ANNUALREPORT

2006

OFFICERS(on December 31, 2006)

ADRIEN D. POULIOTChairman of the Board

RICHARD CARTERVice Chairman of the Board

ÉRIC BOYKOSTÉPHAN D. CRÉTIERHÉLÈNE DESMARAISDANIEL DOREYMARCEL DUTIL, C.M.DR LÉO-PAUL LANDRYNORMAND LEBEAURONALD MONETPAUL DANIEL MULLERJEAN-PIERRE OUELLETYVES RABEAUBoard Members

THE MONTREAL ECONOMIC INSTITUTE (MEI) IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT,

NON-PARTISAN ECONOMIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

THE MEI PARTICIPATES IN DEBATES ON QUEBEC AND CANADIAN PUBLIC POLICY BY

PROVIDING WEALTH-GENERATING SOLUTIONS, PRIMARILY IN AREAS OF TAXATION,

REGULATION, HEALTH AND EDUCATION REFORM.

Phone u (514) 273-0969

Fax u (514) 273-2581

E-mail u info@iedm.org

Web u www.iedm.org

Montreal Economic Institute6708 Saint-Hubert Montreal, Quebec H2S 2M6

STAFF(on December 31, 2006)

PAUL DANIEL MULLERPresident

NATHALIE ELGRABLYEconomist

JASMIN GUÉNETTEDirector of Public Affairs

NORMA KOZHAYAEconomist

MARTIN MASSEDirector of Research and Publications

JENI DIMITROVA, Accounting AssistantFRANCIS DUMOUCHEL, Research and Publications AssistantLAURETTE DUPONT, Communications and Events AssistantGILLES GUÉNETTE, WebmasterAVI SOKOLOVA, Executive Assistant

1

With barely sevenyears under the beltof the MontrealEconomic Institute,its collaborators

and partners have every reason to beproud of the place it has carved out inthe domain of Quebec public affairs.It’s as if we had been around fordecades!

This can be explained by the fact thatthe MEI has focused on topics pivotalto people’s lives in Quebec: healthcare, education, tax matters, andregulations that hinder wealth creation.We have instilled a strong set of valuesthroughout the organization, with itssuccess depending on the credibility itearns. Intellectual rigour and pro-fessionalism have been present everyinch of the way.

That is the role of a think tank like theMontreal Economic Institute: pro-viding our fellow citizens witheconomic analyses that are both solidand accessible, dealing with centralissues of public policy. The moreclearly a broad populace understandsthe economic stakes involved in issuesof public debate, the greater thelikelihood that Quebec’s leaders willadopt rational policies.

Our slogan “ideas for a more prospe-rous nation” expresses our missionclearly. Our ideas help others in their

reflections on public policy. Thedocumentary film The Quiet Illusiontakes up some of the themes po-pularized by the Institute. The film hasraised a stir inQuebec by pointingto the deeper causesof our social andeconomic malaise –causes such as aculture of acquiredrights, governmentand union mono-polies, and ideolo-gical currents thatprovide a cover forcorporatist interests.

This was a year oftransition in theInstitute’s manage-ment ranks with thedeparture of Michel Kelly-Gagnon, ourformer president. We were sorry to seehim leave but can take pride inwatching him pollinate anotherorganization, as occurred in 2005 withMaxime Bernier, now the federalminister of Industry. The MEI hascontinued to progress during this busyyear as the message from our newpresident makes clear. I wish to saluteour employees’ passion and commit-ment along with our donors’ patienceand wisdom. This has helped smooththe transition to new management.

CHAIRMAN’S

MESSAGE

annual report 2006

ADRIEN POULIOT

2

I welcome the new president, PaulDaniel Muller, who took up his dutiesin September after serving as anassociate researcher at the Institutesince 2003. The board of directors haschosen an economist who blendsinside experience in public policy withpractice in public affairs consulting.Paul is convinced that Quebec needs,more than ever, a spearhead like theInstitute to shake up accepted ideas.

After seven years chairing the board ofdirectors, the time has come for me topass the torch. Hélène Desmaraisbecame chairman of our board inMarch 2007. Hélène, an experiencedleader, is as convinced as I am that weneed new ideas to enable Quebec tomove forward. I pass the reins to herwith great confidence.

