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1. Private schools are not subsidized

   “The construction of narratives,” wrote the late Neil Postman, “is a major business of our species.” The New York cultural critic, writing in a 2000 book, mused about how difficult it was to move people from myths to facts. Skip ahead to the 21st century, ...

2. Nova Scotia opts for high taxes rather than fracking

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, Cape Breton Post, and Moncton Times & Transcript From the fur trade to fisheries and forests, Canada was built on the toil and sweat of those who wanted to prosper. But these days, it’s harder to create opportunity. And ...

3. Reconciliation requires debates grounded in hard data

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Back in 1950, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development spent $922 per registered “Indian.” As of 2012, the renamed Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada spent $9,056 per registered First Nations ...

4. Post-boom Spending in Alberta: A $41 billion splurge and lost opportunities

   The province of Alberta substantially increased program spending after 2004/05, beyond the combined effect of inflation plus population growth. The result was that in subsequent years (2005/06 to 2012/13 inclusive), the province spent $300.5 billion—$41 ...

5. How Alberta blew through an extra $41 billion

   Appeared in the National Post Governments, like families, have choices. And governments, as with families, sometimes make picks that close off other options. Spend a lot of money on having dinner out every night and that might foreclose the purchase of a ...

6. Flying high on the taxpayer dime: What’s reasonable and what’s not

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald It has been quite the summer for revelations about political expense accounts and the pay and perks of politicians. Beyond the criminal behaviour (former federal Liberal cabinet minister Joe Fontana’s conviction for fraud, ...

7. Public education dollars need not be restricted to public education monopoly

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald In a liberal democracy, where critical thinking is often touted as an end goal in education, it was disappointing to read Calgary MLA Kent Hehr’s attack on parental choice in education (“Private schools divide pupils by ...

8. Will China squelch Hong Kong?

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald With the recent Russian-inspired tragedies in eastern Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, much of the world is understandably focused on those regions. But another continent, Asia, is worth watching, ...

9. Telling tales is human; politicians shouldn’t overdo it

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald From the first tale told by our ancestors around a fire somewhere in Africa millions of years ago to the plot behind a summer blockbuster movie, we—the human race— have always been superb storytellers. And our stories matter ...

10. Ontario's financial problems are Ontario-made

    Appeared in the Calgary Herald and Ottawa Citizen, July 2014 Discussing equalization and other federal transfer payments in summer is about as much fun as a root canal in any season. Nevertheless, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa complained recently ...