Fraser Institute Explained

The Fraser Institute
Size:120px
Type:Public policy think tank, charity
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Niels Veldhuis
Headquarters:1770 Burrard Street
Location:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Website:www.fraserinstitute.org

The Fraser Institute is a libertarian-conservative Canadian public policy think tank and registered charity.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It is headquartered in Vancouver, with additional offices in Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. It has links to think tanks worldwide through the Economic Freedom Network[6] [7] [8] and is a member of the free-market Atlas Network.[9]

In 2020, the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report ranked Fraser as 14th of the "Top Think Tanks Worldwide" and 1 in the "Top Think Tanks in Mexico and Canada".[10]

History

The Fraser Institute was founded in 1974 by Michael Walker, an economist from the University of Western Ontario, and businessman T. Patrick Boyle, then a vice-president of MacMillan Bloedel. The institute is named after the Fraser River. According to CBC News, some people allege that Michael Walker helped set up the institute after he received financial backing from forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel, largely to counter British Columbia's NDP government, then led by premier Dave Barrett.[11]

Antony Fisher, who had founded the Institute of Economic Affairs in the United Kingdom, was a co-founder.[12] It obtained charitable status in Canada on October 22, 1974, and in the United States in 1978.[13] It is a member of the Atlas Network, which Fisher founded in 1981. Fisher was appointed acting director in 1975, until Walker became executive director in 1977.

According to the January 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report (Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania), Fraser is number 14 (of 8,200) in the "Top Think Tanks Worldwide" and number 1 in the "Top Think Tanks in Mexico and Canada".

Staff

In April 2012, economist Niels Veldhuis was appointed president.[14] The institute is governed by a board of trustees. Current members of the board include Peter Brown (chairman), Mark Mitchell (vice-chairman), and Edward Belzberg (vice-chairman).[15]

Previous Directors at the Fraser Institute include:[16]

Board of Directors

The Fraser Institute's Board of Directors is mainly composed of prominent executives from corporations, financial institutions, investment capital firms, and REITs in Canada. As of August 2023, the Board was composed of:

Name Role Background - ! scope="row" Mark Scott Chair Vice-President of Abinger Property Management/Nu-West, Manager at Morguard Corporation, Board Trustee at Wardley (HSBC) China Investment Trust, Director of Asian Capital Partners, Managing Director for Scotiabank, Global Banking & Markets, President of Douglas & McIntyre Publishers, Board Director of China Education Resources, Executive Vice-President of Genesis Land Development Corporation, Managing Partner of Balfour Pacific Capital.[17] - ! scope="row" Past Chair Founder of Canaccord Genuity, Manager of Corporate Finance at Greenshields (Canada's oldest private brokerage), Past Chair of Vancouver Police Foundation.[18] - ! scope="row" Rod Senft Vice-Chair, British Columbia Lawyer at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman, Secretary/General Counsel for Cargill, Partner at Davis & Company LLP (now absorbed by DLA Piper), Managing Director of Tricor Pacific Capital Inc., Director of Pender West Capital Partners Inc., Managing Director of Tricor Pacific Founders Capital Inc., Chairman/CEO of Hines Nurseries (filed for bankruptcy in 2008) and SunGro Horticulture, Founder of Parallel49 Equity.[19] - ! scope="row" Andrew Judson Vice-Chair, Alberta Managing Director of Camcor Partners Inc., Director of WinSport Inc. Foundation Committee, Director/Senior Advisor at Daytona Power Corporation, Managing Director of Institutional Sales at FirstEnergy Capital Inc., Director of Pieridae Energy Limited, Lead Director of Condor Energies Inc.[20] - ! scope="row" Shaun Francis Vice-Chair, Ontario CEO of Medcan, Senior Vice-President of The Broadlane Group, Inc., Morgan Stanley in New York & Toronto, Founder of True Patriot Love Foundation, Board Member of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Board Member of Upper Canada College, Chair of Young Presidents' Organization, Ontario Chapter.[21] - ! scope="row" Jonathan Wener Vice-Chair, Quebec Founder/CEO of Canderel, Chancellor of Concordia University, Board Member of Kehilla Group Montreal, Trustee/Board Member of Jewish General Hospital Foundation, Board Member of Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Honorary Council of Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Board Member of Laurentian Bank of Canada, Co-Chair of Federation CJA Campaign, Executive Committee of Israel Bonds/Development Corporation for Israel.[22]

Associated people

The institute has attracted some well-known individuals to its ranks, including politicians such as former Reform Party of Canada leader Preston Manning,[23] former Progressive Conservative Ontario premier Mike Harris, and former Progressive Conservative Alberta premier Ralph Klein.[24] From 1979 to 1991, the institute's senior economist was Walter Block.[25]

Ideology

The Fraser Institute describes itself as "an independent, non-partisan research and educational organization",[26] and envisions "a free and prosperous world where individuals benefit from greater choice, competitive markets, and personal responsibility".[27] The Fraser Institute's stated mission is "to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals."

Forbes has referred to the think tank as libertarian.[28] The New York Times has described the institute as libertarian.[29] Langley Times classified it as right-of-centre libertarian.

Research and publications

The institute self-publishes a variety of reports:

Other initiatives

Children First

Canada's first privately funded program of its kind, Children First: School Choice Trust,[52] offers tuition assistance grants to help parents in financial need send their children to an independent school of their choice. The program was discontinued in 2012.[53]

Donner Awards

Canada's largest non-profit recognition program, the Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services[54] recognize non-profit social service agencies that, despite budget limitations, excel in terms of management and service delivery. Winners are selected every year in a variety of categories, and share in $60,000 prize money.

School Chain Showcase

A global database of school chains, the multilingual website allows anyone to connect with school chain operators around the world.[55]

Education programs

The institute periodically hosts free seminars across Canada for students, teachers, and journalists, focusing on key economic concepts and timely issues in public policy.[56] In 2010, the institute hosted eight one-day student seminars, attracting more than 775 participants.[57]

The Fraser Institute also offers an internship program, to which more than 431 individuals applied in 2010.

Funding

As a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency, the institute files annual registered charity information returns.The institute also files annual returns to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, where it is registered as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.[58] The institute depends on contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. It does not accept government grants or payments for research; however, individual donors may claim tax credits for donations and corporate donors may claim tax deductions.[59] The Fraser Institute ceased disclosing its sources of corporate funding in the 1980s.[60]

In its first full year of operation, 1975, the institute reported revenues of $421,389. In 1988, revenues exceeded $1 million, and in 2003, $6 million. In 2022, the institute reported having almost CA$12 million in annual revenue.

The institute has received donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars[61] from foundations controlled by Charles and David Koch, with total donations estimated to be approximately $765,000 from 2006 to 2016.[62] It also received US$120,000 from ExxonMobil in the 2003 to 2004 fiscal period.[63] In 2016, it received a $5 million donation from Peter Munk, a Canadian businessman.[64]

In 2012, the Vancouver Observer reported that the Fraser Institute had "received over $4.3 million in the last decade from eight major American foundations including the most powerful players in oil and pharmaceuticals". According to the article, "The Fraser Institute received $1.7 million from 'sources outside Canada' in one year alone, according to the group's 2010 Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) return. Fraser Institute President Niels Veldhuis told The Vancouver Observer that the Fraser Institute does accept foreign funding, but he declined to comment on any specific donors or details about the donations."[65]

Criticism

Support from the tobacco industry

In late 1997, the institute set up a research program emulating the UK's Social Affairs Unit, called the Social Affairs Centre. Its founding director was Patrick Basham. The program's funding came from Rothmans International and Philip Morris.[66] When Rothmans was bought by British American Tobacco (BAT) in 1999, its funding ended, and in 2000 the institute wrote to BAT asking for $50,000 per year, to be split between the Social Affairs Centre and the Centre for Risk and Regulation. The letter highlighted the institute's 1999 publication Passive Smoke: The EPA's Betrayal of Science and Policy,[67] "which highlighted the absence of any scientific evidence for linking cancer with second-hand smoke [and] received widespread media coverage both in Canada and the United States". At this time the CEO of BAT's Canadian subsidiary, Imasco, was also on the Fraser Institute's board of trustees.

In 1999, the Fraser Institute was criticized by health professionals and scientists for sponsoring two conferences on the tobacco industry entitled Junk Science, Junk Policy? Managing Risk and Regulation and Should Government Butt Out? The Pros and Cons of Tobacco Regulation. Critics charged the institute was associating itself with the tobacco industry's many attempts to discredit authentic scientific work.

