RoundUp
February 2008
Tank Heaven
Our brainiest, zaniest think-tanks By Mike Miner
They’re a soft landing for politicians out of office, a pulpit for academics and a source of policy ideas for parties drawing a blank. But what think-tanks actually do can be a bit mysterious. Here, your guide to the big T.O. tanks and their varying degrees of wonkitude.
Image credit: Otto Steininger
Tank Title: Martin Prosperity Institute
Fuel: Trying to define various ways a community can prosper. And it’s not just about economic growth; it could be reducing a carbon footprint or maybe an unflinching devotion to a useless hockey team.
Star: Richard Florida. Local media went off like Beatlemaniacs when the guru of the creative class moved here to head up the Rotman School’s new institute.
Allies: The Globe snapped Florida up as a columnist before he cleared customs.
Bugbear: Cities with a quitter attitude.
Wonk factor:
Medium. They assemble people from various backgrounds for idea jam sessions.
Fuel: Trying to define various ways a community can prosper. And it’s not just about economic growth; it could be reducing a carbon footprint or maybe an unflinching devotion to a useless hockey team.
Star: Richard Florida. Local media went off like Beatlemaniacs when the guru of the creative class moved here to head up the Rotman School’s new institute.
Allies: The Globe snapped Florida up as a columnist before he cleared customs.
Bugbear: Cities with a quitter attitude.
Wonk factor:
Medium. They assemble people from various backgrounds for idea jam sessions.
Tank Title: The
Fraser Institute
Fuel: Right-wing thinkers, based in the west but with a hearty Toronto office just for kicks (how inclusive). Basically, they think our markets could be freer.
Star: Mike Harris is a senior fellow and is working on the Canada Strong and Free initiative with Preston Manning, laying out how Canada could be even awesomer.
Allies: Alberta. The ghost of Adam Smith.
Bugbear: Anything left of Ronald Reagan.
Wonk Factor: Upper-mid. A lot of their work is politically charged, which spices up the prose.
Fuel: Right-wing thinkers, based in the west but with a hearty Toronto office just for kicks (how inclusive). Basically, they think our markets could be freer.
Star: Mike Harris is a senior fellow and is working on the Canada Strong and Free initiative with Preston Manning, laying out how Canada could be even awesomer.
Allies: Alberta. The ghost of Adam Smith.
Bugbear: Anything left of Ronald Reagan.
Wonk Factor: Upper-mid. A lot of their work is politically charged, which spices up the prose.
Tank Title: C. D. Howe Institute
Fuel: Named after MacÂkenzie King’s Minister of Everything, the institute examines all things economic.
Star: Macroeconomics researcher Michael Parkin, who has a title that ensures no one will ever ask what he did at work today.
Allies: C. D. Howe was one of the few outside authorities cited in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s October economic update.
Bugbear: Money being left on the table. Earn, Canada! Earn!
Wonk Factor: Mega. These guys were at the head of the free trade charge in the ’80s. Their reports ain’t beach reading.
Fuel: Named after MacÂkenzie King’s Minister of Everything, the institute examines all things economic.
Star: Macroeconomics researcher Michael Parkin, who has a title that ensures no one will ever ask what he did at work today.
Allies: C. D. Howe was one of the few outside authorities cited in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s October economic update.
Bugbear: Money being left on the table. Earn, Canada! Earn!
Wonk Factor: Mega. These guys were at the head of the free trade charge in the ’80s. Their reports ain’t beach reading.
Tank Title: Energy Probe
Fuel: Solving our energy supply problems, but doing it green.
Star: Senior researcher Norman Rubin leads the charge to cease the senseless splitting of innocent atoms.
Allies: Energy is everybody’s problem. A report of theirs—endorsed by the Liberals, NDP and eventually the Conservatives—led to the demise of Ontario Hydro.
Bugbear: Nuclear reactors. They cry at screenings of The China Syndrome.
Wonk Factor: Particle physics meets bureaucratic reform? This one’s off the charts.
Fuel: Solving our energy supply problems, but doing it green.
Star: Senior researcher Norman Rubin leads the charge to cease the senseless splitting of innocent atoms.
Allies: Energy is everybody’s problem. A report of theirs—endorsed by the Liberals, NDP and eventually the Conservatives—led to the demise of Ontario Hydro.
Bugbear: Nuclear reactors. They cry at screenings of The China Syndrome.
Wonk Factor: Particle physics meets bureaucratic reform? This one’s off the charts.
