Radio Project audio
Radio: Money Does Buy Happiness
There's an old saying that "money can't buy happiness"- this is true, to some extent. Plenty of rich people are sad and many poor people are happy. However, considerable data shows that economic security does, all else equal, make people happier. Research from Princeton University shows that people with more money tend [...]
Radio: Canada’s Equalization Program Needs To Be Reformed
Canada's equalization program is motivated by good intentions. However, it creates perverse incentives for provincial governments to shun sensible economic opportunities. For example, although natural resource development is an important driver of economic growth in Canada and despite several studies that point towards the economic benefit of shale gas development, provincial governments in [...]
Radio: Free Tuition in Canada May Not be the Answer
Student activists often argue in favour of eliminating tuition fees in Canada for post-secondary education, but it's an inefficient policy strategy. Supporters of very low tuition rates argue that this policy approach can help improve university participation rates, but post-secondary participation rates are no higher in provinces like Quebec and Manitoba where tuition [...]
Radio: No Zero Policies Can be Harmful To Students
Across Canada, many school boards have adopted No Zero policies for students, which means that students cannot receive a grade of zero for their work even if it is submitted months late or incomplete. No Zero policies are harmful to students. Students quickly learn that assignment due dates amount to mere suggestions, [...]
Radio: Competition from Private Schools
Parents who send their children to private schools are sometimes accused of undermining public education. These criticisms are unfair. The evidence suggests that increased competition for students from private alternatives doesn't harm public school quality. They actually improve public school performance. For example, recent research from Florida showed that when a policy [...]