Frontier Centre for Public Policy


About the Frontier Centre for Public Policy

WHAT IS THE FRONTIER CENTRE FOR PUBLIC POLICY?
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent, western Canada based public policy "think tank" with offices in Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary. Our mission is to develop and popularize policy choices that will help Canada's prairie region live up to its vast but unrealized economic potential. The Centre was founded by a group of individuals interested in making the prairie region a good place to live, work and prosper. Our advisory board includes both experienced community leaders and academic specialists. Charitable status as a registered educational organization was granted by Revenue Canada in April 1999.
WHAT IS A THINK TANK?
Think tanks are a growing world-wide phenomena and their influence is growing locally and worldwide. As �intellectual entrepreneurs�, think tanks are free to explore new ideas and policy initiatives unconstrained by the pressures political parties face to be popular at the polls. And unlike lobby groups, which often represent only the narrow interests of their members, think tanks advance policies for the good of the whole country. For these reasons, think tanks enrich public debate and strengthen democracy.
WHY AN INDEPENDENT THINK TANK?
The Frontier Centre addresses the prairie region's economic and social challenges and actively explores new solutions. The goal of our research and educational outreach is to broaden the scope of discussion in this region's stagnant public policy environment-to create a dialogue about ideas for the future. Independent think tanks receive their funding exclusively from non-governmental sources. This insulates them from the political pressures that frequently discourage publicly funded research groups from exploring sensitive issues.
WHY DO WE NEED NEW IDEAS?
The Prairies, inherently a rich place, have their own set of unique issues. Despite its diversified economy and hydro wealth, Manitoba has become ever more dependent on federal transfers and subsidies. Saskatchewan, with perhaps Canada�s richest resource endowment, still struggles with old debates about the proper role of government in the economy. Alberta, meanwhile, moves forward with little imagination, preferring to fund old policy models instead of re-inventing and reforming them. The vast Prairie region will continue to contain the ingredients for being the most prosperous and successful region in the world: abundant natural resources, high quality public services and hardworking, spirited citizens. The region has immense potential if it embraces new ideas in public policy. The Frontier Centre seeks to provide these ideas.
WHAT ARE THE CENTRE'S IDEAS?
We live in an exciting time of rapidly advancing living standards, exploding knowledge and new opportunities. Borders are disappearing as brains and capital shift to places with favourable tax and investment climates. To prosper in this environment, governments need to offer high-quality public services in combination with lighter taxation. Adhering to our old, increasingly unworkable public administration models is a straightforward recipe for decline. The Frontier Centre embraces the new economy of innovation and change. We conduct research and educational activities in three broad areas: High-Performance Government - Creating high-productivity public services and institutions based on the principles of transparency, neutrality and separating elected officials from day-to-day operations; government as a purchaser, not provider of services. Social Policy Renewal - consumer-sensitive health care and education systems; the post- welfare state; aboriginal policy based on empowerment, not dependency. The Open Economy - achieving the optimum size of government; adjusting with globalization; the emerging technology-driven rural renaissance, creating the value-added agriculture economy.
HOW DOES THE CENTRE SHARE ITS IDEAS?
In the short time since our founding, the Frontier Centre has achieved high visibility and penetration of the public dialogue through: Policy Notes - Short, solutions-oriented articles published regularly in major Canadian newspapers. These one-page commentaries are also sent to 10,000 opinion leaders via fax and e-mail. Perspectives - Short policy commentary from the advisory board and invited guests. Backgrounders - Longer 5 page length analysis of topical policy issues. Policy Series - Longer reports of interest to researchers and opinion leaders. Conversations from the Frontier - Brief interviews with policy innovators. Meetings with Policy Experts - Short lectures and presentations by trend setting researchers and public officials. Charticles - A one page statistical and graphical discussion or prairie policy issues. Also circulated by fax and email. Lunch on the Frontier - High-profile, international policy modernizers relate their experiences to invited opinion leaders and decision-makers. Breakfast on the Frontier - A forum for regional policy modernizers to relate their experiences to invited opinion leaders and decision-makers. Board of Director Roundtables - By invitation-only meetings with top public policy leaders and decision-makers. Speeches and public presentations - Frontier Centre staff and advisory board members regularly address varied audiences, including service clubs, university students and business organizations. The Frontier Centre Website - The easy- to-navigate electronic repository of all our publications and materials, plus links to top think tanks are other resources, on the Internet at www.fcpp.org Frontier Radio Commentary - The Centre's weekly public policy commentary on the Golden West Radio network and 9 stations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. A fresh perspective on everyday issues which is also archived at www.fcpp.org Radio and TV- Centre personnel and advisors appear regularly on TV current affairs programs and radio talk shows. These video and audio appearances, including Lunch on the Frontier speeches and Meetings with Policy Experts lectures can be found on the Frontier Channel at www.fcpp.org.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE? EFFECTIVE?
