In the debate over global warming, the relevant economic concern is to weigh the costs of taking action against the costs of doing nothing. As global warming is a theory and not a fact, doing nothing about it might indeed be costless. But, even if global warming is occurring, many scientists agree that delaying action by 15 to 25 years would not impose serious additional costs. Furthermore, the costs of any global warming that might be occurring (whether the result of human activities or not) are likely to be exaggerated. Several of the authors in this book show that there may be benefits from warming.

Government-sponsored training programs are increasingly being seen as a panacea for improving prospects in the workplace for disadvantaged workers. In Canada, federal and provincial governments have already embarked on such programs and are poised to invest more money.

As a natural extension of its interest in the ways in which the private sector reacts to the activities of government, The Fraser Institute has long studied the underground economy. In pursuing this research, the Institute assembled a roster of experts in Vancouver in April 1994. They included government officials, accountants, economists, lawyers, federal police, politicians, and public policy analysts from Canada, the United States, Britain, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Russia, and Hong Kong.