International “Thinkers” Converge on Nova Scotia
Three-day conference to consider the future of the “International Northeast”
Reforming Public Education in Canada
There are three approaches to achieving an effective education system. The traditional approach involves centralized regulation and micro-management. The spending approach involves increasing spending to lower class size and raise teacher salaries. In contrast to these unsuccessful methods is the reformist approach, which involves decentralizing control of the product to the school level, rewarding teacher performance and holding principals responsible for outcomes. The reformist model is on the ascendancy on both the right and the left in the United States. In this article, Rod Clifton, Professor of Sociology of Education at St. John’s College, University of Manitoba, argues that Canada can keep good teachers and principals by considering the new approach as well.
AIMS On-Line for early July 2001
Here is what's new at AIMS, Atlantic Canada's Public Policy Think Tank
Equalization penalizes success
The July 9 edition of Maclean's magazine includes a column by Mary Janigan that explores the negative impacts of equalization and looks for solutions. She finds them in two recently released papers by AIMS - "Equalization: Milestone or Millstone?" by Roland Martin and "Taking off the Shackles: Equalization and the Development of Nonrenewable Resources in Atlantic Canada" by Ken Boessenkool. Quoting both authors, Janigan looks at the positive impacts, for Ottawa and the provinces, of eliminating nonrenewable resource revenue from the equalization formula and allowing the provinces to keep that revenue to spur sustainable growth.
Robin Hood Economics
The national debate spurred by two recent AIMS papers – "Equalization: Milestone or Millstone?" by Roland Martin and "Taking off the Shackles: Equalization and the Development of Nonrenewable Resources in Atlantic Canada" by Ken Boessenkool – continues in the July 9 edition of Canadian Business magazine. In his commentary, Andrew Nikiforuk takes a dim view of the current situation in relation to equalization and offshore royalties and argues that, to be equal, Nova Scotia must be master in its own house. Taking a page from Boessenkool’s paper, Nikiforuk concludes it is time for Ottawa to "…unshackle the provinces and get smarter about giving money away and clawing it back."
AIMS Provides Summer Reading for BC MLAs
BC Citizens' group gives groundbreaking AIMS book to all local MLAs