Editor's notes

More and more Canadians are beginning to realize that in order to tackle the nation's serious fiscal problems, the federal and provincial governments are going to have to cut spending. And those cuts will have to be deep, and cannot exclude the "sacred cows"--health, education, and welfare.

This issue of Fraser Forum focuses on social welfare. The feature article is from a speech given to a Fraser Institute audience by the Honourable Mike Cardinal, Alberta's Minister of Family and Social Services, who explains how he successfully tackled that province's burgeoning welfare caseload head-on.

This issue also looks at Ontario's enormous welfare burden, and shows how Alberta's solutions may be a model for Ontario. Guest contributor Tom Velk gives a short history of entitlement programs in Canada and the U.S.--a history which we obviously cannot afford to keep repeating. And contributors Karen Selick and Chris Sarlo each question the methodology Canada employs for measuring its poor.

Finally, U.S. author Walter Williams suggests that we not ignore the businesses who also seek handouts, thereby contributing to the drain on the public purse.

This issue's authors

Isabella Horry is The Fraser Institute's Research Economist and co-author of many Institute books and publications. She received her M.A. in Economics from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Owen Lippert is Senior Policy Analyst at The Fraser Institute. He received his Ph.D. in History from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.

Fazil Mihlar is Policy Analyst at The Fraser Institute. He received his B.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University, his M.A in Public Administration from Carleton University, and a Business Degree from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in London, England.

Lydia Miljan is Director of the National Media Archive, a division of The Fraser Institute. She earned an M.A. in Communications from the University of Calgary. She researches and writes On Balance.

Dr. Filip Palda is Professor at l'École Nationale d'Administration Publique in Montreal, and Senior Fellow of The Fraser Institute. He is the author, co-author, or editor of several Institute books and publications. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Al Riggs is Associate Professor of History and Director of North American Studies at McGill University in Montreal.

Christopher Sarlo teaches economics at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario. He is the author of Poverty in Canada, published by The Fraser Institute.

Karen Selick practices law in Belleville, Ontario. She is also a columnist for Canadian Lawyer.

Dr. Tom Velk is Associate Professor of Economics at McGill University in Montreal and is also a freelance television journalist.

Dr. Michael Walker is Executive Director of The Fraser Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. He has written, edited, or co-authored dozens of Fraser Institute books and publications.

Dr. Walter Williams is John M. Olin Distinguished Scholar at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and is a syndicated columnist. He has also contributed to Fraser Institute books.

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Last Modified: Wednesday, October 20, 1999.