The Parkland Institute

For Immediate Release | May 21, 2013

New report: Alberta’s whistleblower legislation ineffective:

Fails to protect whistleblowers and does not ensure allegations will be investigated

A new report released this morning by the Parkland Institute finds that Alberta’s new whistleblower legislation will be ineffective in terms of protecting those who blow the whistle on incompetence or corruption, and will not ensure that allegations are properly investigated.

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Related research:
Shooting The Messenger: The Need for Effective Whistleblower Protection in Alberta

For Immediate Release | May 09, 2013

New report looks at Albertans’ views on governance:

Strong support for election spending limits and the role of protest groups

A new report released this morning by the Parkland Institute finds that Albertans strongly favour setting election spending limits in Alberta and recognize the important role that protest groups play in a democracy.

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Related research:
Governing Alberta: Citizens' Views

For Immediate Release | April 17, 2013

Taking the Reins:

New report says public interest best served by slowing down bitumen production

A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says another out-of-control bitumen boom would not be in the best interests of Albertans, and that the Alberta government should take action today to bring the pace of development under control.

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Taking the Reins: The Case for Slowing Alberta's Bitumen Production

For Immediate Release | February 28, 2013

A majority of Albertans support a return to progressive taxation:

New report shows that fair and progressive taxes could solve Alberta’s fiscal woes

A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that the solution to Alberta’s current fiscal woes, and to growing inequality in the province, lies in an increase in corporate taxes and a return to a progressive tax system—a move that a majority of Albertans would support.

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Related research:
Stabilizing Alberta’s revenues: A common sense approach

For Immediate Release | February 19, 2013

Contracting out maintenance of infrastructure has reduced transparency and put tax dollars at risk

A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that Alberta’s contracting out of infrastructure maintenance to private firms has resulted in decreased transparency and accountability, and has put Alberta taxpayer dollars at risk.

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Related research:
Delivery Matters: Public Infrastructure, Privatized Maintenance, and Government Transparency

For Immediate Release | January 28, 2013

Alberta is Canada’s most unequal province:

and Calgary the most unequal city

Analysis by the Parkland Institute and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives of new data on Canada’s richest 1% shows that Alberta has become the country’s most unequal province and Calgary its most unequal city.  The new data shows that incomes (adjusted for inflation) for the top 1% of Albertan doubled between 1982 and 2010, posting a shocking increase of $320,000.  By comparison, the bottom 90% of Albertans saw their incomes increase by a total of only $3,900 over the same time period.

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For Immediate Release | November 01, 2012

Alberta has the richest rich and the poorest poor in Canada:

New report highlights dangers and causes of rapidly growing disparity in the province

A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute and the Alberta College of Social Workers says that despite Alberta’s obvious wealth, inequality and disparity in the province are growing faster than almost anywhere else in the country.

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Related research:
A social policy framework for Alberta: Fairness and justice for all

For Immediate Release | October 30, 2012

Saskatchewan’s Public Liquor System Superior to Alberta and BC private retailers:

in price, revenue and mitigating social harm

Saskatchewan’s public liquor system is superior to both Alberta and British Columbia’s private liquor delivery system in terms of price, revenue generation and the mitigation of social harm. That is the conclusion of a new collaborative report by the Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Parkland Institute.

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Related research:
Impaired Judgement: The Economic and Social Consequences of Liquor Privatization in Western Can

For Immediate Release | April 18, 2012

Cost of infrastructure private-public contracts impossible to track:

Study finds privatization reduces accountability and transparency

A new fact sheet from the Parkland Institute says that contracting out infrastructure maintenance to the private sector in Alberta has resulted in reduced accountability and transparency, misleading figures on the condition of infrastructure, and increased risk to tax dollars.

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Related research:
Delivery Matters: infrastructure privatization and accountability

For Immediate Release | April 10, 2012

New report highlights dangers of private health care:

HRC example shows private costs more and puts tax dollars at risk

A new report from the Parkland Institute says that supporting private health facilities with public health dollars costs more, damages the public system, and puts tax dollars and patient care at risk.

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Related research:
Delivery Matters: The high costs of for-profit health services in Alberta

For Immediate Release | March 15, 2012

Misplaced Generosity:

Alberta government set to forego $55 billion in royalties over next three years

A new report from the U of A’s Parkland Institute says that despite a provincial deficit, the Alberta government will forego some $55 billion in potential revenue over the next three years as a result of overly generous royalty cuts and the government’s failure to meet even the modest targets set by previous administrations.

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Related research:
Misplaced Generosity: Update 2012: Extraordinary profits in Alberta's oil and gas industry

For Immediate Release | March 07, 2012

Alberta’s Wage Gap Still Highest in Canada:

New fact sheet shows status of Alberta women lagging behind the rest of the country

A new fact sheet released this morning, on the eve of International Women’s Day, by the U of A’s Parkland Institute in conjunction with the Alberta College of Social Workers shows that Alberta continues to lag behind the rest of the country in terms of women’s equality, wages, and family-related benefits and services.

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Related research:
Women’s equality a long way off in Alberta: Gender gap remains among the widest in the nation

For Immediate Release | February 23, 2012

In Residential Long-term Care, Delivery Matters:

Research shows direct link between for-profit ownership and lower quality

A new fact sheet released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute points to a direct link between the ownership of residential long-term care facilities and the quality of service delivery.

The fact sheet, entitled Delivery Matters, looks at a variety of US and Canadian research to come to the conclusion that for-profit residential long-term care facilities are more likely to provide inferior care.

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Related research:
Delivery Matters: The impacts of for-profit ownership in long-term care

For Immediate Release | February 17, 2012

Family Day on the Treadmill:

Albertans have among the lowest leisure time and longest work hours in the world

A new fact sheet released on the eve of the Family Day weekend by the U of A’s Parkland Institute highlights that Albertans are spending less time with their families than anyone else in the country and most countries in the OECD.

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For Immediate Release | December 05, 2011

New report says markets are a poor solution to Alberta’s water woes:

Non-market solutions would be better for environment, public interest, and First Nations

A new report released this morning by the U of A’s Parkland Institute says an expansion of water markets in Alberta would have adverse effects on the environment, people’s access to water, and First Nations communities.  It also recommends alternatives for dealing with Alberta’s current water crisis that would be more in keeping with Albertans’ values, and the values that underlie Alberta’s historical water laws.

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Related research:
Alternative water futures in Alberta: