The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with ties to a global network of think-tanks in 91 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of governement policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being.  

OUR BELIEF

Essential to the future leadership and prosperity of this country is how well we prepare its future leaders. The high school and university students of today will be the leaders of our country tomorrow, and educating these future leaders requires more than just courses in math, science, and law.

Students need to understand the fundamentals of economics and policy making, comprehend how policy decisions impact the economy, be exposed to a variety of options for any policy problem, and be equipped with the tools to critically evaluate their viability. Unfortunately, learning about economics is not something post-secondary institutions prioritize when designing their curricula for the plethora of degrees they offer. 

OUR PROGRAM

The Student Seminar program was launched because it was realized that most individuals who attain important positions in the field of public policy formulation and implementation manifest an interest in public policy at an early age. But because of the prevalent academic bias against market-based solutions to public policy problems, most students were receiving a one sided education.

Remedying this situation became an Institute priority. This was done through the creation of the Student Seminar Program which encourages discussion and critical and creative thinking about basic economic concepts and policy issues such as taxes, risk and regulation, sustainable environment, education, democracy, economic freedom, globalization and health care.

The student seminar program is consistently popular thanks to the mix of engaging speakers, current issues, lively discussions, networking opportunities, and accessibility. In the past, we have delved into topics such as Alberta’s debt; prosperity and energy development in Alberta for First Nations; how Alberta’s economy compares to that of other energy producers, among others.

Last year’s seminar saw the following line up:

100 Plus: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything

Sonia Arrison, Best Selling Author and Associate Founder of Singularity University

Economic Freedom: Helping the Developing World Out of Poverty  

Fred McMahon, Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom, Fraser Institute

Protecting Canadian Content: Paying for our National Identity Steven Globerman 

Kaiser Professor of International Business, Western Washington University

The End of the Alberta Advantage? 

Steve Lafleur, Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute

Please help us raise this $25,000 to ensure that we prepare the future leaders of this country to think critically about the economy, and in doing so, demand better policies which is the foundation for a more prosperous country.