Institute for Public Economics

Policy Events

The Policy Events organized by the Institute for Public Economics contribute to the discussion of current policy topics.

Policy Event - September 2018

Speaker: Joseph Marchand, University of Alberta, Department of Economics
Title: "Still Thinking about Minimum Wage Increases in Alberta: Theoretically, Empirically, and Regionally"
Date: September 26, 2018 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
location: T BW 1 Tory Building

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

On October 1st, 2018, Alberta will reach its $15 minimum wage goal. Since the province set out to increase its minimum wage by 47% back in 2015, Professor Joseph Marchand has been helping Albertans and other interested parties think about its effects from the labor market perspective. In this talk, Joseph renews this role by summarizing his policy piece released through the C.D. Howe Institute a year ago with some important updates and comparisons to bring those thoughts into the present and to consider what will happen in the future.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Joseph Marchand is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Prior to joining the Faculty at the University of Alberta, Joseph previously served in research positions at Princeton, Columbia, and Syracuse Universities, as well as visiting positions at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the University of Toronto. He received his degrees in economics from Syracuse, N.Y.U., and Rutgers University.

Professor Marchand specializes in the field of labor and demographic economics. His research has been published in the Canadian Journal of Economics, the Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, the Journal of Economic Inequality, the Journal of Economic Surveys, the Journal of Urban Economics, and Labour Economics. Joseph continues to serve as editor of his department’s working paper series and of the New Economics Papers weekly reports in the areas of labour economics and labor markets.

Policy Event - April 2018

Title: Roundtable on Provincial Budget
Date: 18 April, 2018 - 4:30 pm
location: CCIS 1-440

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

On March 22nd Finance Minister Joe Ceci tabled his fourth budget. In Budget 2018 A Recovery built to last, the provincial government expects to spend $56.2 billion will taking in revenue of $47.9 billion. In addition, $4.1 billion of capital investment will be made. A key part of this year’s budget is the government’s stated intention to eliminate the deficit by fiscal 2023-24.

ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS:

Gil McGowan (political and labour movement activist)

Graham Thomson (writes on political issues for The Edmonton Journal)

Ken Kobly (President and CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce)

David Dorward (Canadian politician)

MODERATOR:

Bob Ascah is a Fellow at the Institute for Public Economics and former Director (2009-2013).

Policy Event - March 2017

Title: Roundtable on Provincial Budget
Date: March 23, 2017 - 4:30 pm
location: Tory Building Room B-87
Slides of the presentations: Bob Ascah, Grant Robertson

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

On March 16th, Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Joe Ceci will table his third budget. While some optimism is in the air compared to last year when oil prices were plumbing multi-decade lows, the Third Quarter Fiscal Update shows a large deficit of nearly $11 billion. Moderator Bob Ascah will provide introductory comments followed by panelists from labour and business groups and respected media and former government officials. After speaker presentations, the floor will be open to questions.

ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS:

Gil McGowan is a longtime political and labour movement activist with a committed track record of standing up for working people. He was elected President of the Alberta Federation of Labour in 2005, following 10 years working as Communications Director for the AFL. His work at the AFL has garnered him numerous national communications awards, including for his work on union newspapers, radio ad campaigns, research booklets and public relations campaigns. McGowan is the former Editor and Assistant Editor of the AFL's award-winning newspaper, Labour News. Before joining the AFL, McGowan was a journalist for Canadian Press and the Edmonton Journal. He has a B.A. in History from the University of Alberta and a Master in Journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa.

Grant Robertson, former Deputy Secretary to Cabinet and Deputy Minister, Treasury Board

Grant Robertson’s career has been spent largely in the Alberta public sector with a focus on fiscal policy. He has been involved in all aspects of budget preparation. His last position was Deputy Minister of Alberta Treasury Board (October 2011). Prior to that Grant Robertson served as Deputy Secretary to Cabinet. Grant Robertson is on the International Monetary Fund’s panel of fiscal experts and has worked abroad for the IMF in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Arabian Gulf states and most recently in East Asia (2015). He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Alberta.

Ms. Amber Ruddy, Director of Provincial Affairs with Canadian Federation of Independent Business

Amber Ruddy is Director of Provincial Affairs with CFIB. She advocates on behalf of CFIB members in Alberta and conducts research into government finance, labour policy, regulatory burden, and municipal affairs. Amber’s experience includes working as an intern for a federal cabinet minister, as a legislative assistant for an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament, and as the national government relations advisor for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She also served as a Junior Team Canada delegate on an economic trade mission to China and Hong Kong in 2006. Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Elizabeth Smythe, Professor of Political Science, Concordia University of Edmonton

Elizabeth Smythe is a professor of political science and coordinator of the political economy program at Concordia University of Edmonton. She teaches comparative and international politics. Research interests include international trade and investment agreements, food standards and social movements.

