Recent Research
Dentistry in Alberta
Time for a Checkup?
This report examines access to dental care in Alberta and across Canada, calling for a broad range of solutions that can improve population health. Alberta is the top private funder of dental care in Canada, and while Alberta is the second highest spender on public dental care, only nine per cent of Albertans receive government-sponsored dental insurance benefits. More than 20 per cent of Albertans do not have dental insurance, leading to serious implications for oral health, particularly among lower-income Albertans.
Whistleblowers Not Protected
While the second scheduled review of the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act (PIDA) is underway, this timely report by Cameron Hutchison, a professor of law at the University of Alberta, outlines how the current PIDA falls far short of international best practices for whistleblower protection and is laced with pitfalls through which few whistleblowers should ever dare to venture.
Recent Blog Posts
Government takeover of post-secondary education
Upheaval at UAlberta
A group of hand-picked UCP insiders are asserting political control over post-secondary institutions. Laurie Adkin, Michael Lang and Mark Shakespear outline the government's five overlapping strategies and the effects on the University of Alberta.
Bill 47 Pt. 2 - Less Compensation for Work-related Injuries
This is the second of two blog posts examining Bill 47. This post focuses on changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act. These changes save employers money by reducing the likelihood of injured workers receiving benefits and reducing the value of those benefits. Bill 47 also makes it harder for workers to appeal decisions and reduces the likelihood of returning to their job once recovered.
Bill 47 Pt. 1 - Making Alberta Workplaces Less Safe
Alberta’s United Conservative government recently introduced Bill 47 (Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape Act, 2020). The bill makes substantial changes to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and the Workers’ Compensation Act and represents a rollback of workers’ safety protections. This is the first of two blog posts examining Bill 47. This post focuses on changes to the OHS Act that, if passed, will come into effect Sept. 1, 2021.