Regional Focus - The Centre concentrates on prairie policy issues at all levels of government. Other independent think tanks, like the CD Howe Institute or the Fraser Institute, produce important and useful research, but their attention is focussed primarily on national concerns - not local issues in individual prairie provinces. The Average Person is Our Audience - The Centre strives to popularize important but complicated concepts by writing in a short, topical format that translates them into entertaining reading for a mass audience. Longer, more detailed materials are available for the limited numbers who want to delve deeper into issues. Economics Focus - The Frontier Centre's work focuses on emerging economic trends. We do not address issues with a controversial moral or political dimension like same sex marriage, abortion, censorship, capital punishment or national unity. Non-partisan and Independent - The Frontier Centre is non-partisan and non-ideological. Committed to our independence, we neither seek nor accept government funding. By this definition we are the only truly independent think tank on the prairies. Intellectual Strength / People - Our advisory board includes both experienced public policy innovators and academic specialists.
Board of Directors
Wayne Anderson (Chair) James Blatz Dale Bossert Rob Coghlan Allan Grant Sue Hicks John Heimbecker Peter Holle Peter Jessiman Alexander McKenzie (Secretary) Hon. Charlie Mayer John R. Messer Richard M. Riffel
Goldenwest Radio Commentary
Every Friday on the Goldenwest Radio Network - original and provocative "new ideas" commentary by the policy professionals at the Frontier Centre, the prairie�s only independent think tank....Hear our commentary in Manitoba on CFRY-Portage, CFAM, Altona, AM1250-Steinbach and CJRB-Boissevain; in Saskatchewan on CHAB-Moose Jaw, CKSW-Swift Current, AM 1190 Weyburn, and CJ1280-Estevan; and in Alberta on CHRB-High River. Watch for more content soon.
Staff
Peter Holle, President Cameron Neumann, Director of Operations Claire Toews, EA to President, Events Director Darla Hooker, Development Coordinator Mark Milke, Director of Research Donald Sandberg, Aboriginal Frontiers Project Director David Seymour, Director, Saskatchewan Office and Senior Policy Analyst Joseph Quesnel, Policy Analyst Ben Eisen Policy Analyst Erin Hartness, Office Administrator
Endorsements by Public Figures and Community Leaders
Hon. Duff Roblin, Premier of Manitoba 1958-1967: "The Frontier Centre for Public Policy challenges conventional thinking and even popular opinion about important issues of public policy. This stimulation to public discussion and debate is a critical public service to an improving society. It deserves hearty applause." Hon. Janice MacKinnon, Saskatchewan Finance Minister 1993-1997: "The Frontier Centre is a fantastic forum to discuss innovative policy options, a critical ingredient in sound public policy and forward looking government." Gordon Gibson, author and columnist: "Commentaries which combine the twin virtue of solid public policy and a presentation understandable and persuasive to the ordinary reader..." Angus Reid, Angus Reid Consultants: "I'm very impressed by the work of your centre. Keep up the good work..." Hon. John Messer, former Saskatchewan Agriculture and Transport Minister: "Saskatchewan and Manitoba need bold ideas to prosper and succeed. The Frontier Centre has a big opportunity to help this process and to challenge conventional thinking." Jerry L.Gray - I.H. Asper School of Business, The University of Manitoba: "Innovation in public policy is the one area in which Manitoba could create a sustainable competitive edge that would set us apart from others and create economic growth and social development unparalleled anywhere else in Canada. The Frontier Centre is at the forefront of the issues we need to examine." Scott Mackay, President, Probe Research Inc.: "I was very impressed with the calibre of the speaker as well as the array of well recognized civic opinion leaders in attendance." Geoffrey Hale, Assistant Professor, Political Science, University of Lethbridge: "Frontier is provocative but rigorous in its analysis of public policy issues." David Henderson, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University: "I truly believe that the Frontier Centre, with a larger budget, could have a huge impact on Manitoba politics in the next few years. It has a rare ability to get policy makers to pay attention to its ideas. " Seyit Usmanov, President, Central Asian Free Market Institute: �Among the number of newsletters (Fraser, Cato, Heritage, AEI) that I have studied for our Institute I found your's the most attention grabbing. I like the newsletter's simplicity and that you describe the upcoming event in detail and I learn a lot about an issue just from reading that excerpt although I can't attend any of the events because I am in Kyrgyzstan.�
Frontier Store . . .
Now available for sale . . . DVD - Dr. Tim Ball's lecture - Whither the Weather? - Considering the dubious case for man-made climate change This witty and informative 70 minute presentation by Historical Climatologist Tim Ball includes a picture in picture video of his remarks accompanied by his powerpoint slides. Includes graphs, charts and other data which shows that recent warming is not unusual or alarming. The bigger risk, he suggests, is global cooling - a condition which would make most of the Canadian prairies unsuitable for agriculture. (DVD plays on conputer and contains related links to more materials on climate change) $29.95 including shipping. Contact the Frontier Centre for Public Policy at (204) 977-5050 or email -newideas@fcpp.org
Contact Information
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy 203 - 2727 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3J 0R2 Telephone: (204) 957-1567 Fax: (204) 957-1570 E-Mail: newideas@fcpp.org Saskatchewan Office - 2353 McIntyre Street Regina, Saskatchewan Canada S4P 2S3 Telephone: (306) 352-2915 Fax: (306) 352-2938 E-Mail: seymourd@fcpp.org
Your Policy Orientation?
Where do you fit on the political map? This link will take you to a site that tells you whether you are a liberal, a conservative, a statist, a libertarian, or a centrist. Find out your policy orientation by clicking here
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Manitoba Office: 203 - 2727 Portage Avenue - Winnipeg, MB Canada R3J 0R2
Tel: (204) 957-1567 Fax: (204) 957-1570