Mr. Graham Thomson, Provincial Affairs Columnist for The Edmonton Journal

Graham Thomson writes on political issues for The Edmonton Journal. A graduate of the University of Waterloo's English co-op program, Graham has worked in radio, television and print as a reporter, producer and political writer. Since starting work with the Edmonton Journal in 1995, he has reported on assignments in various parts of the world including Russia and Mexico and has been embedded with Canadian troops for two tours in Afghanistan. Graham has won a National Newspaper Award, a national B'nai Brith award for human rights reporting and was a Canadian Journalism Foundation fellow at the University of Toronto in the 2008-2009 school year. Graham was nominated last year for a National Newspaper Award for his political columns -- He received a citation of merit. He also received a citation of merit from the Canadian Meteorological Society for his columns on climate change.

MODERATOR:

Bob Ascah is a Fellow at the Institute for Public Economics and former Director (2009-2013). He curates Albertarecessionwatch.com a website which follows the recession unfolding in Alberta. He graduated from Carleton University in 1979 with an M.A. in Public Administration and completed his doctorate in political science at the University of Alberta in 1984. He worked with the Alberta government in various capacities from 1984 to 1996 and thereafter joined Alberta Treasury Branches, retiring in 2009. He has written extensively on Alberta public finance and currently is studying board appointments, board governance and executive compensation at Alberta public sector agencies.

Recent Policy Events

Policy Event - February 2016

Speaker: Professor Mel McMillan, University of Alberta, Department of Economics
Discussant: Professor Valentina Galvani, University of Alberta, Department of Economics
Title: Beyond Dodge - Further Reflections on Alberta’s Capital Spending and Its Finance
Date: February 29, 2016
Link to the story, event and paper

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

David Dodge’s report to the Alberta government was included in the October Budget documents and it continues to receive public attention. Many of the arguments discussed in the report, especially those regarding short-term policy, are sound. However, two major conclusions are cause for concern. In particular, the report concludes that Alberta is deficient in provincial sector capital compared to other provinces, and that Alberta should pursue a largely debt financed capital spending program leading to a debt level stabilizing at 25 per cent of GDP in the mid-2020s. After further analysis and reflection, Professor McMillan disputes both conclusions. In this event, Dr. McMillan will present his findings. In addition, he will assess the appropriate role for debt in financing provincial infrastructure. Dr. Galvani will provide further comments on the topic.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Professor McMillan received a B.A. and an M.Sc. from the University of Alberta, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University. Before joining the University of Alberta, he was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dr. McMillan served as Chair of the Economics Department from 1987 to 1997. From 1994 to 2011, he also served as Faculty Association Representative on the Sponsors Working Group of the Universities’ Academic Pension Plan. His research and teaching interests are in public economics and, in particular, urban and local economics, fiscal federalism, and the demand for and supply of public goods and services. These interests were the focus of his research while on leaves at the Australian National University, Canberra, and at the University of York, England. He has published extensively in these areas and has also advised governments and national and international organizations such as the World Bank.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSANT:

Professor Galvani received a Ph.D. in Economics (Financial Economics concentration) and a M.A. in Economics from the Krannert School of Business, Purdue University. She also received a Doctoral degree in Mathematical Finance from the University of Brescia and a Laurea (B.A. and M.A.) in Mathematics from the University of Milan. Her research focuses on financial economics. Her work has contributed to the field of general equilibrium in asset markets. In particular, her research has examined the role of derivative contracts in efficient markets for infinite dimensional spaces (Lp spaces). Dr. Galvani's current work investigates the causes of market instability, with a focus on cross-asset flights and negative contagion.

Policy Event - November 2015

Title: Roundtable on Provincial Budget
Date: November 23, 2015 - 4:00 pm

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Monday, November 23, the Institute for Public Economics hosted a debate on the provincial budget. With the transition from forty-four years of Progressive Conservative governments to a New Democratic Party government, the late October budget is expected to signal a new direction. The challenges facing Treasury Board President and Finance Minister are significant. Over the past decade the province has seen two energy booms and two busts. The decline in oil prices over the past year has again demonstrated the weakness of relying on resource revenue to fund ongoing government operations. The massive growth in oil and sands investment that has driven Alberta's economy over the past decade is unlikely to continue as future projects might become unprofitable. Environmental and capital regulations are also likely to play a major role in economic policy. Expectations from the public sector unions for wage increases might become unrealized under the new economic environment.

ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS:

Sue Bohaichuk, Executive Officer of Policy and Advocacy for the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association - AUMA. As Executive Officer of Policy and Advocacy for AUMA (a non profit organization that represents the interests of over 270 cities, towns, villages and summer villages across Alberta), Ms. Bohaichuk is responsible for a broad range of environmental, economic, social, and governance matters affecting local government. She works with federal and provincial governments on solution-based advocacy. Prior to joining AUMA, she was an Assistant Deputy Minister for the Government of Alberta, and worked in a variety of portfolios including health, agriculture, consumer protection and registries, community development, tourism, parks and culture, and the Premier’s Council for Economic Development.

Mr. Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labor - AFL. Mr. McGowan received a B.A. in History from the University of Alberta and a Master in Journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is a longtime political and labour movement activist. He was elected President of the Alberta Federation of Labour in 2005, following 10 years working as Communications Director for the AFL. His work at the AFL has garnered him numerous national communications awards, including for his work on union newspapers, radio ad campaigns, research booklets and public relations campaigns. Mr. McGowan is the former Editor and Assistant Editor of the AFL's award-winning newspaper, Labour News. Before joining the AFL, he was a journalist for The Canadian Press and The Edmonton Journal.

