Montreal, June 17, 2008 – Dominique Vachon is joining the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) as an associate economist. Ms. Vachon brings to the MEI her broad experience of economics and public affairs, which she gained in particular as senior economist and later chief economist and vice president of the National Bank of Canada from 1991 to 2002.

Montreal, June 3, 2008 – With the opening today of the world food security conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Canada could assume a leadership role in the area of market liberalization. The world food crisis and the resumption of the Doha round of trade talks give Canada an opportunity to abolish supply management and customs duties on foodstuffs to benefit from the growing rise in demand from emerging countries.

Montreal, May 29, 2008 – The world has a huge reserve capacity in food production to cope with the current crisis. In a study published by the Montreal Economic Institute, Ian Irvine, a professor in the department of economics at Concordia University, states that “dismantling protectionism and increasing supply would compensate for the rise in fuel and fertilizer prices and allay the effects of ill-advised policies of support for biofuels. This reform would respond to growing food demand from emerging countries.”

Montreal, May 13, 2008 – Tax credits provided on investments in labour-sponsored venture capital funds no longer have a justification. These programs have been called into question in several other provinces. In its first two decades, the program under which they operate led to tax expenditures which can be estimated at about $2.7 billion for Quebec alone. Although investing in these funds may initially seem attractive for individuals receiving tax credits, they have low returns, high operating costs and negative effects on the supply of venture capital.

Montreal, May 6, 2008 – The 2008 George Petty Entrepreneurial Idea Prize has been awarded to hydrogeologist Martin Stapinsky, M.Sc., Ph.D., for his article titled Water as a strategic resource in Quebec’s economic development.

Montreal, April 24, 2008 – There are 1,052 hospitals in France’s private for-profit health care sector, accounting for 37% of all health care establishments with full hospital capacity and 21% of beds. This is about double the size of the private for-profit sector in the United States, which comprises 15% of hospitals and 12% of beds. “These private health care providers play an indispensable role in the French system, in a country with social democratic traditions, and they do not pose a threat to the accessibility or universality of care,” say economists Yanick Labrie and Marcel Boyer. “This runs counter to the line taken by defenders of the status quo in Quebec, whose thinking goes against the approach taken in most developed countries.”

Montreal, March 31, 2008 – The most promising strategy for sustainable management of the syndrome known as NIMBY (short for Not In My Back Yard) consists of creating competitive compensation mechanisms that respect the citizens concerned and give them real responsibility.

Montreal, March 3, 2008 – Electronic tolls on all of Quebec’s main highways would bring in up to $1.6 billion per year. An Economic Note published by the Montreal Economic Institute examines four scenarios for instituting charges of this type. Economist Mathieu Laberge, the study’s author, explains that “a return to tolls would be helpful in guaranteeing stable financing for maintenance and rebuilding of the highway network as well as minimizing traffic jams and slowing growth of the government debt.”

Montreal, February 13, 2008 – Canada’s aid programs need to be radically changed to respond effectively to new global conditions in an era of failed or failing states in the poorest parts of the world. Unfortunately, overseas development assistance is dying under the weight of its own red tape. This is the essence of the message to be delivered today by John Watson, president of the humanitarian organization CARE Canada from 1987 to 2007, in a speech presented by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) in collaboration with the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.

Montreal, February 12, 2008 – For Valentine’s Day, the Montreal Economic Institute is presenting an original analysis of the market strategies and mechanisms that operate on online dating sites. In a special Economic Note, economist Mathieu Laberge explains that “dating sites are ‘markets in romantic relationships’ in the sense that they involve both supply and demand.” The behaviour of men and women who are looking for partners can be explained in part by strategies that economics can help make understandable.” The economic analysis here relies on data provided by the popular Quebec dating site RéseauContact.