My position as chairman has beenamong the most enriching experiencesof my career. It will remain a hugesource of pride. The Institute’s successderives from the fact that its re-searchers have always had the courage

to express loudly and clearly what theyhave believed to be true withoutfearing a call to arms from those whofelt under attack in their privileges,monopolies or corporatist benefits. Iwish to thank these researchers, alongwith my board colleagues and themany donors who have supported usover the years.

While other organizations pretend tocontribute to pluralism while relyingon government financing, the MEI hasgrown thanks to voluntary assistancefrom hundreds of private foundations,businesses and individuals. In thisregard it is truly independent. If youare not yet among those supportingone of the most influential think tanksin Canada and in the French-speakingworld, I hope the achievements laidout in this report will convince you ofthe need to join in!

Adrien D. PouliotChairman of the Board

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

annual report 2006

When I addressed the Montreal EconomicInstitute in November, they assembledsome of the top business and political

leaders not just of Montreal, but ofCanada. I was impressed by the range and

authority of those they work with.

- Madsen Pirie, President, Adam Smith Institute (United Kingdom)

“

”

3

The Montreal EconomicInstitute aims through edu-cational work to enhancethe general public’s under-standing of economic

phenomena. We promote the adoptionof public policies motivated by eco-nomic logic with a focus on wealthcreation.

The effectiveness of a think tank suchas the MEI can be assessed by meansof three criteria. First, by seeing towhat extent it reaches the public,especially via the media. Second, bygauging the resonance created by itsideas. Are its arguments being takenup elsewhere? Is its work being quoted?Are its researchers invited to speak atother forums? Third (and this is themost demanding criterion), by seeinghow far public policy is really changingin the direction of ideas advanced byits researchers. By each of these threecriteria, the MEI is truly an effectivethink tank.

GROWTH IN

THE DISSEMINATION OF IDEAS

The Institute has again benefited frombroad media coverage. Some 1,623articles and news reports mentionedthe Institute in 2006, compared to1,350 a year earlier. This is a 20% rise.

With close to a million unique visitors in2005-06, nearly triple the number in theprevious period, our bilingual website isreaching an impressive audience inQuebec and around the world.

Our media visibility is extensive, notonly in its magnitude but also in its

geographic range and quality. Some ofour publications have had an effectacross Canada. More than 130 opi-nion pieces signed by our researcherswere published in daily papers andspecialized magazines. We have had aregular presence, morethan once a month, inCanada-wide newspaperssuch as the National Post.Institute representativessigned more than 15 co-lumns in the weeklybusiness paper Les Affaires.

With the publication ofher book La face cachée despolitiques publiques (TheHidden Face of PublicPolicy), our economistNathalie Elgrably becamea true media phenome-non. She continues herweekly column on publicpolicy issues each Thursdayin Le Journal de Montréal,Quebec’s most widely read newspaper,as well as in Le Journal de Québec inQuebec City. She is invited on a regularbasis to give her opinion on publicaffairs programs produced by variousbroadcasters. Few think tanks anyw-here in the world are able to reach thegeneral public as directly and regularlythrough major channels such as these.

We should also point out that the MEIachieved another distinction in 2006:Le Trente magazine, published byQuebec’s federation of professionaljournalists, spitefully ranked it amongthe five most overexposed sources inQuebec.

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

annual report 2006

PAUL DANIELMULLER

4

INFLUENTIAL PUBLICATIONS

The year 2006 marked a major step inquestioning the famous “Quebecmodel”. The Institute contributed tothis ideological renewal by informingthe public of Quebec’s true economicsituation and the wealth-creatingpolicies it could adopt.

Among our contributions, we can pointto a study by our economist NormaKhozaya on Quebec’s relative povertyin North America. Her Economic Noteon this topic nourished doubts regard-ing the notion that Quebec is moreegalitarian than its neighbours. Thecentral argument in this study was takenup by numerous observers, includingcolumnist Alain Dubuc in La Presse.

Our propensity to challengecommonly accepted ideas alsobrought us into the field of transportand housing in the Montreal metropo-litan area. A Research Paper preparedby our associate researcher WendellCox concluded that Montreal is more

competitive because of its suburbandevelopment. This study enabled uslater to intervene in favour of a projectto extend Highway 25.

