Tom Flanagan

Fraser Institute News Release: Living standards declining in nearly one in five First Nation communities in Canada

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 17, 2019

For decades, governments in Canada have poured money into First Nation communities in an effort to improve the quality of life, and yet many communities have seen their living standards decline, said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow and author of Gaining Ground, Losing Ground: First Nations Community Well-Being in the 21st Century .

Key Points: 
  • For decades, governments in Canada have poured money into First Nation communities in an effort to improve the quality of life, and yet many communities have seen their living standards decline, said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow and author of Gaining Ground, Losing Ground: First Nations Community Well-Being in the 21st Century .
  • The most dramatic declines were in remote communities in northern parts of Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia.
  • Many of these communities have very little economic activity and thus rely more heavily on government assistance than other First Nations.
  • Conversely, First Nation communities with improving living standards (as measured by the CWB) have significant levels of economic activity through business ventures such as real estate and natural resource development.

Fraser Institute News Release: Small B.C. First Nation uses property rights to generate prosperity for its members

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Westbank has created an environment where band members can create wealth that benefits both the individual and the community, said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Calgary and author of Property Rights and Prosperity: A Case Study of Westbank First Nation .

Key Points: 
  • Westbank has created an environment where band members can create wealth that benefits both the individual and the community, said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Calgary and author of Property Rights and Prosperity: A Case Study of Westbank First Nation .
  • According to the study, Westbanks system of property law, which closely resembles Canadian property law, drives band prosperity by allowing members to acquire allotments to buy and sell real estate on and off reserve.
  • Put simply, Westbank is a much more independent and empowered First Nations community because of its prosperity, Flanagan said.
  • And Westbanks government, which represents roughly 850 band members, currently enjoys a budget surplus of about $110 million.