The Fraser Institute accepted donations worth $100,000 from Philip Morris for "publishing research studies" in 2011–2012. Research produced by the Institute has previously argued that "tobacco taxation causes smuggling",[68] a common claim by corporations in the industry that has been disputed by public health officials and critics as exaggerated and erroneous.[69]

Notes and References

  1. Book: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 978-3-8100-3812-8. Schultze. Rainer-Olaf. Sturm. Roland. Eberle. Dagmar. Conservative Parties and Right-Wing Politics in North America: Reaping the Benefits of an Ideological Victory?. 2003-02-28.
  2. News: Clifford Krauss. 28 February 2006. In Canada, private medicine spreads. New York Times. 19 February 2017. 7 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160107002136/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/world/americas/28iht-canada.html. live.
  3. Web site: Fraser Institute to pay tuition for poor Albertans . 18 January 2006 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030354/http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=8c492527-8a82-40b2-9d51-30bb25a92802 . 4 March 2016 .
  4. Book: Rowman and Littlefield. 978-0-8476-7516-6. Kai Nielsen. Equality and Liberty: A Defense of Radical Egalitarianism. 1985 . Totowa, New Jersey .
  5. Web site: Passing grade for LMH . Dan Ferguson . 13 July 2011 . Langley Times . 30 August 2011 . 4 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111004140500/http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/aldergrovestar/news/125523983.html . dead .
  6. Web site: Economic Freedom of the World. December 22, 2016. Fraser Institute. September 24, 2024. September 17, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240917165932/https://www.fraserinstitute.org/economic-freedom/map. live.
  7. Web site: Fraser Institute News Release: B.C. elementary schools can improve student performance despite challenges . March 7, 2023 . March 27, 2023.
  8. Web site: February 4, 2015 . Media Release . January 31, 2020 . Fraser Institute . November 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201107010255/https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2020-think-tank-ranking-newsrelease.pdf . live .
  9. Web site: Global Directory . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150315210040/http://www.atlasnetwork.org/partners/global-directory/canada . 15 March 2015 . 15 May 2022 . www.atlasnetwork.org.
  10. Web site: February 5, 2021 . News release: Fraser Institute ranked 14th best think tank in the world: Recognised as an international Centre of Excellence . March 25, 2023.
  11. Web site: August 11, 2010 . CBC News Indepth: Fraser Institute . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100811205932/http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/fraserinstitute/ . 11 August 2010 .
  12. Westervelt . Amy . Amy Westervelt . Dembicki . Geoff . Geoff Dembicki . 2023-09-12 . Meet the Shadowy Global Network Vilifying Climate Protesters . The New Republic . 2023-09-16 . 0028-6583.
  13. http://www.fraseramerica.org/files/PDFs/About_Us/30th_Retrospective.pdf The Fraser Institute at 30: A Retrospective
  14. News: Gyarmati . Sandor . April 18, 2012 . Local now leads Fraser Institute . 24 November 2014 . Delta Optimist . 23 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213448/http://www.delta-optimist.com/news/local-now-leads-fraser-institute-1.464007 . live .
  15. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/about-us/who-we-are/board-of-directors.aspx Board of Directors
  16. Web site: Farrell . Norm . Fraser Institute. Who are they anyway? . November 21, 2023 . In-Sights . November 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231121165804/https://in-sights.ca/2016/07/10/fraser-institute-who-are-they-anyway/ . live .
  17. Web site: Mark Scott . August 21, 2023.
  18. Web site: Peter M. Brown . August 21, 2023 . August 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230821220757/https://peterbrowncapital.com/biography/ . live .
  19. Web site: Rod Senft . August 21, 2023 . August 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230821220757/https://www.p49equity.com/team/rod-senft/ . live .
  20. Web site: Andrew Judson . August 21, 2023 . August 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230821220757/https://condorenergies.ca/board-members/andrew-judson/ . live .
  21. News: Shaun Francis . August 21, 2023.
  22. Web site: Jonathan Wener . August 21, 2023.
  23. Web site: Fraser Institute . Preston Manning . 24 July 2019 . The Fraser Institute . 24 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190724090729/https://www.fraserinstitute.org/profile/preston-manning . live .
  24. Web site: 2019-03-20 . Founders' Award . 2021-05-07 . Fraser Institute . en . 2021-05-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514214502/https://fraserinstitute.org/event/founders-award . live .
  25. http://www.walterblock.com/wp-content/uploads/cv/block_cv.pdf Walter Block curriculum vitae
  26. https://www.fraserinstitute.org/about Who We Are
