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Media Release - Income Support Reform that Makes Sense

Welfare pays people not to work, and we should not be surprised that it creates more of what it pays for. Whereas a rational social policy would encourage economic engagement, welfare has encouraged chronic unemployment and economic marginalization. The welfare model is a failure of vision. It has, over the last half-century, consigned hundreds of thousands of Canadians to a life of diminished well-being, low achievement and diminished happiness.


Canada's Welfare System has Failed as a Strategy for Fighting Poverty

Some claim that governments can reduce poverty by raising social assistance rates. But a study done for the Frontier Centre concluded that a more effective approach is to increase the number of people who can get off welfare and work. Rick August knows the system well. He was a senior manager dealing with social assistance in the public sector for more than 30 years. (~2 min)

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Aruna Papp joins Dave Ruhterford to discuss the issue of honour based violence against women. She also talks about her memoir: Examining the real life story of honour, shame and love. (~20 min)

~20 min 

May 8, 2012 — Unworthy Creature: A Punjabi Daughter's Memoir of Honour, Shame and Love (QR77)
Some claim that governments can reduce poverty by raising social assistance rates. But a study done for the Frontier Centre concluded that a more effective approach is to increase the number of people who can get off welfare and work. Rick August knows the system well. He was a senior manager dealing with social assistance in the public sector for more than 30 years. (~2 min)

~2 min 

April 27, 2012 — Canada's Welfare System has Failed as a Strategy for Fighting Poverty
Joined by Rick August, Regina based researcher. Rick has just released a report for the Frontier Centre on Public Policy. In his paper, ‘Taming Two Dragons: Welfare and the future of Income Support’, August argues that welfare has helped create a chronically workless underclass. Callers call in to discuss. (~22 min.)

~22 min 

April 23, 2012 — Taming Two Dragons (CBK-R)
An opinion piece by an independent social policy analyst and author of the report ‘Taming Two Dragons: Poverty, Welfare and the future of Income Support.' says it’s time to end welfare. Do you agree or disagree? (~34 min.)

~33 min 

April 23, 2012 — Is it Time to End Poverty? (CJME-R)
Aruna Papp joins Dave Rutherford to discuss honour killings in Canada. How can we address the issue effectively? It begins with the correct training. (~12 min)

~12 min 

January 31, 2012 — Honourless 'Honour Killings' (CHQR)
Honour killings expert, Aruna Papp, on the latest casualty of multi-culturalism in Canada—young South Asian women—where suicide rates are among the highest at home and abroad.

~6 min 

December 28, 2011 — Casualties of Multi-Culturalism
Extract of Christopher Hitchens's 'Busybody State' speech to the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, April 26th, 2006, on CBC Current Affairs program 'The Current' broadcast nationally May, 1, 2006

~1 min 

December 16, 2011 — Hitchens (The Current - CBC)
Speaker, Writer, and former Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Frank de Jong, spoke on the multiple benefits to urban design when municipal property taxes are shifted off buildings and onto land value alone. He spoke at a Lunch on the Frontier in Winnipeg November 25, 2011. (~56 min.)

~55 min 

November 30, 2011 — Untax Buildings, Uptax Land (de Jong)
Frontier Policy Analyst Steve Lafleur was interviewed by Rob Carnie on Moose Jaw's CHAB 800 regarding his latest Policy Series 'More Immigrants Needed to Maintain Saskatchewan's Boom'. (~12 mins)

~11 min 

November 21, 2011 — More Immigrants Needed in Saskatchewan (CHAB)
How efficiently are we managing our immigrant and refugee populations and should the Federal Government pay refugee claimants to leave the country when their applications are denied? Joining in on the discussion is Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minster of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, followed by a panel with Immigration Lawyer Raj Sharma and Steve LaFleur, Public Policy Analyst with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

~1 min 

September 8, 2011 — Is Immigration Canada Rewarding Ineligible Immigrants? (AB Primetime)
With baby boomers preparing for retirement, Canada is going to have serious challenges paying for underfunded pension and healthcare benefits. By 2056, Canada is scheduled to go from 5 workers for each retiree down to a 2-to-1 ratio. To keep the ratio of workers to retirees steady, we'd need to accept 1 million immigrants per year. Otherwise we will likely need both significant tax increases and reduced public spending on health and pension benefits.

