News

America’s pre-eminence is in decline. If Canada is to prosper, we must seek new foreign trade partners. 

By Jack Mintz 

By Jack M. Mintz

This report is a summary of research undertaken for the Research Working Group on Retirement Income Adequacy. Six research areas were developed to provide analysis that would assist Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Finance in assessing retirement income adequacy in Canada. The research itself is "policy-neutral" ...click here for the full report.

By Jack Mintz

While some Canadians are not saving enough to retire, overall, our system is one of the best in the world. This article was excerpted from a report released yesterday, Summary Report on Retirement Income Adequacy Research, prepared for the Research Working Group on Retirement Income Adequacy of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Finance.

Attacking the energy industry is bad news for all of Canada, but especially Alberta and Saskatchewn
By Jack Mintz

Alberta faces tough choices over where new electricity transmission lines should be built, if at all
By Jack M. Mintz

Last weekend, the Alberta Progressive Conservatives not only reviewed Premier Ed Stelmach’s leadership but also Bill 50, which would provide for the building of new transmission lines, including two north-south high-voltage direct current lines. Bill 50 is highly controversial — the party split during the weekend over whether legislation should be adopted.

Jack Mintz to co-chair Nexen Roundtable on Energy, Environment and Economy

Calgary-based Nexen Inc. is donating $1.75 million to the University of Calgary to support an annual global roundtable on energy, environment and the economy. Starting next fall, the sessions will bring together top decision-makers and energy experts to discuss new research and sound policy advice on energy and the environment, with the aim of ensuring that the best decisions are being made to maintain an abundant energy supply in a changing world market.

Bidding process needs reform: researchers
By Tony Seskus, Calgary Herald

CALGARY - Alberta's system of contracting out cataract surgery - with no incentives for improving quality or holding down prices - may actually inflate costs and needs reform, new research argues. The academic paper, released by the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy, calls for a truly competitive bidding process.

Developing countries are willing to take money to fight climate change, but not slow their own growth
By Jack Mintz 

As we approach the December 7-18 Copenhagen conference on climate change, the world is already warming up to a vitriolic debate over the failure to achieve hard targets.

Duelling campaigns generate overheated, not enlightened, debate
By Jeffrey Church, John Maccormack and William Rosehart

Albertans have been subjected to a barrage of media and advertising recently over the future of our electrical system. From front-page stories to duelling ads, it's clear that the debate is heated, and that the stakes behind Bill 50 are high.

With the U.S. Senate Finance committee passing its version of health care reform, debate is heating up in the U.S. about the Committee's failure to recommend a 'public option' for insurance.