Past Events

  • Niels Veldhuis, from the Fraser Institute, presented the findings from his paper, Saskatchewan Prosperity: Building on Success to the Saskatoon business community on Thursday Feb. 19, 2009.  His recommendations included:

    • Implement a single personal income tax rate of nine per cent;

    • Harmonize the provincial sales tax (PST) with the federal goods and services tax (GST) in a revenue-neutral manner to end the taxation of business inputs;
    • Reduce the general corporate income tax (CIT) rate to nine per cent; and,
    • Eliminate corporate capital taxes (CCTs) on the financial services sector
    • Bring labour relations laws more in line with other provinces and U.S. states to focus more specifically on balance, including:
      o Prohibit mandatory union membership and dues-payment clauses in collective bargaining agreements; and,
      o Remove successor rights, technological change laws, and forced arbitration from labour relations laws.
    • Freeze the minimum wage; and
    • Addressing labour standards such as overtime requirements which remain too prescriptive and biased.
    • Sign on to TILMA
    • Privatize the Crowns to increase investment in the economy

  • Exploring Mexico with Edmundo Uribe of Yale Resources presented a view of the mining opportunities and doing business in Mexico in Saskatoon on April 15, 2008.  To find out more about these opportunities, we have included a copy of his presentation.

  • C.D. Howe Institute: Policy Roundtable  Long term prosperity in Saskatchewan? Unsettling demographics, with  William Robson, President & CEO, C.D. Howe Institute on September 20, 2007 in Saskatoon.

  • U of S Space Design Team: 2007 Space Elevator Competition with Clayton Ruszkowski and 9 of his team members gave an amazing presentation about their participation in this world class competition.  On Tuesday September 11, 2007, about 30 people witnessed our future, and it was pretty impressive.  For more information about the Team and the competition that takes place in Salt Lake City in October, visit their website at http://www.usst.ca.php4-3.websitetestlink.com/index.php 

  • 2007 President's Dinner with Calvin Helin, Author of Dances with Dependency: This was our second annual dinner to say thank you and give an update on our activities over the past year.  Over 60 guests joined us on Thursday, June 28th, 2007.  Our guest speaker, Mr. Calvin Helin, spoke about the opportunities for change within the aboriginal community through self-reliance - by reclaiming traditional roles of autonomy and self-reliance.  Wai Wah! (Just do it!)  His book is available from the Prairie Centre

  • Geothermal: Dwayne Snider of Regina Geothermal led a very practical discussion with a very interested audience in Regina on Tuesday May 29th, 2007.  For more information on geothermal applications, visit Regina Geothermal.  For more information on larger scale geothermal installations, visit Geothermal Resources Council for a virtual tour of a geothermal power plant.

  • Energy from a Solar Perspective Ken Kelln of Kelln Solar spoke to over 75 participants in Saskatoon and Regina about the potential of solar energy for both electrical generation and as a heating option.

  • Cashing in on Green The consumption side of the energy equation.  Murray Guy of Integrated Design gave the 40 plus participants at the April 25th, 2007 presentation much to consider as they think about not only the type of energy they are using, but how they could use less of it and save money.

     

  • Hydrogen: The bio-energy gas   Mr. Lionel Kambietz of HTC Purenergy spoke to audiences in Regina February 8th, 2007and in Saskatoon February 9th, 2007 about the potential for hydrogen production from biofuels.  A Paul Hanley article summarized the presentation in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix (Tuesday, February 13, 2007)

  • OIL - What does it mean for Saskatchewan? On a very 'blizzardy' January 10, 2007, Dr. Laurier Schramm, President and CEO of the Saskatchewan Research Council gave an overview of our oil resources and the opportunities that could be there if technology advances are successful.