~2 min 

August 12, 2011 — More Immigrants Can Save Canada’s Economy
Policy Analyst Steve Lafleur was interviewed by Murray Langdon on Victoria's CFAX about how Canada's economic health depends on immigration. (~16 mins)

~16 min 

August 4, 2011 — Immigration = Economic Health (CFAX)

Latest Publications

It’s Time to End Welfare

— April 23, 2012

Though many claim that governments can reduce poverty by raising welfare rates and making benefits easier to get, the only real poverty reduction in half a century of welfare policy has come about by raising employment rates, not welfare rates.



Taming Two Dragons

— April 17, 2012

This policy paper examines the means and policies by which Canada could help people on welfare without trapping them in a cycle of poverty.



Media Release - Income Support Reform that Makes Sense

— April 17, 2012

Based on a structural and historical analysis of Canada's welfare system, this policy paper argues that welfare has helped create and maintain a chronically workless underclass that persists regardless of economic or labour market conditions instead of helping welfare recipients.



The Big Census News

— February 16, 2012

The 2011 census has revealed that several provinces with varying demographic challenges have had success attracting and retaining immigrants through the provincial immigrant nominee programs introduced in the late 90s, and expanded dramatically in recent years.



What’s Wrong With Renting Sheds to Poor?

— January 27, 2012

The fact that a man in Winnipeg faces charges for renting a shed in his backyard should lead us to question how restrictive housing and renting policies are creating the situation.



Honour Killings in Canada: An Undeniable Reality!

— January 20, 2012

Wherever there is a bubble of ignorance, I am there to burst it. Canada, a lovely country known for its open-hearted acceptance of immigrants from a vast array of foreign lands, is quickly becoming a cesspool in which cultures are clashing. These clashes are usually swept under the rug by the host country (Canada) and those who are integrating (at varying degrees) in to the host country.




Recent Updates


View More Policy Notes

Policy Notes - A One Page Policy Discussion

2012-04-23 – It’s Time to End Welfare

2012-02-16 – The Big Census News

2012-01-27 – What’s Wrong With Renting Sheds to Poor?

» View More Policy Notes

View More Frontier Backgrounders

Frontier Backgrounders - Short Analyses

2011-11-02 – Smart Growth Hurts the Urban Poor

2007-07-03 – Climate Change in Disarray – An African Perspective

2003-02-03 – Harvard Project Lessons on Self-Government

» View More Frontier Backgrounders

View More Perspectives

Perspectives - Thoughts from the Advisory Board...

2011-03-25 – Earth Hour - A Dissent

2010-12-20 – UNICEF’s Guilt Trip

2010-06-18 – 'Poverty' Calls For Precision

» View More Perspectives

View More Policy Series

Policy Series - Longer Reports & Studies

2012-04-17 – Taming Two Dragons

2011-12-15 – A Policy Roadmap for Solutions to Suicide Among Young Women of South Asian Origin

2011-11-04 – More Immigrants Needed to Maintain Saskatchewan's Boom

» View More Policy Series

View More Conversations

Conversations - with Policy Innovators

2011-11-30 – Frank de Jong, Former Green Party Leader

2011-01-21 – Calvin Helin, Author 'The Economic Dependency Trap'

2009-04-17 – Mark Chamberlain, Entrepreneur, Business and Community Leader

» View More Conversations

View More Special Reports and Publications

Special Reports and Publications

2009-06-26 – NO Second Class Citizens

2009-03-23 – Private Water Management Helps The Poor

2008-11-27 – For Aboriginals, Life is Better in the City

» View More Special Reports and Publications

View More Rural Renaissance Notes

Rural Renaissance Notes

2006-05-20 – Harper Panders on Trade

2006-04-24 – The Multiplier Effect

2004-12-29 – Eco-imperialism Won't Save the Environment

» View More Rural Renaissance Notes

View More PowerPoint Slides from Events

PowerPoint Slides from Events

2011-11-28 – Untax Buildings, Uptax Land

2010-03-08 – Where Are Aboriginal Affairs in Canada Headed?

2006-06-21 – Harry's Policy Manifesto

» View More PowerPoint Slides from Events

View More Aboriginal Voices from Ground Zero

Aboriginal Voices from Ground Zero

2008-01-14 – New Funding for Native Entrepreneurs Positive Move

2007-11-23 – Elliott Flett R.I.P.