Ms. Amber Ruddy, Director of Provincial Affairs with Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Ms. Ruddy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario. She advocates on behalf of CFIB members in Alberta, and conducts research into government finance, labour policy, regulatory burden, and municipal affairs. Her experience includes working as an intern for a federal cabinet minister, as a legislative assistant for an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament, and as the national government relations advisor for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She also served as a Junior Team Canada delegate on an economic trade mission to China and Hong Kong in 2006.

Dr. Kevin Taft, Former Alberta Liberal Party Leader Dr. Taft spent most of his career working on public policy in Alberta, in the non-profit and private sectors; with government; as an MLA; and as Leader of the Alberta Opposition. He has written extensively on public policy in Alberta, including four books. His most recent book, co-authored with Professor McMillan and Jahangir, titled Follow the Money, studies Alberta’s fiscal situation. Dr. Taft holds a Ph.D. in Business, and lives in Edmonton where he continues writing, consulting and volunteer work.

Mr. Graham Thomson, Provincial Affairs Columnist for The Edmonton Journal. A graduate of the University of Waterloo's English co-op program, Mr. Graham has worked in radio, television and print as a reporter, producer and political writer. Since starting work with the Edmonton Journal in 1995, he has reported on assignments in various parts of the world including Russia and Mexico, and has been embedded with Canadian troops for two tours in Afghanistan. He also served as Canadian Journalism Foundation fellow at the University of Toronto in the 2008-2009 school year. Mr. Graham received a National Newspaper Award, and a national B'nai Brith award for human rights reporting. He was nominated for a National Newspaper Award for his political columns, and received a citation of merit. He also received a citation of merit from the Canadian Meteorological Society for his columns on climate change.

MODERATOR:

Dr. Robert Ascah (Fellow, Institute for Public Economics). Dr Ascah received a B.A. in Commerce, an M.A. in Public Administration from Carleton University, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Alberta. His Ph.D. dissertation, Politics and Public Debt – The Dominion, the Banks and Alberta’s Social Credit, was published by the University of Alberta Press. Dr. Ascah served as Director of the Institute for Public Economics from 2009 until 2013. Prior to this, he worked for the Alberta public service. After a short period in Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs, he joined Alberta Treasury, where he was responsible for financial sector policy, foreign borrowing, and liaison with ratings agencies. In 1996, he joined Alberta Treasury Branches (ATB Financial) as Secretary to the Board. Subsequently, he was responsible for business planning, economics and government relations. In that capacity, he was a frequent speaker on economics and financial institutions policy. Dr. Ascah retired from ATB Financial in May 2009. He is currently serving as a Fellow of the Institute for Public Economics. He also serves as Chair of the Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta/NWT Division, and as Academic Liaison for the Edmonton Regional Group of the Institute for Public Administration of Canada. Dr. Ascah is also a frequent media commentator on financial and economic issues.

Policy Event - April 2015

Title: Roundtable on Provincial Budget
Date: April 2, 2015 - 4:00 pm

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

On March 26, Alberta Treasury Board and Finance Minister Robin Campbell delivered a highly anticipated provincial budget. Prior to its release, Alberta Premier Jim Prentice argued that this would be a "once in a generation" budget in terms of its tough fiscal measures. A debate on the 2015 Alberta provincial budget took place on April 2.

ROUNTABLE PARTICIPANTS AND MODERATOR:

The roundtable participants included Dr. Mel McMillan (Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Alberta, Department of Economics and Fellow, Institute for Public Economics), Mr. Graham Thomson (Provincial Affairs columnist, Edmonton Journal), Dr. Kevin Taft (former Alberta Liberal Party and Opposition leader), Mr. Mike Dempsey (Alberta Federation of Labour Vice-President), Mr. Scott Hennig (Vice-President and Director of Communications, Canadian Taxpayers Federation). Dr. Robert Ascah (Fellow, Institute for Public Economics) served as the roundtable moderator.

Policy Event - January 2015

Title: Roundtable on Provincial Sales Tax
Date: January 12, 2015 - 4:00 pm

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Alberta is the only province in Canada that does not have a provincial sales tax. A debate on the topic of implementation of a sales tax in Alberta took place on January 12.

ROUNTABLE PARTICIPANTS AND MODERATOR:

The roundtable participants included Dr. Ergete Ferede (Associate Professor of Economics, MacEwan University, and Fellow, Institute for Public Economics), Ms. Shirley McClellan (Former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance of Alberta), Mr. Carman McNary (Managing Partner, Dentons and Past President, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce), Mr. Gil McGowan (President, Alberta Federation of Labour), Mr. Graham Thomson (Provincial Affairs Columnist, Edmonton Journal), and Mr. Al O’Brien (former Alberta Deputy Provincial Treasurer). Dr. Robert Ascah (Fellow, Institute for Public Economics) served as the roundtable moderator.