Montreal, August 15, 2011 – In anticipation of new federal regulations that will increase the space reserved for health warnings on cigarette packages from 50 to 75%, the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) today unveils a second Economic Note on the growing tendency of governments to regulate advertising. In practice, increasing the space reserved for warnings may be seen as a form of plain packaging, and this is all the more true when a sticker is added (on the section left for the brand) to show that duty has been paid.

Montreal, August 5, 2011 – The deal adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Obama on August 2, 2011 will see the federal debt ceiling in the United States raised by at least $2.1 trillion from its current limit of $14.3 trillion. An analysis of the agreement shows that even if all the cuts contained in it were indeed enacted, they would not prevent the U.S. federal debt from continuing to grow.

Montreal, June 16, 2011 – The consumption of products deemed harmful to one’s health cannot typically be reduced by restricting or prohibiting the advertising of such products. That is one of the main conclusions of a publication released today by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI).

Montreal, May 12th 2011 – The Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) today unveils a Research Paper, A Plea for a Quebec-Alberta Dialogue, that analyzes the political and economic relationship between two provinces that have several interests in common.

Montreal, April 27, 2011 – After several months of unsuccessful negotiations and conciliation talks, the employees of Canada Post voted by a margin of 94.5% in favour of going on strike at the end of May if they do not reach a negotiated settlement with their employer. Now is the perfect time to evaluate this public monopoly and to consider reforms that would improve its efficiency.

Montreal, March 31, 2011 – As part of its Plea for a Quebec-Alberta Dialogue, the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) today unveils the results of a very interesting poll on Quebecers’ perceptions of certain political and economic issues related to Alberta.

As it turns out, 61% of Quebecers have a positive image of Alberta. Furthermore, over two thirds (68%) agree with the notion that Quebec must strengthen its political and economic ties with this province.

Friday, March 18, 2011 – In the Viewpoint on the debt of the Quebec government, Youri Chassin, economist at the Montreal Economic Institute, examines the retirement plans liability for public sector employees, which is to say the amounts the government has failed to set aside year after year to pay the retirement benefits promised to its employees. This liability has reached $71 billion.

Montreal, February 24, 2011 – In the last 20 years, rates of industrial accidents and occupational diseases have been falling constantly in Quebec. The number of deaths has followed this same trend, with a 75% decline in proportion to the number of workers. However, despite this very positive record, the costs of the system run by the CSST (Quebec’s Occupational Health and Safety Commission) have kept rising. In an Economic Note published by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), Jacques L.

Montreal, January 31, 2011 – « Les commentaires du SCFP, émis par voie de communiqué aujourd’hui, démontrent une lecture superficielle de la publication sur le modèle de syndicalisation québécois rendue publique par l’Institut économique de Montréal », selon Michel Kelly-Gagnon, P.-D. G. de l’IEDM.

Montreal, January 31, 2011 – When the time comes for the members of the National Assembly to examine the possibility of updating the Labour Code, it is the freedom of choice of workers that should be foremost in their minds. Indeed, the authors of an Economic Note published today by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), Louis Fortin and Michel Kelly-Gagnon, note that the Quebec unionization model is an anomaly when compared to the situation that prevails in most free and democratic societies, including the 47 countries of the Council of Europe.