Who was Barbara Mitchell?
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Fiscal Federalism and the Dependency of Atlantic Canada

Fiscal Federalism and the Dependency of Atlantic Canada is a new study that examines Atlantic Canada’s dependency on fiscal transfers from Ottawa, and highlights how the region is vulnerable to any significant changes in fiscal federalism. The study finds that from 2007 to 2019, federal spending (including Employment Insurance, equalization, health care, and various other subsidies and programs) in Atlantic Canada equaled more than a quarter—27.5 per cent—of the region’s economy

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Promise and Performance: Recent Trends in Government Expenditures on Indigenous Peoples

Promise and Performance: Recent Trends in Government Expenditures on Indigenous Peoples finds that, according to federal budget projections, from fiscal year 2015-16 to 2021-22, federal spending on Indigenous programs will increase by 50 per cent—from $11 billion to more than $17 billion—despite evidence that more money won’t solve the chronic problems in First Nations communities.

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Correcting Common Misunderstandings about Capital Gains Taxes is a new study that finds Canadians earning less than $100,000 a year pay a much greater portion of capital gains taxes than many believe. In fact, the estimated share of capital gains taxes paid by those earning less than $100,000 a year is 38.4 per cent when the capital gain is excluded from income.

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Canada-US Energy Sector Competitiveness Survey 2020

The Canada-US Energy Sector Competitiveness Survey finds that Oklahoma and Texas are considered far more attractive than Alberta for oil and gas investment. Specifically, investors pointed to the uncertainty concerning environmental regulations, the cost of regulatory compliance, and regulatory enforcement as major areas of concern in Canadian provinces compared to US states. The study also ranks 21 North American jurisdictions based on policies affecting oil and gas investment, and Saskatchewan (8th) was the only Canadian province to make the top ten. Oklahoma ranked 1st, Kansas ranked 2nd, and Texas ranked 3rd, while Alberta ranked 12th and British Columbia was 20th out of 21.

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Achieving the Four-Day Work Week: Part 3 Essays

Two new essays—The Drag on Productivity from Excessive Regulation, by researcher Laura Jones, chief strategic officer and executive vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), and The Importance of Labour Market Mobility to Productivity Growth by Fraser Institute senior fellow Robert P. Murphy—argues that governments could increase worker productivity and wages by eliminating undue labour market restrictions.

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Education Spending in Public Schools in Canada, 2021 Edition

Education Spending in Public Schools in Canada, 2021 Edition finds that the spending in Canadian public schools is up 13 per cent, or $8.2 billion in nominal spending, since 2013/2014. After adjusting for inflation and changes in enrolment over the same five-year period, per-student spending on public schools increased in eight out of 10 provinces in Canada.

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The Human Freedom Index 2020

This year’s Human Freedom Index, which spotlights 162 countries, measures personal freedom—which includes freedom of movement, speech, assembly and religion—alongside economic freedom, the ability of individuals to make their own economic decisions without government or crony interference. New Zealand tops this year’s freedom index followed by Switzerland, Hong Kong, Denmark and Australia. The five least-free countries are (in descending order) Iran, Yemen, Venezuela, Sudan and Syria. Rankings for other significant countries include Canada (6th), Germany (9th), the United Kingdom and the United States (tied for 17th).

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