In the area of social policy, anotherEconomic Note signed by NormaKhozaya dealt with the Quebec systemof subsidized childcare, supposedlymore universal and equitable than theprevious system of parental assis-tance. Our study showed that, on thecontrary, the current system isbecoming increasingly expensive andheavily restrains the options availableto thousands of families. The alterna-tive approach suggested in this Notehas been adopted by one of the threemain political parties on the provincialscene.

In September, a study signed byformer executive vice-president TashaKheiriddin examined the Quebecgovernment’s efforts to lighten taxesand the burden of government. Thestudy found that little had beenachieved compared to the govern-ment’s initial promises, and it

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

annual report 2006

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

183

434

616 78

8

757

134

8

GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF NEWS STORIESCOVERING MEI'S WORK IN PRINT, BROADCASTAND INTERNET MEDIA

162

3

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

02000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

21

4157 48

60

105

GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF OPINION PIECESPUBLISHED BY THE MEI IN NEWSPAPERS ANDMAGAZINES

131

5

generated extensive media coverage.The study’s conclusions were hotlychallenged by the premier and twoother government ministers, until a

number of columnists,including Alain Dubucand Claude Picher of LaPresse, said the authorwas correct.

As it has done eachyear since 2000, theInstitute issued itsannual Report Card onQuebec’s SecondarySchools in collabora-tion with the FraserInstitute, with 2006marking the seventhedition. Thanks to ourmedia partnership withL’Actualité magazine, itreached more than a

million parents, students and peoplein the education field. Reporting byjournalists with L’Actualité helped bringthe Report Card’s raw numbers to life.This publication has become an

indispensable reference tool forparents seeking to be knowledgeablein the choice of their children’s schoolor showing interest in the quality ofeducation provided. This exercise alsohelps establish a culture of choice andresponsibility in Quebec.

In addition to thesedossiers, 14 otherpublications, notcounting transla-tions, marked avery productive yearin fields includingthe debt, subsidiesto business, mana-gement of automo-bile insurance and

flexibility of the labour market. They areall listed in this report and can bedownloaded free of charge from ourwebsite.

Finally, let us note that our 2005 studyon privatization of the Société desalcools du Québec kept the inkflowing in 2006. A number of edi-torialists and columnists praised thestudy’s quality and relevance. Thisshows unmistakably that we caninfluence various areas of debate andpublic opinion when we rely onrigorous, well documented research.

PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE: THE INSTITUTE HAS HELPED GET

REFORM STARTED

The MEI has aimed since 2001 toinform the public on the limits of ourmonopoly system and to proposealternatives that rely on marketmechanisms. In 2006, in the wake of

annual report 2006

“The Institute [...] is a refreshingchange from most Quebec outfits

that usually contribute new andexotic ways of getting more of

Albertans’ tax money to spend...”The Edmonton Sun

(Business Magazine), Neil Waugh, 15 janvier 2006

“...the Montreal EconomicInstitute...[is]...still a modest

organization, with 10 employeesand a budget of just over

$1 million. Yet, on some issues, itsinfluence has beendisproportionate.”

The Gazette, Peter Hadekel, 15 septembre 2006

“The MEI, founded in 1999 andwith a current annual budget of

about $1.5-million, has emergedas the prime intellectual well for

the Lucidistes and their ilk.”The Globe and Mail, Konrad Yakabuski,

20 septembre 2006

« J’ai eu le plaisir d’être convié àun dîner organisé par l’Institut

(...) un centre d’études et derecherche non partisan. J’appuiele travail de l’Institut, surtout en

ce qui a trait au secteur des soinsde santé. (Le conférencier) a

abordé une variété de sujets dontl’économie de la Chine, les

théories de Margaret Thatcher etde Ronald Reagan en matière de

développement économique ainsique l’influence que Milton

Friedman a eue sur sa façon de penser. »

Joseph Iannicelli, président etchef de la direction, Standard Life

du Canada, 16 novembre 2006

FRIEDRICH A. HAYEK, ENNEMIDE LA SERVITUDE

PUBLISHED BY THE MEI ONSEPTEMBER 1st, 2006, 71 P.,

INTRODUCTION BY BRIAN LEECROWLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE

ATLANTIC INSTITUTE FORMARKET STUDIES

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

mil

lions

2001-2002 2003-2004 2005-2006

153

585

GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITORS

NUMBER OF WEB PAGE DOWNLOADS

NUMBER OF UNIQUE VISITORS

376

394

925

043

1 02

9 72

7 1 99

6 05

7

5 01

7 89

9

6

the Supreme Court ruling in theChaoulli case, the Quebec governmentintroduced Bill 33 eliminating thegovernment health insurance mono-poly with respect to three surgicalprocedures.

