Home › What's Popular - The Top Resources

Richards and Vining argue that more than any other factor, poor education levels are condemning many Aboriginals to live in poverty. They point out that the links among education, employment and income are critical, and suggest that Aboriginal People are not being provided with the opportunity to make realize the potential value of all three of these tenets. In this study, Richards and Vining assess the education performance of Aboriginal students in individual off-reserve British Columbia schools.

In this report, Ben Brunnen addresses the Aboriginal human capital opportunities that exist in the West. From interviews, public opinion surveys, and census data, he makes a number of key findings regarding improving labour market outcomes for Aboriginal people, including: the need to reinforce the value of education; ensuring success in obtaining and retaining employment; and, the need to recognize, reward and celebrate successes.

This diagnostic report uses empirical data to provide an accurate picture of how Aboriginal Canadians are faring in post-secondary education (PSE).

This brief discussion paper by Iain Benson discusses the challenges to of the same-sex marriage debate in Canada. He includes the history of marriage, as well as the legal, religious and social aspects of marriage in Canada.

This discussion paper provides a framework for social policy based on a hypothetical person ('Olivia') whose life experience are typical of many Canadians. This new framework would consist of social policy focused on individuals rather than groups of individuals. The paper explains that this required a recognition of social capital and its impacts on life, the realities of the market for different individuals and the importance of agencies that effect Canadian's lives. It is suggested that such a framework be used to inform social policy.

Lefebvre and Merrigan begin their report by pointing out that most children in Canada are emotionally, physically, and socially healthy, yet they suggest there are some disturbing trends relating to children in Canada. Recent reports have revealed that child abuse and neglect have increased, juvenile crime is rising, children are consuming more alcohol and drugs than previous generations, and suicide rates are rising.

This paper identifies the specific issues of sustainable development that are most important to Canadians in the mid to long term. The report focuses on seven area: urban redesign, freshwater management, eco-region sustainability, impacts of globalization on Canada, signals and incentives, unsustainable lifestyles, and international engagement. In the context of each topic the report explains the problem and identifies research needs in the area. Broader conclusions are drawn and policies ideas are advanced as well as implementation strategies.

Niels Veldhuis and Todd Gabel broadly examine the $58 billion worth of debt reduction accomplished by the federal government between 1997-98 and 2001-02.

In this brief paper, Richard Zuker proposes restructuring the Conservative Party’s Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB). Zuker’s proposal is intended to address some criticisms of the program. According to the author, the UCCB has been criticized at the policy framework and design levels.

Jim Grieshaber-Otto and Scott Sinclair examine a central and recurring theme in Canada’s health care debate: whether private financing and for-profit delivery of health care should play a greater role. They contend that exploring Canada’s international trade-treaty obligations as well as the scope of exemptions for health care under those treaties, add a critical dimension to this important debate.

Michael Mendelson examines the Aboriginal unemployment rate in Canada, seeking to determine whether or not there has been any improvement in labour market availability from 1996 to 2001.

Douglas L. Bland and Roy Rempel express grave concerns over the lack of interest the Canada�s Parliament has shown in defence policy and foreign affairs since the post-Cold War era began.

This Critical Issues Bulletin addresses the authors� view that the Canadian Forces have declined in the last decade, and the reasons they cite for its decay.

The author of this article, J.L. Granatstein, argues that Canada has no choice but to support the United States in an expanded anti-terrorism war, as well as in a National Missile Defense (NMD) scheme proposed by the Bush Administration. Granatstein explains that the two countries have been linked in defense for over 60 years, and that, as such, Canada’s refusal to participate in joint defence programs would inevitably carry real costs. Considering that the US will defend itself regardless of Canada’s position, Granatstein asserts that Canada must participate in defence programs – if only to protect its sovereignty. Granatstein suggests that by participating, Canada can maintain its seat at the defence table, which should, in turn, strengthen Canada’s bargaining position on trade issues.

This brief report is a summary of a roundtable hosted by the Public Policy Forum in May 2003 held to seek the advice of participants on the draft of the Management Accountability Framework developed by the Treasury Board Secretariat at the time.

This report describes the discussions of a Public Policy Forum workshop held in April 2005. Leaders from the federal government, academia, the voluntary sector, and the private sector attended the workshop to explore the future of accountability in public service management as a result of changes announced in the federal budget and by the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Although Canada has been successful in lowering its national unemployment rate, Michael Mendelson states that for the nation’s Aboriginal peoples unemployment is consistently higher than that of the population in general.

This article by Alain Noël examines Québec’s new Anti-Poverty Law (bill 112), which he considers moves Québec’s “social policy agenda farther from that of its neighbours and closer to the preoccupations of European countries.” He demonstrates that it is a law “drafted from below”, in that the basic framework it proposes originated not from government offices but from community groups and social actors. Noël then frames the poverty question into statistical terms, arguing that Statistics Canada’s poverty rates, which traditionally showed Québec to be the most poverty-plagued province in Canada, are misleading; by taking into account cost of living indicators, he shows, Québec and Ontario’s poverty rates are found to be more or less equal. Québec’s situation is thus comparable to that of the rest of Canada.

Jane Jenson provides a synthesis report for the year-long analysis undertaken by Canadian and international experts for a research program organized by the CPRN.

The C.D. Howe Institute is a social policy research organization that examines issues of national interest. Its research covers a broad range of social and economic policy issues.

The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies provides a distinctive Atlantic Canadian voice on public policy. The goal of AIMS is to help people understand how governments operate and make decisions, and how to build a better economy.

The Caledon Institute is dedicated to finding cost-effective solutions to social problems. Its goal is to fight poverty, ensure social and economic security, and achieve social justice.

The Canada West Foundation is dedicated to introducing Western perspectives into current Canadian policy debates. It encourages citizen engagement on current policy issues.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives promotes its policies as alternatives to the message that citizens have no choice about the policies that affect their lives. The organization's publications focus on the economy and social justice.

The mandate of the Canadian Council on Social Development is to develop and promote progressive social policies inspired by social justice, equality, and the empowerment of individuals and communities.