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1. Less Ottawa, More Province, 2021: How Decentralized Federalism is Key to Health Care Reform

   A significant body of research suggests that Canada’s health care system consistently underperforms relative to most peer jurisdictions with universal health care systems. This underperformance continues despite the fact that Canada is one of the world’s ...

2. Trudeau government should heed looming risks to federal finances

   Appeared in the Globe and Mail, October 23, 2020 The federal government along with several prominent economists have downplayed the near-term risks to federal finances. Some have actually characterized Ottawa’s financial position as basically “ sound.” ...

3. Prime Ministers and Government Spending: 2019 Edition

   This bulletin measures the level of per-person program spending undertaken annually by prime ministers, adjusting for inflation, since 1870. (The years from 1867 to 1869 were excluded due to a lack of inflation data). Per-person spending spiked ...

4. When measured against history, Prime Minister Trudeau’s spending near peak levels

   The federal government plans to spend $8,337 (per person) this fiscal year. ...

5. Prime Ministers and Government Spending: A Retrospective

   This bulletin measures the level of per-person program spending undertaken annually by each prime minister, adjusting for inflation, since 1870.  1867 to 1869 were excluded due to a lack of inflation data. Per-person spending spiked during World ...

6. Morneau’s ‘Plan for Middle Class Progress’ cuts GDP by $131 billion

   Appeared in the Toronto Sun, November 2, 2016 On Tuesday, Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau released his government’s Fall Economic Statement titled A Plan for Middle Class Progress. As noted in the release, “Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced ...

7. End of the Chretien Consensus in Canada?

   Appeared in the Financial Post, November 24, 2015 Canada enjoyed an economic and fiscal renaissance starting in the mid-1990s that lasted more than a decade. The boom was rooted in sound fiscal policy (balanced budgets, focused spending, and tax ...

8. The Myth of Education Spending Cuts in Alberta

   Appeared in the Fox Creek Times and Okotoks Western Wheel It’s budget season in Edmonton but Premier Prentice has already announced a five per cent across-the-board reduction in program spending to help deal with an expected $7 billion-plus deficit. Of ...

9. The myth of education spending cuts in Canada

   Appeared in the Daily Courier and Woodstock Sentinel Review It’s budget season again, with provincial governments across Canada delivering their annual budgets amid a backdrop of falling commodity prices and provincial deficits. And once again, a ...

10. Smart reform can fix Alberta’s finances

    Appeared in the Edmonton Sun The severity of Alberta’s fiscal problems hit home with many Albertans this week as Premier Prentice announced that the upcoming provincial budget will include an across-the-board five per cent spending cut. In light of ...