In preparation for the bill, the Institutepublished in 2006 an Economic Noteon a model that the Supreme Courtruling anticipated, namely duplicateinsurance covering all health care. Wethen presented a brief to the NationalAssembly showing the advantages ofestablishing a regulatory frameworkthat would eliminate Quebec’s publichealth insurance monopoly andenable Quebecers to benefit fully fromthe development of new privateinsurance.

In October, the MEI ordered its thirdcross-Canada opinion poll on Cana-dian attitudes toward the privatesector in health care. This pollrevealed that two people out of threein Quebec would favour the Quebecgovernment opening access to privatehealth insurance for all medicallyrequired care already covered by thepublic system. These polls are aneffective complement to our studies inraising the interest of media anddecision-makers.

Through its actions on this issue overthe years, the MEI is proud to havecontributed to Quebec adopting aninitial reform curtailing the publicmonopoly on health insurance.

NOTEWORTHY EVENTS

AND DEBATES

In 2006, the Montreal EconomicInstitute organized nine eventsenabling members of the public tohear and meet opinion leaders. Thisincluded a talk by Claude Ruey, leaderof the Swiss Liberal Party, who spokeof his country’s health care systembefore more than 200 persons. Thisspeech provided a clearer under-standing of the private sector’spotential role in financing the healthcare system and providing services.

Another noteworthy speech was givenby Len Shackleton, dean of theWestminster Business School, onreforms undertaken in Britain byMargaret Thatcher, the decline ofunions and the surge of the Britisheconomy. The Thatcher period wasalso the topic of a speech by MadsenPirie, president of the Adam SmithInstitute of the U.K., at a dinner atToronto’s Empire Club.

annual report 2006

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

NATHALIE ELGRABLY, MEI ECONOMIST, AT THE LAUNCH OF

HER BOOK LA FACE CACHÉE DES

POLITIQUES PUBLIQUES, ON APRIL 4, 2006

CONFERENCE BY WENDELL COX,VISITING PROFESSOR AT THE

CONSERVATOIRE NATIONAL DES ARTS

ET MÉTIERS DE PARIS, ON THE

COMPETITIVENESS OF THE MONTREAL

METROPOLITAN AREA, ON JUNE 20, 2006

CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF THE

PRIVATE SECTOR IN HEALTH CARE

DELIVERY, WITH CLAUDE RUEY,PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS LIBERAL

PARTY, ON MAY 18, 2006

PASCAL SALIN, PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITÉ

PARIS-DAUPHINE, AND ADRIEN POULIOT, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE MEI, AT A

CONFERENCE ON TAX COMPETITION, ON DECEMBER 5, 2006

7

In December 2006, for the secondtime, the Institute held the Jean A.Pouliot lecture, named after one ofour earliest supporters and sponsoredby his family. Pascal Salin, professor ofeconomics at Université Paris-Dauphine and former president of theMont Pelerin Society, spoke eloquentlyof tax competition at the internationallevel.

The MEI is also increasingly present inspecialized fields. We held 13 eventsfor students, the opinion leaders oftomorrow. Our researchers also gave31 talks in events organized by thirdparties such as the Association ofApartment Owners of GreaterMontreal.

A SOUND FINANCIAL SITUATION

The MEI is financed entirely throughdonations from individuals,businesses and foundations, throughthe sale of its publications, andthrough sponsorships and entry feesto events it holds. To maintain itsindependence, the MEI does notreceive or solicit public funds andseeks to diversify its sources offinancing.

In 2006, our financial situation hasremained healthy. Income came to$1,271,979, down 10% from theprevious year in a context of transitionbetween the former and new pre-sidents. Spending also declined, fallingto $1,163,212, down 17% from 2005.The 2006 fiscal year ended with a

surplus of $108,767. Our accu-mulated surplus stands at $830,545,a modest amount though stilladequate to ensure our stability andindependence. This financial indepen-dence enables the Institute to speakout freely on any issue of public policy.In this way it serves the greatestnumbers of people, namely consumersand taxpayers.

