We often hear that people in Quebec are less inclined to become entrepreneurs than other Canadians or Americans. This difference is sometimes attributed to cultural or religious factors that assigned a low standing to entrepreneurial activity. Although such factors may still have a certain influence, Quebec stands apart mainly because of regulatory and tax burdens that are higher than elsewhere and that penalize entrepreneurs.

Many governments in North America and Europe, such as France have moved toward a ban on cigarette smoking in public places, or are planning to do so. Defenders of this approach argue that second-hand tobacco smoke causes health risks for non-smokers, who should be protected through a ban on smoking in public places. This leads to major economic considerations. An economic approach is needed for a full assessment of the relevance of such measures. (In collaboration with the Institut économique Molinari.)

The recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Chaoulli affair determined that the Quebec government cannot forbid private health insurance from covering medically required services. If the possibility of obtaining private insurance is not thwarted by government moves, it will lead to the advent of a parallel private health care system. This will not mark the end of the public system but will allow for greater overall financing and will increase the ability of the health care system to look after patients more quickly and more effectively.

La popularité des écoles privées au Québec n'est plus à démontrer. Elles ont connu une hausse de 14% de leurs inscriptions entre 1999 et 2004 seulement. Cette situation inquiète les gens qui ont à coeur la qualité de l'éducation offerte par les écoles publiques. On craint notamment que le secteur privé, en sélectionnant les meilleurs élèves, prive les écoles publiques de ressources financières et les laisse avec une clientèle plus difficile, désavantagée sur le plan de la réussite.

The Report Card on Quebec’s Secondary Schools provides an annual, independent measurement of the extent to which each school meets basic needs. The Report Card thus serves several purposes. For one thing, it facilitates school improvement, and for parents who have a choice between several educational institutions, it can help them make an enlightened decision.

In this second volume of the Canada Strong and Free series, we want to return to the first component of our national vision – enabling Canadians to achieve the highest quality of life in the world. While quality of life means different things to different people, in this volume we have focused on how our principles of freedom of choice, acceptance of personal responsibility, and rebalanced federalism can dramatically improve the provision of education, welfare, health care, and child care in Canada.

While in the 1920s the Quebec government clearly had the most liberal and least detrimental policy in North America for controlling the sale of liquor, in 2005 it is among the most restrictive. The time has come to discuss the various ways of privatizing the SAQ and liberalizing liquor sales, turning a page that goes back to the era of prohibition.

Le spectre d’une grève générale dans le réseau des 310 Centres de la petite enfance (CPE) affiliés à la CSN – avec les tracas et les pertes de revenus qu’il cause aux parents – représente le fruit amer de la quasi-nationalisation des garderies en 1997. Depuis lors, la négociation d’une convention collective à l’échelle du Québec a engendré des grèves causant la perte de 73 000 jours personnes de travail, soit plus du double des 34 000 jours personnes perdus de 1990 à 1997 inclusivement.

Quebec stands out with the highest rate of unionization among Canadian provinces and U.S. states. Unions enjoy more extensive legal privileges in Quebec than elsewhere. Is this an asset or a drawback for the Quebec economy? Following a general outline of Quebec’s union situation in the North American context, this Note will examine the economic consequences of a strong union presence.

Pendant que les concierges de la plupart des écoles primaires et secondaires amorcent un mouvement de grève, d’autres travailleurs affectés à l’entretien ménager des écoles publiques continuent d’être prêts à rentrer au boulot. Il s’agit des travailleurs autonomes et du personnel des firmes spécialisées qui effectuent l’entretien ménager en sous-traitance pour certaines commissions scolaires. De fait, les syndicats souhaitent restreindre le droit des commissions scolaires de recourir à la sous-traitance pour l’entretien ménager et ainsi rétablir le monopole syndical sur cette fonction.