  27. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/aboutus/whoweare/mission.htm Mission
  28. Web site: Competitive and Not . Tim W. Ferguson . . September 20, 2004 . 2010-01-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120118122230/http://www.forbes.com/global/2004/0920/005.html . January 18, 2012 .
  29. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/18/business/worldbusiness/18iht-wbmarket18_ed3_.html With Interest: Turning the tables on reform
  30. Web site: McMahon . Fred . Economic Freedom of the World: 2010 Report . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110810201702/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/economic-freedom-of-the-world-2010.pdf . 10 August 2011 . 22 March 2011 . Fraser Institute.
  31. Web site: Fraser Institute . Economic Freedom Network Regional and Sub-National Reports . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161120014339/http://www.freetheworld.com/regional.html . 2016-11-20 . 2013-12-11 . Freetheworld.com.
  32. News: August 18, 2015 . The Fraser Institute: Canada Ranks Sixth on Human Freedom Index, Far Ahead of United States in 20th . Yahoo! Finance . January 15, 2017 . February 2, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202073641/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fraser-institute-canada-ranks-sixth-093000158.html . live .
  33. News: Tarik El Barakah . September 3, 2015 . The Fraser Institute: Canada Ranks Sixth on Human Freedom Index, Far Ahead of United States in 20th . Morocco World News . November 14, 2016 . November 15, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161115011203/https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/09/167071/morocco-ranks-121-on-human-freedom-index/ . live .
  34. News: August 20, 2015 . The Human Freedom Index . CBC News's New Brunswick First . November 14, 2016 . November 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161114233831/https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/human-freedom-index-ranking-canada-cited-cbc-newss-new-brunswick . live .
  35. News: August 20, 2015 . The Human Freedom Index . FOX's Outnumbered . November 14, 2016 . November 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161114234224/https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/human-freedom-index-ranking-us-discussed-foxs-outnumbered . live .
  36. News: August 19, 2015 . The Human Freedom Index ranking of Canada . CBC's The Exchange with Amanda Lang . November 14, 2016 . November 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161114234508/https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/human-freedom-index-ranking-canada-cited-cbcs-exchange-amanda-lang . live .
  37. News: August 18, 2015 . The Human Freedom Index ranking of Canada . CTV AM . November 14, 2016 . November 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161114233949/https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/human-freedom-index-ranking-canada-cited-ctv-am . live .
  38. News: August 23, 2015 . The Human Freedom Index . CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS . November 14, 2016 . November 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161114233514/https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/human-freedom-index-ranking-us-discussed-cnns-fareed-zakaria-gps . live .
  39. Web site: Skinner . Brett . Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada 2010 Report . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110812113153/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/waiting-your-turn-2010.pdf . 12 August 2011 . 22 March 2011 . Fraser Institute.
  40. Web site: McMahon . Fred . Survey of Mining Companies: 2011/2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120309200500/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/display.aspx?id=18045 . 9 March 2012 . 23 March 2012 . Fraser Institute.
  41. Web site: Angevine . Gerry . Global Petroleum Survey 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110812113017/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/global-petroleum-survey-2011.pdf . 12 August 2011 . 29 July 2011 . Fraser Institute.
  42. Web site: Veldhuis . Niels . Canadian Provincial Investment Climate 2010 Report . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120310080541/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/canadian-provincial-investment-climate-2010.pdf . 10 March 2012 . 22 March 2011 . Fraser Institute.
  43. Web site: Gun Laws do Not Reduce Criminal Violence According to New Study . 2013-12-11 . Fraserinstitute.org.
  44. Web site: Some International Evidence on Gun Bans and Murder Rates . 2013-12-11 . Fraserinstitute.org . 2013-12-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131214201312/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/research/display.aspx?id=11093 . live .
  45. Web site: Misfire: Firearm registration in Canada . 2013-12-11 . Fraserinstitute.org . 2013-12-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131214201233/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/news/display.aspx?id=12538 . live .
