What balance between our public and private sectors will induce the best performance from Canada’s economy? What division of effort and resources among our three levels of government will deliver the peace, order, and public services essential to our quality of life at the least cost and greatest responsiveness to our desires? What balance between “perfect” freedom and the constraints necessary in a complex society will generate the highest levels of wealth and job-creating economic performance? In this report, we have provided our best answers to these questions along with recommendations for action based upon those answers.

The Percival-Molson Stadium expansion project.

Publication of an Economic Note on the Charest government’s achievements since it was elected.

Publication of an Economic Note on the Charest government’s achievements since it was elected.

Publication of an Economic Note on the Charest government’s achievements since it was elected.

April 2007 will mark the fourth anniversary of Jean Charest’s election as premier of Quebec. In the autumn prior to the election, a Quebec Liberal party congress had adopted an “Action Plan for the Next Liberal Government.” A year after the election, the new government published a “Modernization Plan.” Has the Liberal government kept the promises it made in those proposals? This Economic Note presents a summary of its achievements, with a particular focus on its promises to provide tax relief and to reduce the role of the state.

Établir une liste des impôts est une tâche complexe non seulement à cause des problèmes méthodologiques et à cause de la prolifération des prélèvements de toutes sortes, mais également à cause d’une raison typologique. Des prélèvements à taux différents (TVQ générale et TVQ sur les véhicules hybrides, taxe sur les spiritueux artisanaux et non artisanaux, multiples exceptions à l’imposition des gains de capitaux, etc.) sur une matière fiscale qui peut sembler homogène constituent-ils un seul ou plusieurs impôts? C’est une question indécidable qui, à elle seule, rendrait impossible de dresser une liste littéralement «exhaustive» des impôts dans toute leur diversité (ou leur fouillis).

Quebec’s high level of taxation and its effect.

Tax Freedom Day 2006.

The economic effects of business subsidies.