Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 – A number of studies and organizations have pointed out lately that income inequality in this country is on the rise. But who has pointed out the fact that the poor are actually getting richer? On the occasion of International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, the Montreal Economic Institute’s Yanick Labrie shines a light on five reasons why income inequality is less worrisome than it appears to be, in an Economic Note published today.

1. Income growth for the poor

Friday, April 27, 2012 – The federal government’s declared intention to sign a comprehensive economic and trade agreement with the European Union is good news for the Canadian population. Prosperity in Quebec and Canada is strongly connected to degree of economic openness, especially with regard to other markets.

Thursday, April 26, 2012 – Even if governments around the world enacted costly programs to promote “green” energy, oil would remain the world’s primary source of energy between now and 2035, according to the International Energy Agency’s projections. Quebec is not exempt from the upward global trend in oil consumption, which has increased by 4% in the province over the last 20 years.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 – For Yves Guérard, an internationally renowned actuary and the author of a new publication from the Montreal Economic Institution (MEI), the raising of the age of eligibility for Old Age Security program benefits from 65 to 67, as announced in the last federal budget, is an absolute must. Still, this belated adjustment remains timid, according to him.

Tuesday March 27, 2012 – “The concerns expressed by union leaders who fear that the next federal budget will destroy public services in Canada are greatly exaggerated,” asserts Filip Palda, associate researcher at the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) and a professor at the École nationale d'administration publique (ÉNAP).

March 20, 2012 – Quebec’s public sector debt has now reached $248 billion dollars. Following the tabling of the budget, the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) updated its Quebec Debt Clock in real time. For the 2012-2013 year, the clock will advance by $10.2 billion, the equivalent of $28 million a day or $19,331 a minute.

“Zero deficit” does not mean “zero indebtedness”

Montréal, le 15 mars 2012 – Une quarantaine de jeunes cagoulés ont tenté de s'introduire dans les bureaux de l'Institut économique de Montréal (IEDM) mardi dernier. Ils ont notamment tenté de défoncer la porte d'entrée des bureaux de l'IEDM tout en criant des menaces. Ils ont séquestré ses employés, en plus de commettre plusieurs actes de vandalisme.

Montréal, le 22 février 2012 – L’Institut économique de Montréal (IEDM) est heureux de constater que sa publication lancée hier, intitulée Le secteur privé dans un système de santé public : l’exemple allemand, a suscité l’intérêt du ministre de la Santé par le biais d’un commentaire de son attachée de presse rapporté dans

Montreal, February 21, 2012 – As headlines in the last few days have again reminded us, emergency room overcrowding and long waiting times for surgery have not diminished in Canada. Other developed countries are doing a better job of managing these problems through use of the private sector.

Montreal, February 9, 2012 – The airline industry has been experiencing difficulties for a decade and the Competition Bureau’s intention to block the joint venture between United Continental and Air Canada, which employs 23,000 people in Canada, will not help the situation, according to the most recent publication of the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI). Indeed, studies show that coordination agreements between airline carriers are beneficial.