By ROBERT ROACH (AIMS Senior Fellow) • Troy Media, 29 January 2017 • Waterloo Chronicle, 01 February 2017 • Battlefords News-Optimist, 03 February 2017 • Times Colonist, 05 February 2017 Just when you thought the state of the debate about reforming Canada’s Senate couldn’t get any sadder, federal Conservative Party leadership hopeful Kevin O’Leary has [...]
By PATRICK WEBBER (AIMS Research Associate) • Chronicle Herald, 04 January 2017 Austerity has become a popular buzzword over the last decade, gaining traction in the aftermath of the 2008 Great Recession and subsequent fiscal troubles in Europe. It has also found its way into Atlantic Canada’s public discourse. A plethora of local organizations, from [...]
By PAUL W. BENNETT (AIMS Author) • Troy Media, 03 January 2017 Schools across Canada went to great lengths in 2016 to re-engage fidgety students in what may be known as the Year of Self-Regulation. Coping with today’s restless kids requires every conceivable pacifier, including spin bikes, exercise balls, wiggle stools and standup desks. That’s [...]
By MARCO NAVARRO-GÉNIE (AIMS President) and JACKSON DOUGHART (AIMS Policy Analyst) • The Telegram, 28 December 2016 Ferryland district MHA Keith Hutchings wrote in a letter to The Telegram recently, “It is time … to challenge the federal government on our province’s share of equalization.” (“Why isn’t the government demanding equalization?” Nov. 14). In his [...]
By JACKSON DOUGHART (AIMS Policy Analyst) and MARCO NAVARRO-GÉNIE (AIMS President) • Chronicle Herald, 22 December 2016 The authors of AIMS's study The Size and Cost of the Public Sector in Atlantic Canada, 2015 discuss the findings of their paper. They show how excessive and growing government employment in Nova Scotia constitutes a major expense [...]
By ALEX WHALEN (AIMS Operations Manager) • Journal-Pioneer, 21 December 2016 Alex Whalen discusses the recent revelations of P.E.I.'s e-gaming scandal and the audit of Atlantic Lottery. He concludes that with such disregard for taxpayer dollars, it is time for governments to divest from the gambling business. P.E.I.'s e-gaming scandal and the recent audit of [...]
By PATRICK WEBBER (AIMS Research Associate) • Financial Post, 20 December 2016 AIMS Research Associate Patrick Webber discusses his AIMS paper Measuring Austerity in Atlantic Canada. He outlines how, contrary to the rhetoric of anti-austerity advocates, all four Atlantic provincial governments have increased real absolute and per-person spending since 1980. “Austerity” has become a popular [...]
By JACKSON DOUGHART (AIMS Policy Analyst) • Troy Media, 14 December 2016 • Charlottetown Guardian, 19 December 2016 It's nearly impossible these days to have a conversation about public finance without someone crying "Austerity!" This term has become the meme of choice for political actors, activists and commentators who oppose any reductions to government spending. [...]
By JOHN RISLEY (AIMS Chairman) • Atlantic Business Magazine, 14 December 2016 Let’s speculate on the meaning of Donald Trump’s presidential win. I doubt very much that there will be a lurch to the far right. As strong minded as this President might be, he will have to bring his team and Congress along with him [...]
By PATRICK WEBBER (AIMS Author) • Telegraph-Journal, 12 December 2016 • Local Xpress, 13 December 2016 “Austerity” has become a popular buzzword, gaining traction in the aftermath of the 2008 Great Recession and subsequent financial troubles in much of Europe. It has also found its way into New Brunswick’s public discourse, having been adopted by [...]