Montreal, June 18, 2007 – Ending the encouragement of early retirement right away and gradually pushing back normal retirement age from 65 to 67 are among the measures needed to reduce the impact of aging on public finances as well as to ease labour shortages.

Montreal, June 17, 2007 – Hélène Desmarais, chairman of the board of directors of the Montreal Economic Institute, is pleased to announce the appointments of two new board members, Donald J. Johnston and Bernard Lord. Paul Daniel Muller, president of the Institute, stated that “at a time of lively debate in Quebec on health care policy, appointing these two people confirms the Institute’s commitment to developing alternative policy options in the financing and delivery of health services.” Mr. Johnston says “international experience shows that there are all sorts of ways of ensuring the health of a society. It is often worth our while to seek insight from what has worked elsewhere.” Mr. Lord finds that “it is important to look for new solutions that will enable us to meet the demographic challenge and to help people live longer, healthier lives.”

Montreal, May 29, 2007 – Despite warnings from economic and public affairs observers, Quebec continues to watch as its economic situation deteriorates in comparison with its competitors, according to the latest available data. In an Economic Note published by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), Marcel Boyer, the Institute’s Vice President and Chief Economist, says it is time to end Quebec’s relative underperformance in economic development, demographic growth and job creation. He concludes that courageous reforms are needed, relying on “greater individual responsibility, the liberalization of prices, and competition in the production and distribution of public services.”

Montreal, May 29, 2007 – Le compromis anticipé entre le PLQ et le PQ sur le budget Jérôme-Forget pourrait se réaliser aux dépens de l’équilibre budgétaire et aggraverait alors une situation déjà très difficile au niveau des finances publiques. Dans un commentaire publié aujourd’hui, l’Institut économique de Montréal (IEDM), explique, sur la base des déficits cachés identifiés par le Vérificateur général, que le cadre financier du budget Jérôme-Forget est en réalité déficitaire et que le gouvernement devrait préciser comment il compte assurer un véritable déficit zéro. Ce commentaire est co-signé par le président de l’Institut, Paul Daniel Muller, le vice-président et économiste en chef, Marcel Boyer et l’économiste Norma Kozhaya.

Montreal, May 21, 2007 – With the first budget from Finance Minister Monique Jérôme-Forget coming soon, the Montreal Economic Institute is urging the Quebec government to abide by generally recognized accounting practices in the public sector, starting now. “The population as a whole must be able to get a true picture of public finances,” says Paul Daniel Muller, President of the Institute. “To achieve this, the government must do away with dubious accounting methods in its budget and financial statements that have enabled it to hide deficits. This is a simple matter of good governance.”

Montreal, May 16, 2007 – Claude Castonguay, considered one of the fathers of Quebec’s health care system, says the system needs in-depth reform. “The future of our health care system is a fundamental issue,” he told a Montreal audience today. “If the necessary changes are not made, our system cannot survive. That is a certainty from which we cannot escape.”

Montreal, May 10, 2007 – With a provincial budget coming soon, the Montreal Economic Institute is calling on the government and members of the National Assembly to show vigilance in assessing the effectiveness of regional assistance programs that sometimes may actually harm the economy.

Montreal, May 7, 2007 – Canada needs to fully open its economy and drop restrictions on foreign ownership in all business sectors including banking, financial services and telecommunications, Preston Manning and Mike Harris say in a new policy paper released today by independent research organizations The Fraser Institute and the Montreal Economic Institute.

Montreal, April 30, 2007 – Quebecers own Hydro-Québec but gain little from the so-called “social pact” requiring that electricity demand be met at the lowest possible price. This policy subsidizes some consumers indirectly to the detriment of others and promotes over-consumption of electricity. Ending resource waste and pursuing greater equity through a gradual rate rise to market levels would ensure well-being for everyone.

Montreal, April 12, 2007 – Subsidies for Alcan aluminum smelters announced by the Quebec government are a loss to Quebec society, and this error must not be repeated in negotiations with Alcoa or in renegotiating shared-risk contracts with other major electricity consumers, says an Economic Note published today by the Montreal Economic Institute.