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Media Release - National Coalition on Federal Transfers Launched

An informal coalition of six not-for-profit and think tank organizations have agreed the issue of federal transfers to the provinces needs to be placed firmly on the national agenda. As the current equalization agreement is set to expire in 2014, the coalition is hoping to shed some light on the current equalization scheme as well as the entire transfer system. Educating the public on these types of issues is the main contribution of Canadian think tanks. Public knowledge and awareness helps to ensure future agreements are both fair and equitable to all provinces and Canadians. Each of these organizations is working on independent research ideas that policy makers can consider in dealing with the imbalances created by the current system.


Building the “Last Mile” of High Speed Internet

Government can definitely help when it comes to providing access to high speed internet in rural areas. More in today’s Frontier Centre commentary. Canada was once a global leader in providing affordable access to high speed internet service, but not anymore. It’s easy to get connected if you live in a city, but a different story if you live in a small town, or on a farm. (~2 min)

Join us weekly across the prairies for our hard hitting policy commentary broadcast across the Goldenwest Radio Network - Click here for a list of 14 stations and broadcast times.

The present 10-year agreement on federal provincial equalization transfer payments will need to be renewed in 2014. A coalition of 6 different think tanks are calling for a significant debate in this country on why and how we work equalization the way we do.  Joined by Charles Cirtwill, president and CEO of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies.  (~14 min)

~13 min 

May 16, 2012 — National Coalition on Federal Transfers (CJME)
For years the way kids learn math in Saskatchewan schools has been more about concepts and less about calculations. University professors and others said that approach was failing and the government promised to take a look. The minister of education said today no significant changes would be made to the curriculum. Joined by Michael Zwaagstra, teacher and co-author, from Frontier Centre of Public Policy. (~7 min)

~7 min 

May 14, 2012 — Math Curriculum Still Doesn't Add Up (CBK-R)
Government can definitely help when it comes to providing access to high speed internet in rural areas. More in today’s Frontier Centre commentary. Canada was once a global leader in providing affordable access to high speed internet service, but not anymore. It’s easy to get connected if you live in a city, but a different story if you live in a small town, or on a farm. (~2 min)

~2 min 

May 11, 2012 — Building the “Last Mile” of High Speed Internet
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)
The Harper government's controversial move to streamline the approval process for large resource projects should make life better for Canada's aboriginal communities. Before Ottawa tabled a budget at the end of March, many were asking how much federal money would go to Aboriginal education. (~2 min)

~2 min 

May 4, 2012 — Natural Resources the New Future for First Nations
Canada's Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver speaks on his government's commitment to the importance of timely and responsible development of natural resources to create jobs, growth and economic benefits in all regions of Canada.  From Lunch on the Frontier speech in Winnipeg, March 22, 2012.

~28 min 

April 27, 2012 — Efficient and Effective Regulation of Resource Projects (Hon. Joe Oliver)
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
The recent Alberta election will have a significant impact on the province’s management of its wealth, Marco Navarro-Genie told the popular show RDI Economie, on the French national news network this week. Frontier’s research director Marco Navarro-Genie comments on Alberta’s oil and gas revenues, the Heritage Fund and Equalization payments. (~7 min)

~6 min 

April 26, 2012 — Alberta is Not Swimming in Petrodollars: French-speaking national news network interviews Marco Navarro-Genie (RDI)
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)
Once a year, the Frontier Centre surveys thousands of Aboriginal Canadians about the performance of their chief and band councils. The purpose is to see if they believe their local governments are transparent and accountable. Again this year, the surveys showed that members of different bands have very different views about the success of their institutions. (~2 min)

~2 min 

April 20, 2012 — Promoting Transparency in First Nations Governance

~7 min 

April 20, 2012 — Argentina's Oil Grab

Latest Publications

New Brunswick Needs Financial Reality and Leadership

— May 11, 2012

Rather than focus on old, discredited explanations for New Brunswick’s poor economic performance, leaders must acknowledge the role that excessive federal subsidies play in underperformance.



