Fraser Institute Seminar

[albertGQ]

The Fraser Institute comes to Alberta every year and puts on a free student seminar where they discuss public policy issues. They alternate every year between Calgary and Edmonton. I attended the Calgary seminar this morning.

Did anyone else from CP attend? If so, what did you guys think? This is my third seminar, and the second time I've heard Nadeem Esmail speak about what is wrong with our health care system. By far the best speaker.

Two years ago our luncheon speaker was Ezra Levant and he discussed the controversial issue of political cartoons. I know alot of left wing easteners don't give much respect to this right wing think tank, but I thoroughly enjoy these seminars. I also enjoy the discussion groups we have after each speaker. I'm amazed by the knowledge of these young students.

[Claeren]

Fraser Institute is such a joke. I grew up with half of those kids, they were little militant facist pukes even back then. Don't know how you can sit through anything so brutally one sided in its logic without going nuts....



Claeren.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Yeah, he should hang out with international left opposition or league for socialist action and read pravda before bed time...

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally Posted by Flame Of Liberty

Yeah, he should hang out with international left opposition or league for socialist action and read pravda before bed time...

Well, that was really helpful to the discussion.

I used to subscribe to the thinking coming out of the Fraser Institute. Was impressed with some of the ideas and the progressive thinking. Unfortunately it went way too far a few years back, and Ezra Levant was a guy that completely turned me off. The guy is goof and I wouldn't let him consult on the operation of a lemonade stand, let alone the definition of public policy or private interests. Think tanks have a definite shelf life from my study of them. After about 10-15 years, they stop being effective in producing thoughtful positions. After that, they start attracting and developing like-minded individuals that pigeon-hole the thought processes and ###### the evolution of thought. I think the Fraser Institute hit that wall a few years ago and the quality of fellows they produce is proof of that.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Because calling them little fascist pukes (arguably without knowing what fascism means) really helped the debate

Anyway, what do you mean exactly by saying that the thought process at Fraser Institute has hit the wall? Any examples? Health policies? International free trade? Something else?

[peter12]

Tom Flanagan was speaking on Aboriginal policy. He's easily one of the greatest minds I've ever known. I'd go just to hear him speak. How was his presentation, Albert?

Fraser has the good and the bad. They genuinely have good economists who do work and they get a few nutbars. Although every single person I've met from Fraser, and I've met quite a few with my work, have been outstanding people.

[Claeren]

Originally Posted by Flame Of Liberty

Yeah, he should hang out with international left opposition or league for socialist action and read pravda before bed time...

Yeah, I am not a leftie at all - at least in the Canadian context. I am fiscally conservative but socially liberal, so?


And I was refering more to the younger set that has slowly been taking over at the Fraser Institute (and other right wing groups). They were those hardcore Reform Party kids who have all grown up and gone to Law School and such and never had a tough day in their life who seem pretty sure of all of their positions on issues they have never even tasted in real life.

And the facism reference has as much to do with how i see them in the general sense versus their actual stance on issues. I was refering more to the fact that their most militant supporters were the same types that would have propelled nazi germany forward back in the day. IMO of course. I have sat in enough uni classes listening to their little diatribes (Like Lavant) to make an informed opinion too. Of course i do catch the irony in all of that, but whatever....


Really though, i should have just kept my mouth shut because it is not something i can prove or disprove, it is just something i have first hand experience of from having dealt with a handful of their more militant members.


Claeren.