Continued support from our donors,sponsors and subscribers to ourpublications is, of course, essential tothe Institute’s existence and progress.We offer warm thanks to these peopleand entities, and we urge them torenew their support in 2007. TheInstitute also has the good fortune tocount on a highly professional andmotivated staff whose commitmentwe are pleased to salute.

annual report 2006

$1 600 000

1 400 000

1 200 000

1 000 000

800 000

600 000

400 000

200 000

0

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

REVENUESEXPENDITURES

MEI'S REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES

202

920

603

500

429

813

573

818

466

907 75

495

1

825

198

587

911

751

307

118

836

81

084

599

140

827

31

400

393

278

839

127

197

91

163

212

8

January – Reforming dairy supplymanagement in Canada: theAustralian exampleEconomic Note on the supplymanagement system inCanada’s dairy industry

March – Contributions àl’assurance automobile: le prix de laprocrastinationLe Point de l’IEDM on the Sociétéde l’assurance automobile duQuébec’s financial woes

March – Choosing a regulatoryframework for private healthinsuranceEconomic Note on the best wayto regulate private healthinsurance

March – Avant de rembourser la dette, le gouvernement doitbaisser les impôtsLe Point de l’IEDM on the impactof a personal income taxreduction on government’sbudgetary revenues

April – La face cachée des politiques publiquesBook that examines variousfallacies seen in public policy

April – The pernicious effects ofprice controlsEconomic Note on the effectsof controls such as floor pricesand ceiling prices

May – Quebec’s Relative PovertyEconomic Note on the livingstandards of people in Quebeccompared to the rest of NorthAmerica

June – Rebalanced andRevitalized – A Canada Strong and FreeThird part of a discussion paperby Mike Harris and PrestonManning on federal governmentpolicies

June – Are business subsidiesefficient?Economic Note on theeconomic effects of businesssubsidies

June – Housing and Transportationin Montreal: How suburbanization is improving the region’scompetitivenessResearch Paper on the impactof suburbanization on ametropolitan area’scompetitiveness

June – Canada and theliberalization of air transportmarkets over the AtlanticMEI’s Flashpoint on theliberalization of air transportmarkets

September – Liste exhaustive des impôts payés par lescontribuables québécoisA list of most taxes paid byQuebec taxpayers

September – Taxation and the Roleof the State: A Report Card on theCharest GovernmentEconomic Note on the Charestgovernment’s economicachievements since it waselected

October – 7$-a-day childcare: Are parents getting what they need?Economic Note on the perverseeffects of a subsidized childcaresystem

October – Report Card onQuebec’s Secondary Schools (2006 Edition)Annual evaluation of theperformance of Quebec’s highschools

November – Building Prosperity in a Canada Strong and FreeFourth part of a discussionpaper by Mike Harris andPreston Manning on federalgovernment policies

November – How to make the Canadian airline industry more competitiveEconomic Note on the negativeeffects the tax load has on theCanadian airline industry

December – Friedrich A. Hayek,ennemi de la servitudeFrench condensed version of thebook The Road to Serfdom (1944)by Friedrich A. Hayek

December – The minimum wageand labour market flexibilityEconomic Note on the impactof institutional constraints onthe labour market

annual report 2006

MEI PUBLICATIONS IN 2006

9

February 4 – Annual MEI / Fraser Institute Student SeminarSeminar on public policy organizedfor CEGEP and university students

February 23 – Reforming Dairy SupplyManagement in CanadaLuncheon speech and round tablediscussion with Valentin Petkantchin,MEI Director of Research

March 9 – Recognizing the Courts’Influence on Public PolicyLuncheon speech with John Carpay,Executive Director of the CanadianConstitution Foundation

April 4 – La face cachée des politiques publiquesLaunching of the book La face cachéedes politiques publiques (The Hidden Sideof Public Policy) by Nathalie Elgrably,MEI Economist

May 18 – The Swiss Health Care System:A Model for QuebecLuncheon speech with Claude Ruey,president of the Liberal Party ofSwitzerland

June 20 – Housing & Transportation inMontreal: How Suburbanization isImproving the Region’s CompetitivenessLuncheon speech with Wendell Cox,independent consultant and visitingprofessor at the Conservatoirenational des arts et métiers in Paris