Media Release - Traffic Congestion Hurts Productivity

— May 10, 2012

Gridlock costs Canadian cities billions of dollars in productivity. It also costs commuters both time and money. Many transit advocates believe that a national transit strategy will help increase mobility, and reduce gridlock. But Cox argues that rather than increasing mobility, a national transit strategy could make things worse.



Improving the Competitiveness of Metropolitan Areas

— May 10, 2012

Centrally-determined national transportation policies are misguided and wasteful. They do not solve the choking traffic problems that plague large urban centers but often make matters worse, undermining the competitiveness of metropolitan areas.



There is No Need for a National Transit Strategy

— May 10, 2012

While many urban politicians and interest groups have argued for a national transit strategy, the real solution to excessive commute times is to empower municipalities.



Media Release - National Coalition on Federal Transfers Launched (Une coalition nationale sur la formule des paiements de transfert voit le jour)

— May 9, 2012

An informal coalition of six not-for-profit and think tank organizations have agreed the issue of federal transfers to the provinces needs to be placed firmly on the national agenda.



Time to Terminate Big Wind Subsidies

— May 9, 2012

Unprecedented! As bills to extend seemingly perpetual wind energy subsidies were again introduced by industry lobbyists late last year, taxpayers finally decided they’d had enough.




Recent Updates


View More Policy Notes

Policy Notes - A One Page Policy Discussion

2012-05-11 – New Brunswick Needs Financial Reality and Leadership

2012-05-10 – There is No Need for a National Transit Strategy

2012-04-26 – Qantas and Air Canada: A tale of two airlines

» View More Policy Notes

View More Frontier Backgrounders

Frontier Backgrounders - Short Analyses

2012-03-29 – Resource Consumption and Economic Production in Canada and the United States:

2011-12-07 – Centralized Planning Poses Significant Challenges for First Responders to Disaster Situations

2011-11-16 – The Case for Voluntary Student Unionism

» View More Frontier Backgrounders

View More Perspectives

Perspectives - Thoughts from the Advisory Board...

2012-05-09 – Time to Terminate Big Wind Subsidies

2012-04-23 – 17 Reasons to be Cheerful

2012-04-19 – Policy Settings Need Seismic Shift

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Policy Series - Longer Reports & Studies

2012-05-10 – Improving the Competitiveness of Metropolitan Areas

2012-05-04 – The Green Plague

2012-04-27 – Rebuilding the Last Mile

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Conversations - with Policy Innovators

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

2011-08-22 – David Henderson, Economist

2011-04-27 – Dr. Patrick Moore, Co-Founder of Greenpeace and Environmentalist

» View More Conversations

View More Special Reports and Publications

Special Reports and Publications

2012-03-15 – Canadian Senator Promotes Climate Realism in Major Speech

2012-03-06 – Owen McShane, Champion of Free Enterprise, Dies

2012-01-23 – 8th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey

» View More Special Reports and Publications

View More Rural Renaissance Notes

Rural Renaissance Notes

2011-11-30 – NDP Stuck in the 1930s on CWB

2011-11-20 – Why the Wheat Board Monopoly is Being Removed

2011-07-21 – NDP Needs to Look Forward, not Back

» View More Rural Renaissance Notes

View More PowerPoint Slides from Events

PowerPoint Slides from Events

2011-11-28 – Untax Buildings, Uptax Land

2011-08-30 – The Nisga'a Treaty: Over 10 Years Later

2011-08-29 – Evaluating Canada’s Place in International Property Rights Protection

» View More PowerPoint Slides from Events

View More Aboriginal Voices from Ground Zero

Aboriginal Voices from Ground Zero

2012-05-07 – Think Tank Releases Prairie Aboriginal Rankings

2012-04-16 – Frontier Highlights High Performing Manitoba Bands

2012-01-10 – What to do with Lake St. Martin First Nation

» View More Aboriginal Voices from Ground Zero

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Worth a Look - In our Virtual Library...