  46. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/report-cards/school-performance/overview.aspx School Report Cards
  47. http://www.compareschoolrankings.org Compare School Rankings
  48. https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/canadians-celebrate-tax-freedom-day-on-june-7-2016 Canadians Celebrate Tax Freedom Day on June 7, 2016
  49. https://www.fraserinstitute.org/tax-freedom-day-calculator Personal Tax Freedom Day Calculator
  50. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/research/magazines.aspx Magazines
  51. Web site: Veldhuis . Niels . Did Government Stimulus Fuel Economic Growth in Canada? An Analysis of Statistics Canada Data . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110807055742/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=15736 . 7 August 2011 . 22 March 2011 . Fraser Institute.
  52. http://www.childrenfirstgrants.ca/main/index.php?pid=1&page_id=204 Children First: School Choice Trust
  53. Raptis . Helen . 2012-04-06 . Ending the reign of the Fraser Institute's school rankings . Canadian Journal of Education . 35 . 1.
  54. Web site: Donnerawards.org. September 24, 2024. Donnerawards.org. September 24, 2024. August 29, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240829171310/https://donnerawards.org/. live.
  55. http://www.schoolchains.org/about-us School Chain Showcase
  56. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/education-programs/overview.aspx Education Programs
  57. Web site: Fraser Institute Annual Report 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811022806/http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/About_Us/Who_We_Are/2010-annual-report.pdf . 11 August 2011 . 29 July 2011 . Fraser Institute.
  58. Web site: 9 May 2013 . Fraser Institute . 12 March 2023 . ProPublica . en . 30 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130160134/https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/980032427 . live .
  59. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/support-us/overview.aspx Funding Overview
  60. Donald Gutstein, rabble.ca, 14 October 2009, Following the money: The Fraser Institute's tobacco papers
  61. News: February 27, 2016 . Forget Trump – 'Dark Money' from Koch brothers is shaping Republican Party . February 11, 2017 . CBC News . en . Mayer says the Koch brothers have also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think-tank. . February 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091914/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/koch-brothers-dark-money-republican-party-1.3466477 . live .
  62. News: Bramham . Daphne . September 25, 2016 . Lessons for Canada from how the Koch brothers hijacked democracy . February 11, 2017 . Vancouver Sun . And the Koch brothers are connected to Canada as the largest foreign investors in Alberta's oilsands and as donors to the Fraser Institute, which has reportedly received $765,000 from them in the last decade. . February 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170212092209/http://vancouversun.com/news/politics/daphne-bramham-lessons-for-canada-from-how-the-koch-brothers-hijacked-democracy . live .
  63. News: October 16, 2006 . Climate-change 'skeptics' hopeful Harper accepts their view . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025223822/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=4399cb65-c847-4d63-ac8c-21c045ec90ed&k=50786 . October 25, 2012 . February 11, 2017 . Vancouver Sun . The Fraser Institute received $120,000 US from ExxonMobil in 2003–'04, according to the company's annual report. . Canwest News Service.
  64. Fraser Institute, 2016 Annual Report. Retrieved 15 Sept 2017. https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/fraser-institute-2016-annual-report.pdf
  65. "Charitable Fraser Institute received $4.3 million in foreign funding since 2000", Vancouver Observer, 30 August 2012 http://www.vancouverobserver.com/politics/charitable-fraser-institute-received-43-million-foreign-funding-2000 Retrieved 15 Sept 2017
  66. Fraser Institute letter of 28 January 2000 to British American Tobacco chairman Martin Broughton, Letter to Martin Broughton regarding research program in emulation of the social affairs unit, disclosed via Legacy Tobacco Documents Library.
  67. [John Luik]
  68. Web site: Nachum Gabler . Diane Katz . July 2010 . Contraband Tobacco in Canada: Tax Policies and Black Market Incentives . November 21, 2023 . Fraser Institute . November 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231121162358/https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/contraband-tobacco-in-canada.pdf . live .
  69. News: Jessica Glenza . Sharon Kelly . Juweek Adolphe . January 23, 2019 . Free-market groups and the tobacco industry - full database . November 21, 2023 . The Guardian . June 21, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200621024634/https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2019/jan/23/free-market-thinktanks-tobacco-control-polices-database#0/?cato-institute . live .