2007-10-31 – A Solution to the Gang Problem?

» View More Aboriginal Voices from Ground Zero

View More Worth a Look

Worth a Look - In our Virtual Library...

2012-01-14 – Yes, the Rich May Get Richer, But So Do the Poor

2010-12-06 – Tearing Apart the British Welfare State: Tories Impose Jobs on the 'Workshy'

2009-09-16 – The Man Who Defused the 'Population Bomb'

» View More Worth a Look

View More Modern Environmentalist

Modern Environmentalist

2007-07-27 – Live Earth Remedy Deadly for Africans

2006-08-10 – Organic Food and Humvees Are Both Eco-Wasteful

2005-07-26 – Corporate Social Responsibility in Peru

» View More Modern Environmentalist

View More Charticles

Charticles - A Graphical Look at Issues

2007-09-11 – Prairie Spending Patterns Show No Evidence of Child-Care Crisis

2006-04-20 – Subsidies at Root of Farm-Income Crisis

2005-12-23 – Higher Prices, Fewer Choices – Manitoba’s Rent Control Failure

» View More Charticles

View More Frontier Centre in the Media

Frontier Centre in the Media

2012-01-20 – Honour Killings in Canada: An Undeniable Reality!

2012-01-16 – No 'Honour' in Killing

2011-02-01 – The Rights Thing

» View More Frontier Centre in the Media

View More Frontier Media Appearances

Frontier Media Appearances

2012-05-08 – Unworthy Creature: A Punjabi Daughter's Memoir of Honour, Shame and Love (QR77)

2012-04-23 – Taming Two Dragons (CBK-R)

2012-04-23 – Is it Time to End Poverty? (CJME-R)

» View More Frontier Media Appearances

View More Frontier Radio Commentary

Frontier Radio Commentary

2012-04-27 – Canada's Welfare System has Failed as a Strategy for Fighting Poverty

2011-08-12 – More Immigrants Can Save Canada’s Economy

2011-04-29 – GE Rice Better than Blindness

» View More Frontier Radio Commentary

View More Frontier Audio (Speeches/Events)

Frontier Audio (Speeches/Events)

2011-11-30 – Untax Buildings, Uptax Land (de Jong)

2011-01-21 – Calvin Helin - The Economic Dependency Trap

2010-11-30 – Danielle Smith - Avoiding Greek Style Meltdowns

» View More Frontier Audio (Speeches/Events)

View More Frontier Recommended Audio

Frontier Recommended Audio

2009-02-10 – Will the 'Nanny State' Be Replaced by the 'Daddy State?'

2008-10-09 – Stop the War on the Poor (CHQR)

2007-10-25 – The Age of Abundance (Cato Audio)

» View More Frontier Recommended Audio

View More Frontier Channel - Video

Frontier Channel - Video

2009-09-25 – Big Bear Award

2008-10-09 – Energy, Climate Change and the War on the Poor (Innis)

2007-06-27 – A Path to Prosperity for First Nations - Calvin Helin

» View More Frontier Channel - Video

View More Frontier Recommended Video

Frontier Recommended Video

2012-01-17 – Minimum wage 101

2012-01-03 – Steven Pinker on the Myth of Violence

2011-10-20 – Thatcher on Wealth Creation

» View More Frontier Recommended Video

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Transforming Immigration with The Honourable Jason Kenney, PC, MP Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Government of Canada - May 18, 2012


Upcoming Events

Transforming Immigration
with The Honourable Jason Kenney, PC, MP Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Government of Canada
May 18, 2012 — Regina



Upcoming FCPP Appearances

7th International Conference on Climate Change
Speaker: Dr. Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 7 lunar module pilot Walter Cunningham, Harold Doiron, Thomas Wysmuller and Tom Harris
Date: May 21, 2012
Place: Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

Two Apollo-era astronauts and two prominent former NASA scientists will speak at The Heartland Institute’s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-7), taking place in Chicago on May 21–23. The four men were among 49 signatories to a March 28 letter to NASA and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) urging the agencies to cease their “unbridled advocacy” of anthropogenic global warming. »read more

A Decade of Nisga’a Self-Government: A Positive Impact, but no Silver Bullet
Speaker: Joseph Quesnel, Policy Analyst
Date: June 8, 2012
Time: 8:30 am
Place: University of Calgary (2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta), MH Cassio B


Wed May 16, 2012

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