Reviving and Revising the Canada First Defense Strategy
AIMS research fellow Jeff Collins outlines the argument in favor of reviving and revising the Canada First Defense Strategy in this commentary published by the C2C Journal.
Education on Wheels: Seizing Cost and Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Student Transportation
Paul Bennett of Schoolhouse Consulting and Derek Gillis, an independent research consultant, argue that public transportation costs are too high in the Atlantic region and outline the many ways in which provincial governments can reduce them.
Free Tuition No Magic Bullet
AIMS research associate Jeff Collins and Director of Research Ben Eisen discuss the flaws of "free tuition" and argue that there is little evidence to support calls for it.
These Provinces Can Expect More Unemployment, Less Investment, and Lower Income
AIMS Director of Research Ben Eisen and Fraser Institute Senior Fellow Mark Milke discuss their new paper "Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Equalization Policy Crutch" and argue that evidence from across North America indicates that natural resource development is an important driver of economic growth.
The Ongoing Quest for Economic Diversification in Alberta
AIMS Senior Fellow Robert Roach discusses how Alberta can diversify its economy: "Diversification works best when it arises from the grassroots of the economy where market forces are harnessed rather than repressed. But for it to really take off over the long-term, it needs to be supported by an education and business development infrastructure that unleashes the inherent creativity and entrepreneurialism of Albertans.
Money Does Buy Happiness, Lots of It
AIMS Senior Fellow Robert Roach argues that money does, indeed, buy happiness: "It may not be intentional, but the mantra that money does not buy happiness implies that being poor may not be such a bad thing, and that efforts to raise incomes are misguided."
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Equalization Policy Crutch
AIMS Director of Research Ben Eisen and Fraser Institute Senior Fellow Mark Milke argue that Canada's equalization program discourages natural resource development in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, which hinders private sector investment, job creation, and additional royalty and tax revenues.
An Opportunity to Improve NB Power
AIMS Senior Fellow in Electricity Policy Gordon Weil outlines a number of ways in which the provincial government of New Brunswick could improve that province's utility.
Declining Equalization Payments, Fiscal Challenges in PEI and New Brunswick
AIMS Director of Research Ben Eisen, policy analyst Shaun Fantauzzo, and UNB economist David Murrell discuss PEI's fiscal challenges in the context of declining equalization payments in their latest opinion pieces featured in the Guardian and Telegraph Journal.
Declining Equalization Payments and Fiscal Challenges in the Small “Have-not” Provinces
In “Declining Equalization Payments and Fiscal Challenges in the Small ‘Have-not’ Provinces,” authors Ben Eisen, David Murrell, and Shaun Fantauzzo show that equalization payments as a share of provincial GDP have declined markedly in recent years in these four provinces, particularly since Ontario began receiving payments in 2009/10.