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FRASER UPDATE
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Latest Research Jan 6-12, 2020
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Trudeau government spending hits all-time high, including years of war and recession
Prime Ministers and Government Spending, 2020 finds that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has now recorded the highest ever per-person spending level of any federal government, including those that fought wars or faced recessions. Adjusting for inflation, the study finds that spending in 2019 ($9,066 per Canadian) tops the previous all-time record of $8,811 (in 2019 dollars) set by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2009 during the global recession.
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Much of the sensationalism about CEO compensation based on myths and misperceptions
The Truth about CEO and Worker Compensation finds that much of the sensationalism about CEO compensation is based on myths and misperceptions. In fact, CEO compensation in Canada largely reflects the nature of the job, the skills required and the global demand for top talent. And the pay gap between CEOs and workers identified in some studies is often overestimated—sometimes by as much as 81 per cent—as a result of faulty comparisons.
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New book summarizes the ideas of Milton Friedman, an influencer of epic proportions
The Essential Milton Friedman is a new book, website and video series about the ideas of Milton Friedman, one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, spotlighting his extraordinary contributions to economic theory, practice and policy—and his unique ability to make these concepts more accessible to the general public.
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Recent Commentary and Blog Posts
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Ford government must get serious about reducing government debt ([link removed])
(Appeared in the Toronto Sun) by Ben Eisen.
The Ford government should chart a course to pre-recession debt levels.

Painful decade for Alberta finances finally over ([link removed])
(Appeared in the Edmonton Journal) by Steve Lafleur.
The province closed out the decade with an estimated $36.6 billion in net debt.

Ottawa shouldn’t meddle in K-12 education ([link removed])
(Appeared in the Fredericton Daily Gleaner) by Jason Clemens and Tegan Hill.
Independent school enrolment reaches a high of 12.8 per cent in B.C. and a low of 0.8 per cent in New Brunswick.

Federal government making up fiscal rules on the fly ([link removed])
(Appeared in Calgary's Business) by Alex Whalen and Jake Fuss. 
The federal debt-to-GDP ratio increased from 30.8 per cent to 31.0 per cent.

Ontario won’t be ‘open for business’ without business property tax reform ([link removed])
(Appeared in the Globe and Mail) by Josef Filipowicz.
In the City of Toronto, property tax rates for commercial properties were almost four times higher than for residential properties.

Trudeau government making wrong type of tax cuts ([link removed])
(Appeared in National Newswatch) by Jason Clemens, Jake Fuss, and Tegan Hill. 
Nine of the provinces are in the top 10 jurisdictions in North America with the highest personal income tax rates.

Texas shines bright while Alberta dims ([link removed])
by Ashley Stedman.
Sixty-five per cent of respondents for Alberta were deterred by the high cost of regulatory compliance.

The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. For more, call (800) 665-3558 ext. 590.

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