Sask Office: 2353 McIntyre Street - Regina, SK CANADA S4P 2S3
Tel: (306) 352-2915 - Fax: (306) 352-2938

Alberta Office: Ste. 2000 - 444, 5th Avenue SW - Calgary, AB CANADA T2P 2T8
Tel: (403) 230-2435

E-mail: newideas@fcpp.org Homepage: www.fcpp.org

More events coming soon. Please join us then as we explore the frontier of public policy.

Broad Brushstrokes of Public Policy
Speaker: David Seymour, Director Saskatchewan Office and Senior Policy Analyst
Date: 2009-07-10
Time: 11:45 a.m. � 1:00 p.m..
Place: Saskatoon Club, 417 21st St E, Saskatoon.

As a spokesman for an independent think tank, David Seymour will address the power of ideas in politics and the role of government in a free society. The presentation is a dispassionate look at the principles of public policy set aside from partisan politics, and gives high level concepts for making Saskatchewan a winning society in the 21st century. Contact Saskatchewan Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs at saskatoon@sype.ca if you are interested in attending.

2009-06-25
Canadian Health Care Earns Dismal Finish In International Ranking
For the second time in less than two weeks, the Canadian public health care system has flunked an international comparison test, says the Health Consumer Powerhouse (HCP), a research organization. Canada's health care system ranks 23rd among 32 nations surveyed for quality, access and innovation.

The second annual Euro-Canada Health Consumer Index measures patients' rights and information, waiting times for treatment, outcomes, the range and reach of services provided and access to pharmaceuticals. Out of the 1,000 points available, the Index ranked countries in the following manner:

o The Netherlands was in the top spot with 824 points.

o Austria was second with 813 points.

o Luxembourg and Denmark took third and fourth place with 795 and 794 points, respectively.

o Germany came in fifth with 769 points.

o Canada placed 23rd with a score of just 549 points.

According to researchers, wait times to see a doctor and receive treatment dragged the Canadian ranking toward the bottom:

o Patients were waiting between 3-15 months for treatment, when they could have received the same quality of care in Germany, France or the Netherlands in two weeks.

o While Canada is one of the highest per capita spenders on health care, patients don't get much for their money.

o On the so-called "bang for the buck scale," that measured health care results for the number of dollars spent, Canada ranks dead.

Moreover, the Canadian system is in some respects held hostage by vested interests, such as public sector unions, say researchers. Some of these groups like to attach themselves to one method of service delivery, and they become religious about it. They become kind of fundamentalists about public health care delivery, as opposed to saying how can we do it like Europe, and have a variety of service providers.

Source: Mike McCourt, "Canadian health care earns dismal finish in international ranking," Metro News, May 26, 2009; based upon: Arne Bj�rnberg and Daniel Eriksson, " Euro-Canada Health Consumer Index 2009," Health Consumer Powerhouse and The Frontier Centre for Public Policy, 2009.