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BC's Liberal government has made a commitment to study democratic reform, long an important, but overlooked, question in Canada. According to conference chair, Gordon Gibson, Senior Fellow in Canadian Studies, Parliament is ineffective both in representing the people and controlling the executive branch. This, plus a deplorable lack of transparency and accountability, and a concentration of power in the hands of the First minister, has led to a general decline in public respect for our democratic institutions, he says.

Reforming Politics: The BC Blueprint featured speakers from across the country chosen for their expertise in the areas of parliamentary, electoral, and other democratic reforms. Speakers included Andrew Petter , Acting Dean of Law, the University of Victoria; The Honourable John C. Reid , Information Commissioner for Canada; Nick Loenen , Fair Voting BC, Ted White , Member of Parliament for North Vancouver, and Peter Dobell , founding director, Parliamentary Centre.

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A review of the scientific literature concerning the environmental consequences of increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the most prominent greenhouse gas contributed by human activities, leads to the conclusion that increases during the twentieth century have produced no deleterious effects upon global climate or temperature. Increased carbon dioxide has, however, markedly increased the growth rates of plants as inferred from numerous laboratory and field experiments. There is no clear evidence, nor unique attribution, of the global effects of anthropogenic CO2 on climate.

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The Fraser Institute's Index of Human Progress, since it is based upon unadjusted GDP per capita and measurements from 1975 through 1999, provides a more complete view of the recent history and current state of development throughout the world. The Index of Human Progress uses 10 development indicators, six more than the Human Development Index.

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This paper establishes that home schooling is a thriving educational movement both in Canada and the United States. It also empirically demonstrates that the academic and socialization outcomes for the average home schooled child are superior to those experienced by the average public school student.

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The Fraser Institute's 11th annual waiting list survey found that waiting time for surgical and other therapeutic treatments grew significantly in 2000-01.

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Many experts have diagnosed medicare in Canada as an ailing system in need of treatment. Commission after commission has agreed that the health care system, under pressures of an expanding and aging population, and growing demands for new technologies and prescription drugs, cannot be sustained by endless public funds.

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The provision of welfare and related services is a sensitive undertaking requiring a delicate balance between the compassionate delivery of services to those in need and the maintenance of fiscal prudence. Both Canada and the United States reformed welfare in the last eight years. Reforms in the United States went further and have been more successful. This study summarizes the reforms undertaken in both countries with emphasis placed on successful innovations and experimentation.