other cities have discovered that keeping a lid on property taxes while hiking user fees can boost city coffers without inciting public riots.
A recent Winnipeg study has named Montreal the most indebted major Canadian city, with debts over three times higher than the national average for Canadian cities. The study, entitled "Local Government Performance Index: A Financial Analysis of 30 Canadian Cities,"...
The stories deal with the Frontier Centre’s role in a federal consultation on that subject, and allege that our organization has somehow predetermined the conclusions of that process. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mayor Sam Katz has released his proposed budget for the coming year and for the next six years. Also, a debate about P3s (Public – Private Partnerships).
A book review of Janice MacKinnon’s book “Minding the Public Purse”, which chronicles her battle to create fiscal sanity in Saskatchewan’s government.