ACOA “ghetto-izes” Atlantic Canada
In a review of ACOA spending in Newfoundland published by The Telegram in St. John's AIMS President, Brian Lee Crowley, comments on the lack of a need for small specialized regional agencies to manage federal investment in needed infrastructure. Crowley believes, for example, that Atlantic Canada should receive support for its universities through Industry Canada and Human Resources Development Canada rather than through a special agency that "ghetto-izes" the region. Publication: ETSJ, August 18, 2001
AIMS Atlantica initiative catches attention of National Post
The potential economic and social benefits that Atlantica offers to Atlantic Canada are highlighted in a recent article in the National Post. In exploring efforts to improve the free flow of people and goods across the Canada-US border, the National Post looks at AIMS' recent Pugwash Thinkers Lodge conference on the Atlantica concept - a cross-border region embracing Atlantic Canada, much of New England, northern New York state and Quebec's Eastern Townships. AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley is quoted in the article as saying "Open borders have signalled a renaissance in Europe's previously neglected regions. A very similar development can and will happen across Canada, and there are few places for which it can be more beneficial than Atlantic Canada." As the National Post reports, elected representatives of the people of Atlantica are very much aware of the benefits of closer ties across the border.
Daily News says AIMS papers are a real education about equalization
In his 14 August piece, Money editor John Macleod of the Daily News argues that the debate on equalization is not simply about begging for more federal cash. Macleod encourages anyone interested in having a reasonable understanding of this issue to go to the AIMS site and review the recent studies on equalization that can be found there. Having read these studies he concludes that the debate is, rather, about the proper role of non-renewable resources within the equalization program. He points out that the federal government itself has been unable to reach a firm conclusion on how non-renewable resources and equalization go together. In fact, no fewer than ten adjustments have been made in the treatment of non-renewable resources since the equalization program was implemented.
School Choice, AIMS and the Wall Street Journal
On August 9 the Wall Street Journal published a piece by Canadian journalist and publisher Michael Taube about the value of competition and school choice for the public education system. Taube cites AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley’s comments that friendly competition between Canada’s public and private schools can only help the education marketplace and create more efficient institutions. In this context Taube discusses how Ontario and, in fact, Canada has become a leader in this innovative policy area. He applauds the Harris government for introducing tuition tax credits for parents sending their children to private school.
Swedish Health Care in Transition: Markets and Competition Here to Stay
In this, his first commentary, Johan Hjertqvist explores the debate over private sector provision of health services in Sweden. He highlights the positive developments in primary care contracting and the continued shift to entrepreneurs over employees in the search for doctors and nurses.
AIMS authors bring Dion back into focus
In a series of op-ed pieces in papers across the country Ken Boessenkool, Calgary based author of the AIMS paper "Taking off the Shackles: Equalization and the Development of Nonrenewable Resources in Atlantic Canada" and Brian Lee Crowley, AIMS President, again enter the national debate on equalization . The two argue that federal Intergovernmental affairs minister Stephane Dion has chosen the wrong focus in placing the discussion about equalization in the context of special treatment.