September 25 – From Thatcher to Blair:How the Decline of Unions UnleashedBritish Economic GrowthConference with Len Shackleton,dean of the Westminster BusinessSchool in collaboration with theCanadian LabourWatch Associationand the McGill North AmericanStudies program

November 1 – Suburbanization andAutomobile Use: Myths and RealitiesConference with Martin Masse, MEIDirector of Research andPublications, at Concordia University

December 5 – Jean A. Pouliot Lecture SeriesSecond edition of the Jean A. PouliotLecture Series with Pascal Salin,professor of economics at UniversitéParis-Dauphine

annual report 2006

EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE MEI IN 2006

10

January 25 – Private Health Insurance:Threat or Opportunity?Presentation by Michel Kelly-Gagnon,MEI President, as part of a conferenceorganized by Insight Information incollaboration with the MEI

January 26 – Privatization of Health CarePresentation by Valentin Petkantchin,MEI Director of Research, at a lunch-debate organized by the Chairepublique de l’Université Laval

February 28 – Is Our Health Care System in Peril?Participation by Valentin Petkantchin,MEI Research Director, at a round tablediscussion held at Concordia University’sSchool of Community and Public Affairs

March 17 – Mises Institute’s Austrian ScholarsConference 2006 (Auburn, Alabama)Two employees of the MEI, MartinMasse, Director of Publications, andValentin Petkantchin, Director ofResearch, took part in this event thanksto a generous grant from the Lotte &John Hecht Memorial Foundation

March 23 – New Strategies for theFinancing and Delivery of Medical, Hospitaland Pharmaceutical Services (Post-Chaoulli)Presentation by Edwin Coffey MD,MEI Senior Fellow, at the NationalPharmaceutical Strategy Symposiumheld in Ottawa.

April 19 – The Welfare State and Quebec’sRelative PovertyPresentation by MEI Economist NormaKozhaya as part of the Allianceculturelle’s Rendez-vous du mercredi

April 29 – Can the Private Sector Be ASolution to Problems of Accessibility ofHealth Care Services? Debate with, among others, NormaKozhaya, MEI Economist, as part ofthe annual convention of the QuebecMedical Association held in Montreal

May 3 – Is Government Control of theLiquor Trade Still Justified?Debate held at CEGEP Édouard-Montpetit between Nathalie Elgrably,MEI Economist, and Éric Brunet, pre-sident of the SAQ’s store and officeemployees’ union

May 7 – Is Bigger Really Better? Lessons from Municipal Amalgamation in Quebec and OntarioPresentation by Tasha Kheiriddin, MEIVice President, at the Civitas annualnational conference in Ottawa

May 27 – For Lucidity or Solidarityin Quebec?Presentation by Norma Kozhaya, MEIEconomist, as part of the QuebecLiberal Party Youth Commission’sYouth Delegate Assembly held inChertsey, Québec

June 3 – Private vs. Public Health Care DeliveryPanel with, among others, Dr. J. EdwinCoffey, MEI Senior Fellow, as part ofSustaining Health and Healthcare - BoldNew Horizons, a conference held inToronto by the Coalition of FamilyPhysicians of Ontario

June 30 – A Canadian Observer’s View ofthe North American Air Transport IndustryPresentation by Pierre Jeanniot, formerpresident and CEO of Air Canada,director general emeritus of the IATAand MEI Senior Fellow, as part of theGlobal Air Transport OutlookConference held in Montreal by theInternational Civil AviationOrganization (ICAO) and AirportsCouncil International (ACI)

EVENTS IN WHICH MEI RESEARCHERS PARTICIPATED IN 2006

annual report 2006

11

August 5 – Reforming the TaxationSystem in QuebecPresentation by Tasha Kheiriddin, MEIVice President, as part of the QuebecLiberal Party Youth Commission’sassembly held in St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, near Quebec City

August 17 – Economic ProsperityAccording to Conservative ThinkersPresentation by Tasha Kheiriddin,MEI Vice President, as part of thesummer school of the Institut duNouveau Monde, at Université duQuébec à Montréal

August 30 – Hayek’s The Road to SerfdomPresentation by Jasmin Guénette, MEIDirector of Public Affairs, of a Frenchcondensed version of the book TheRoad to Serfdom (1944) by F.A. Hayekas part of the 29th Université d’Étéde la Nouvelle économie, at Aix-en-Provence in France

