Since the publication of Poverty in Canada in 1992 there has been a renewed debate about the definition and measurement of poverty in this country. It is understandable that some of the discussion has been heated and emotional as this is an important policy issue and there are widely differing perspectives about poverty. Researchers and policy makers are now giving considerable thought and discussion to what appeared to be a settled issue a decade ago.

The total tax bill of the average Canadian family has increased by 1,351 percent since 1961, according to Tax Facts 12 . Tax Facts 12 is the latest edition of a biennial study which looks at how the average Canadian tax bill has changed since 1961. Between 1961 and 2000, for example, the average Canadian family's tax bill rose from 33.5 percent to 47.5 percent of its income.

The Report Card on Alberta's High Schools: 2001 Edition collects a variety of relevant, objective indicators of school performance into one easily accessible public document so that all interested parties can analyze and compare the performance of individual schools. In this way, the Report Card encourages and assists those seeking to improve their schools.