reports
Back to Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water
Energy, Trade, and the Demise of Petrochemicals in Alberta
Canadians are questioning the logic of having traded away our energy sovereignty with NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement.
From Rhetoric to Reality
Protecting Whistleblowers in Alberta
In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to instances in which employees may be in a position to report on wrongdoing within their workplace. Employees who report on wrongdoing in the workplace have come to be known as whistleblowers.
A Time for Vision
A Sustainable and Equitable Economy
The April 2005 Alberta budget will be the first since the province declared the debt eliminated. It’s time for a bold vision, and this budget should lay the fiscal foundations for realizing that vision. The 2005 Throne Speech promises that All Albertans will share in the Alberta Advantage. To ensure this, we must collectively commit to building a socially sustainable and equitable economy
Public Remedies, Not Private Payments
Quality Health Care in Alberta
Why does the government keep telling us our health care system is unsustainable and more private health care will save it from collapse? In this report we identify the underlying reasons to be ideological, not fiscal.
A Time to Reap
Reinvesting in Alberta's Public Services
The Alberta government often appears stuck in yesterday’s rhetoric of a debt crisis, too willing to engage in pitched battles with its civil servants, teachers, and nurses; disregarding of the needs of municipalities; and unresponsive to the plight of the poor and homelessness.
Trouble in Paradise?
Citizen's Views on Democracy in Alberta
This report examines Albertans’ attitudes regarding the state of democracy in the province. The findings suggest Albertans are very concerned about the health of democracy in the province, but disagree in fundamental ways with political leaders and much of the mainstream media regarding the causes for concern and means of improving democracy.
Unaccountable
The Case of Highway Maintenance Privatization in Alberta
In 1995/96, the Government of Alberta decided to outsource all the maintenance on its 15,000 km of primary highways to private contractors. In 1997, KPMG Consultants produced a study for the Government of Alberta with the intention of comparing the two systems. However, given that the system had been privatized for only one year they found that it was too early to compare the financial results of outsourcing highway maintenance to previous in-house methods.
Sobering Result
The Alberta Liquor Retailing Industry Ten Years After Privatization
In 1993/94 the Alberta Government implemented major policy changes involving the control, taxing, and distribution of liquor products. Ten years later the retail industry has evolved into monopolistic competition with its inherent excess capacity and high costs.
Alberta’s ‘Good Enough’ Approach to Fiscal Management
Parkland Intitute's Report on Alberta's Finances 2003
"Alberta's 'good enough' approach to fiscal management" is the Parkland Institute's annual pre-budget report on the state of Alberta's finances. The report examines in detail the province's current revenue structure and recent expenditures with special concentration given to the areas of health, education, and social services.
Youth Crime and Justice in Alberta
Rhetoric and Reality
This paper reviews some of the recent political rhetoric and public opinion on the controversial subject of youth crime and how to deal with it, including the Young Offender’s Act of 1984 and the new Youth Criminal Justice Act.