September 12 – Unfreezing Tuition Feesin Quebec Universities?Presentation by Norma Kozhaya, MEIEconomist, at the Université deSherbrooke organized by theuniversity’s student federation

September 16 – Imposing Fees on WaterConsumptionPresentation by Nathalie Elgrably, MEIEconomist, as part of the FestivalÉcolo de Montreal, at La Petite Marche

September 19 – Rent-Control: The MostEfficient Technique to Destroy a City,Except for Bombing!Presentation by Nathalie Elgrably,MEI Economist, at a meeting held inSherbrooke by the Regroupement despropriétaires d’habitations locatives

September 19 – Performance Rating inHealth CarePresentation by Norma Kozhaya, MEIEconomist, as part of a conference byInsight Information, in Montreal

September 25 – Public Transit andAutomobile Use: How is Quebec CityPerforming?Participation of Martin Masse, MEIDirector of Research and Publications,to a panel organised by Univert Lavalat Université Laval, in Quebec City

September 27 – The Hidden Side ofPublic PolicyPresentation by Nathalie Elgrably,MEI Economist, at a luncheon heldby the Jeune chambre de commercede Québec

September 28 – Tuition Freeze in QuebecUniversitiesPresentation by Norma Kozhaya, MEIEconomist, as part of a debate orga-nized at Université Laval, in Quebec City

October 11 – Hayek’s The Road to SerfdomPresentation by Jacques Garello,professor at the Université d’AixMarseille III, of a French condensedversion of the book The Road toSerfdom (1944) by F.A. Hayek as partof a conference held at the AssembléeNationale in Paris

October 21 – Public Administration inQuebecParticipation of Nathalie Elgrably,MEI Economist, to a round tablediscussion as part of the QuebecCity–Chaudière-Appalachessymposium held by the Actiondémocratique du Québec (ADQ)

annual report 2006

12 annual report 2006

November 2 – Magical Thinking and EconomicRealityPresentation by Martin Masse, MEI Directorof Research and Publications, at CEGEP deSaint-Jérôme

November 11 – Public and Private Financing ofHealth CareParticipation of MEI economist NormaKozhaya to this panel as part of the“Réseauter, Innover, Ressourcer etÉchanger” regional conference held inQuebec City

November 11 – The Role of the QuebecGovernmentPresentation by Nathalie Elgrably, MEIEconomist, as part of the Colloquerégional Capitale Nationale held in QuebecCity by the Quebec Liberal Party

November 22 – The Role of Government andAgricultural SubsidiesPresentation by Nathalie Elgrably, MEIEconomist, before the students of theMcGill University Farm Management &Technology program

November 23 – Striking a Balance Between thePublic and Private Sectors in Health CarePresentation by Norma Kozhaya, MEIEconomist, as part of the “Privatisationdes soins de santé au Québec” conferenceorganized by the Canadian Institute, inMontreal

December 12 – Rent-Control: The MostEfficient Technique to Destroy a City, Except forBombing!Presentation by Nathalie Elgrably, MEIEconomist, at the annual conference of theApartment Owners Association of GreaterMontreal

December 13 – Do Greenhouse Gas EmissionsJustify Government Intervention?Presentation made by Pierre Desrochers,MEI Associate Researcher, as part of aluncheon-debate organized by the Institutéconomique Molinari, in Paris

PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS 2006

May 17 – For Real Access to PrivateHealth Insurance in QuebecPresentation of a brief by NormaKozhaya, MEI Economist, before theQuebec National Assembly's SocialAffairs Committee as part of thegeneral consultation on thedocument entitled Guaranteeing Access:Meeting the Challenges of Equity, Efficiencyand Quality

June 15 – Ensuring an Open, Predictableand Efficient Canadian Domestic Marketthat Optimizes the Productivity andCompetitiveness of Canada's EconomyPresentation by Robert Knox, MEISenior Fellow, before the StandingSenate Committee on Banking, Tradeand Commerce as part of its study onbarriers to interprovincial trade

2006 OPINION POLLS

FEBRUARY u Quebeckers’ Opinion on PrivatizingRetail Trade of Alcohol

JUNE u Quebeckers’ Opinion on BusinessSubsidies

OCTOBER u Canadians’ Opinion on Access toHealth Care

EVEN

TS IN

WH

ICH

MEI

RES

EAR

CHER

S P

ART

ICIP

ATED

IN 2

006