Frontier Centre for Public Policy

The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is a think tank founded in 1999 headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Its research is directed specifically to economic issues facing the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The Centre claims to be independent and ideology free, however the studies it publishes generally support neoliberal economic theories. This inclination is evident in the statements that "The vast prairie region has all the ingredients to be the most prosperous and successful region in the world: abundant natural resources, high-quality public services and hardworking, spirited citizens. However, with our old, low-performance policy paradigm and a tax regime that renders this region less competitive, Manitoba and Saskatchewan risk falling ever further behind other jurisdictions despite these advantages. We have drifted into our downward cycle because of a poverty of ideas."

It also states that "We live in an exciting time of rapidly advancing living standards, exploding knowledge and new opportunities. Borders are disappearing as brains and capital shift to places with favourable tax and investment climates. To prosper in this environment, governments need to offer high-quality public services in combination with lighter taxation. Adhering to our old, increasingly unworkable public administration models is a straightforward recipe for decline."

Personnel
Board of Directors
 * Wayne Anderson, Chair
 * James Blatz,
 * Rob Coghlan
 * Sue Hicks
 * John Heimbecker
 * Peter Holle
 * Peter Jessiman
 * Alexander McKenzie (Secretary)
 * Hon. Charlie Mayer
 * John R. Messer
 * Rick Riffel

Staff

 * Peter Holle, President
 * Dennis Owens, Senior Policy Analyst
 * Robert Sopuck, Director, Rural Renaissance Project
 * Claire Toews, Director of Administration
 * Henry Dyck, Director of Business Development
 * Robert Sopuck, Rural Renaissance Project
 * Donald Sandberg, Aboriginal Frontiers Project

Funding
"Independent think tanks receive their funding exclusively from non-governmental sources. This insulates them from the political pressures that frequently discourage publicly funded research groups from exploring sensitive issues," the think tank's website states. "The Centre does not accept any funding from governments to maintain its independent and fresh perspective on public policy," it states. In 2008, 10% of the think tank's funding was from corporations with a further 67% from unspecified foundations.

In 2002, 59% of its budget came from unspecified "private charitable foundations" with another 25% from companies. 

According to its 2003 Annual Report, the annual income for the organisation was just over $C370,000. 

Contact information
Frontier Centre for Public Policy Suite 25 Lombard Concourse, One Lombard Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3B 0X3 Tel: (204) 957-1567 Fax: (204) 957-1570 Web:http://www.fcpp.org

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