Study
| EST. READ TIME 1 MIN.Wealth of First Nations
The standard of living of First Nations is on average much lower than that of other Canadians, but some First Nations have achieved higher well-being than others.
This paper is an investigation into the factors that promote prosperity for First Nations. We use the Community Well-being Index (CWB), calculated by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, as a measure of prosperity for First Nations. As possible explanations of differences in well-being, we develop and test four indicators of respect for property rights and the rule of law: use of Certificates of Possession, adoption of property tax, entry into the First Nations Land Management Act, and avoidance of third-party management. In a multiple regression analysis, all four variables are positively correlated with higher CWB scores, even after controlling for cultural background and remoteness of location. Our findings are consistent with comparative and international research that has highlighted the importance of property rights and the rule of law for economic growth.
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Katrine Beauregard
Katrine Beauregard is a Ph. D. candidate in political science at the University of Calgary.
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Tom Flanagan
Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Distinguished Fellow, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
Tom Flanagan, Senior Fellow of the Fraser Institute, is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Distinguished Fellow, at the School ofPublic Policy, University of Calgary, and Chair, Aboriginal Futures, at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. He received his B.A. from Notre Dame and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University. He taught political science at the University of Calgary from 1968 until retirement in 2013. He is the author of many books and articles on topics such as Louis Riel and Metis history, aboriginal rights and land claims, Canadian political parties, political campaigning, and applications of game theory to politics. His books have won six prizes, including the Donner-Canadian Prize for best book of the year in Canadian public policy. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1996. Prof. Flanagan has also been a frequent expert witness in litigation over aboriginal and treaty land claims. In the political realm, he managed Stephen Harper's campaigns for leadership of the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party of Canada, the 2004 Conservative national campaign, and the 2012 Wildrose Alberta provincial campaign.… Read more Read Less…
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