Never let an inconvenient fact get in the way of a good argument. That appears to be the approach of some provinces when discussing potential changes to Canada’s equalization program. This approach is made easier by the fact that equalization…

Ken Boessenkool is General Manager of Hill and Knowlton Alberta and has written numerous research papers on equalization and other subjects for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, the C.D. Howe Institute, the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queens University,…

The end of Alberta alienation may be at hand.  At its core, Alberta alienation has a provincial and a national component. Provincially, alienation is tied to the willingness and ability of the provincial government to assert Alberta’s interests. Nationally, alienation…

“Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits is layer upon layer of irony. Musician Mark Knopfler cribbed the lyrics from an appliance delivery man who was watching music videos and complaining about the posh life of rock stars. Layer one of…

The release of a number of reports by the federal Romanow  Commission has exposed its two-pronged public relations strategy: First, deny that there is a problem. Second, tag the provinces (especially Alberta) as the bad guys in health-care reform.  This…