2012-05-16 – Europe's Brain-Dead Right

2012-04-26 – How the Swiss 'Debt Brake' Tamed Government

2012-04-23 – Ottawa Should Do the Math: Productivity Trumps Head Counts

» View More Worth a Look

View More Modern Environmentalist

Modern Environmentalist

2012-05-03 – Re - 'Wildrose Proves Too Wild', April 25

2012-04-02 – The Biggest Carbon Bomb is Disinformation

2012-03-16 – Environment Canada Needs to Get Back to Basics

» View More Modern Environmentalist

View More Charticles

Charticles - A Graphical Look at Issues

2012-02-08 – Does Rent Control Always Produce Lower Rents?

2012-01-23 – Manitoba Health Spending: Still Much Higher Than Average

2012-01-23 – Canadian Housing Affordability in One Page

» View More Charticles

View More Frontier Centre in the Media

Frontier Centre in the Media

2012-04-18 – Students Don't Know how Good They have it

2012-04-13 – Quebec Students Must Pay Their Share

2012-04-11 – B.C. Residents want Pay Equity between Public, Private Sector

» View More Frontier Centre in the Media

View More Interactive Policy

Interactive Policy

2010-12-01 – Now Available: Frontier Centre iPhone Application

2009-03-14 – The Frontier Goods & Services Interactive InfoMap

2008-09-15 – Saskatchewan Carbon Capture Opportunity Cost Calculator

» View More Interactive Policy

View More Frontier Media Appearances

Frontier Media Appearances

2012-05-14 – Math Curriculum Still Doesn't Add Up (CBK-R)

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

2012-04-26 – Alberta is Not Swimming in Petrodollars: French-speaking national news network interviews Marco Navarro-Genie (RDI)

» View More Frontier Media Appearances

View More Frontier Radio Commentary

Frontier Radio Commentary

2012-05-11 – Building the “Last Mile” of High Speed Internet

2012-05-04 – Natural Resources the New Future for First Nations

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

» View More Frontier Radio Commentary

View More Frontier Audio (Speeches/Events)

Frontier Audio (Speeches/Events)

2012-04-27 – Efficient and Effective Regulation of Resource Projects (Hon. Joe Oliver)

2012-02-02 – Alberta's Nuclear Power Saga (Duane Bratt)

2012-01-26 – Canada - Population 100 Million (Irv Studin)

» View More Frontier Audio (Speeches/Events)

View More Frontier Recommended Audio

Frontier Recommended Audio

2012-05-16 – National Coalition on Federal Transfers (CJME)

2012-04-20 – Argentina's Oil Grab

2012-04-17 – NASA Must Stop Global Warming Alarmism (570 News radio)

» View More Frontier Recommended Audio

View More Frontier Channel - Video

Frontier Channel - Video

2012-02-21 – Cut Off the Oxy (SunTV)

2012-01-03 – The Assault on Saving (On the Other Hand Ep. 18)

2011-12-27 – Do Unions Really Raise Wages? (On the Other Hand Ep. 17)

» View More Frontier Channel - Video

View More Frontier Recommended Video

Frontier Recommended Video

2012-05-10 – Rex Murphy on Mulcair's View of the Oil Sands

2012-05-08 – Mulcair's Junk Economics (SunTV)

2012-05-03 – Marc Morano of Climate Depot on the 'Global War on Humanity'

» 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

7th International Conference on Climate Change
with Dr. Harrison Schmitt and Walter Cunningham
May 21, 2012 — Chicago, Illinois

Economic Growth, Job Creation, and Long Term Prosperity for Canada
with The Honourable Tony Clement, MP, PC, President of the Treasury Board
May 23, 2012 — Calgary

Expanding Choices in Aboriginal Education: A National Conference
with Multiple Speakers
June 14, 2012 — Calgary



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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