  • How to find relief from those nasty recurring gas pains, and other lessons I've learned as a private sector natural gas supplier in Saskatchewan. Roger Magneson, president of CEG Energy Options spoke in Saskatoon November 15th, 2006 about the opportunities and challenges as Saskatchewan's only independent natural gas provider. He also discussed the true costs of the province's "goal of having the lowest-cost basic utility bundle for all Saskatchewan families during 2004 and every year after that."  His presentation provides an opportunity to better understand the natural gas industry locally and globally. 

  • Can we really turn black coal green?  Dr. Malcolm Wilson spoke to an audience of about 55, in Regina and Saskatoon on October 18th and October 19th about Saskatchewan's opportunities with CO2 capture and enhanced oil recovery by cleaning our coal-fired power plant emissions. His presentation highlights Saskatchewan's strengths in this area.

  • Who Has Seen the Wind?' Why Public Policy needs to change if we are to benefit from Renewable Energy Development in Saskatchewan. 
    Dr. Darryl Jessie presented a very compelling argument for wind energy (and other renewable energy) development; and the opportunities that could come to Saskatchewan with changes to SaskPower's energy development policies.  His presentation included some very thought-provoking statistics that we should know about our power generating crown corporation.
    June 20, 2006, Saskatoon

  • Prairie Centre's First Annual President's Dinner,  An evening with Michael Walker

    Michael Walker spoke to about 50 Prairie Centre supporters on May 29th, 2006 in Saskatoon at the Delta Bessborough.  It was a great evening and Michael spoke about the role and the purpose of a policy institute, and specifically about how the Prairie Centre can initiate change through fact based research.  'If it matters, measure it!'

  • Prairie Centre Policy Institute had Garry Billingsley come for a luncheon presentation on Rare Earth Elements and what this rare opportunity meant for Saskatchewan on September 22, 2005.
     
  • Prairie Centre Policy Institute was pleased to have Mr. Gerald Grandey, of Cameco Corporation, make a presentation in Saskatoon on March 30th, and to Regina on June 7th, on ‘The Future of Nuclear Energy’
     

  • Prairie Centre Policy Institute hosted a debate between Herb Pinder, Jr. and Red Williams in February.  Mr. Pinder is a lawyer, sports agent and investor who says the Canadian federalist system doesn’t work.  Never has, never will.  C.M. (Red) Williams, a professor, ag economist and political insider – says Canada’s system may not be perfect but it certainly does work.  So, who is right?  Their presentations from the debate on the Future of Federal-Provincial Relations are now available.  If you would like to contribute your own thoughts on this, please do.  Click here to read the media release.  Click here to send your comments.
     

  • Mr. Bob Willard and the Sustainability Advantage  He convincingly argues that you don't have to be a tree hugging environmentalist to reap the bottom-line benefits of sustainability.  Luncheon Presentation  Tuesday, November 16, 2004  12:00 pm - 1:30 pm  Quality Inn, Saskatoon, SK  $25 (GST and lunch included)  Registration information. For more information on Bob Willard, please click here  For more information on free market environmentalism, see the article from Robert Sopuck of The Frontier Centre for Public Policy by clicking here  Visit Roadmap 2020 by clicking here
     

  • Picking up the Pieces in the Lake Diefenbaker Region -- Lessons Learned from Spudco  "...sometimes what seems like the end is really the beginning."  Ivy Baker Priest  Outlook Town Hall Meeting -- moderated by CKOM's John Gormley, this will be a discussion on what is needed to realize the potential of the Lake Diefenbaker area  Wednesday, November 3, 2004  7:00 pm  - 9:00 pm  Outlook Civic Centre  Click here for further information  For a chronology of events concerning Spudco, please click here
     

  • Iowa – Canada Business Connection  Luncheon presentation  Expanding your business into the heart of the US market  Thursday October 21st  Radisson Hotel  Cost $10 (GST included)  Click here for a registration information
     

  • Immigration: Another missed opportunity for Saskatchewan?  A presentation by Pat Lorje  Thursday October 14th, in Saskatoon  For a copy of the presentation, please click here