Prizes:

High School 1st Place: $1,500 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $750 Viewer’s Choice: $750

Post-Secondary 1st Place: $2,000 2nd Place: $1,500 3rd Place: $750 Viewer’s Choice : $750

Runners-up in both age categories will receive handheld camcorders ($500 value).

Winners will be announced in November 2008.

Winning videos will also be shown at the Fraser Institute’s 2008-2009 student seminars on public policy issues.

Topic:

Incentives matter: Fixing health care in Canada
Since the early 1970s, the Canadian federal and all provincial governments have been committed to providing universal-access physician and hospital care to all citizens, paid for with tax dollars at no out-of-pocket-cost to the individual. While these goals may be admirable, the 21st century reality is that the system is suffering. For example: Canadians are waiting much longer than is medically acceptable for care, health care expenditures are approaching 50% of provincial budgets, and our doctor-to-population ratio is one of the lowest in the developed world.

Economists say that “incentives matter.”  How can economics explain the problems, and possible solutions for Canada’s health care system? 

Questions to consider:

• How is the Canadian system structured?
• What are the facts of the current quality of health care in Canada?
• How can economic analysis explain some of the problems with the current health care system?
• Are there international examples of health care systems that have similar goals, but different outcomes than Canada’s?
• What characteristics should a well-functioning health care system have?

Application Rules:

Entries
Step One: Concept Paper
Deadline: September 30, 2008

Concept paper must describe the content of the video including story, outline and timing (maximum one page).

Submit your paper using the online form no later than September 30, 2008!

All entrants will receive a confirmation email.

Step Two: Video
Deadline: October 31, 2008

Once your concept paper has been submitted, get filming! Videos must be submitted by October 31, 2008. Videos must be a maximum of 3 minutes long and must comply with all YouTube and legal guidelines.

Once your video has been posted to YouTube, send the full url to the Fraser Institute using the instructions provided in the confirmation email. You will be asked to declare that you have full legal rights to all video content. 

Step Three: Get Your Friends To Vote!
Deadline: November 16th, 2008
The Viewer’s Choice Awards will be determined from November 3 – 16th. The contest videos will be posted to the Fraser Institute’s YouTube page, and your friends can vote for your video! The videos with the highest rating will be awarded cash prizes.

Winners will be announced in late November.

Eligibility:
The contest is open to Canadian and foreign students. A student is defined as someone who attended school in the 2007/2008 school year or is enrolled to attend in 2008/2009.

Submissions will be considered from secondary and post-secondary (undergraduate and graduate) students in all disciplines.

A secondary school student is defined as someone who attended secondary school in the 2007/2008 school year or is enrolled to attend in 2008/2009. Students completing secondary school in 2008 should enter in the secondary school category.

A post-secondary student is defined as a person who is enrolled in a post-secondary institution in the 2007/2008 school year or is enrolled to attend in 2008/2009.

Judging Criteria:
A panel of judges will determine the award winners based on originality, clear expression of ideas, production values (including lighting, focus, sound, graphics), quality of story, and understanding of the topic. Videos will also be assessed on their fulfillment of the concept paper.

General rules:

• Viewer’s Choice winners will not be excluded from winning judged prizes.
• Team entries are allowed, however, only one prize will be awarded for each winning video.
• Limit of one entry per student or team.
• Entries will be accepted in English and French.
• Finalists will be asked to submit a copy of their video on DVD or miniDV tape.
• All entries become of the property of The Fraser Institute. In addition to receiving cash and electronics prizes, winners may have their videos presented at Fraser Institute student events.
• Failure to follow these rules may lead to disqualification from the contest.

For more information call: 1-800-665-3558 Ext. 533 or email courtenay.vermeulen@fraserinstitute.org.