Talk:Barry Cooper

I have relocated this section here from the article page. There is only on reference for the entire section. Please see http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch:References The one reference doesn't mention Cooper, so I'm not sure how "Cooper has been linked to the "Firewall Policy". --Bob Burton 23:31, 12 July 2007 (EDT)

Dr. Barry Cooper has been linked to the "Firewall Policy", a right wing conservative policy advocating the removal of Alberta from the Canadian Pension Plan, said plan to be replaced by an Alberta Pension Plan. This plan was cooked up as a means to "insulate" Alberta from potential failure of the Canadian Pension Plan. However, this policy ignored the obvious issue of a likely downward rating of the Province of Alberta Triple A credit rating if such a plan was to be enacted (Smaller pooled money - even in a pension plan- means more chance of failure in the eyes of credit markets, so the lender charges more in interest), and ignored the potential for increased cost of obtaining financing by Province of Alberta as a result of losing a Triple A credit rating.

In essence, this group planned to "right wing strategically" change the above Firewall Policy into pension plans supported by the individual rather than by a matched business/ government contribution scheme which is presently in place, removing the socialist-equality underpinnings of the Canadian Pension Plan.

This policy was advocated by Stephen Harper, who was at the time (2001) the President of the National Citizens’ Coalition and who is now in 2007 Prime Minister of Canada; Tom Flanagan, professor of political science and former Director of Research, Reform Party of Canada; Ted Morton, professor of political science and Alberta Senator-elect; Rainer Knopff, professor of political science;Andrew Crooks, chairman, Canadian Taxpayers Federation; Ken Boessenkool, former policy adviser to Stockwell Day, Treasurer of Alberta at the time.

Barry Cooper has been noted in the media as the "brain trust" behind Stephen Harper. See notes on "Calgary School"

Information Source: National Post, January 24, 2001, headlined “An open letter to Ralph Klein”), see letter at: http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/leadersparties/leaders/pdf/firewall.pdf