Along with some sun tan lotion, a beach blanket, and cold sodas, perhaps those policy junkies among us could use a few suggestions for a bit of summertime reading.

Suggestion #1:
Dr. Tom Flanagan, a full-time professor at the University of Calgary (and part-time Don Quixote), recently won a $25,000 Donner Prize for his book First Nations Second Thoughts. In this well researched book, Flanagan does a brilliant job of challenging what he calls the 'aboriginal orthodoxy' and looks at the roots of the chronic political socio-economic problems that plague many reserves across Canada.

Here's a snippet: "The aboriginal orthodoxy encourages aboriginal people to withdraw into themselves, into their own 'First Nations', under their own 'self-government', on their own 'traditional lands', within their own 'aboriginal economies'. Yet this is the wrong direction if the goal is widespread individual independence and prosperity for aboriginal people. Under the policy of withdrawal, the political and professional elites will do well for themselves as they manage the aboriginal enclaves, but the majority will be worse off than ever. In order to become self-supporting and get beyond the social pathologies that are ruining their communities, aboriginal people need to acquire the skills and attitudes that bring success in a liberal society, political democracy and market economy. Call it assimilation, call it integration, call it adaptation, call it what you want: it has to happen."

Wow, talk about challenging the conventional wisdom! If you are interested in new ways of looking at old public policy problems, then this book is for you.

Suggestion #2:
A book by Fred McMahon published by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) makes for an interesting read and lends lots of lessons for places like Saskatchewan and B.C. that have suffered with under-performing economies for years. Entitled Road to Growth; How Lagging Economies Become Prosperous, the book examines Ireland, the Netherlands, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Georgia and how each jurisdiction used a strategy of reducing costs in the economy to attract greater investment and, in turn, generate jobs and wealth.

This book is so clear and insightful that the CTF recently sent a copy to all the newly elected MLAs in B.C. to be used as a blueprint on how to build a more successful economy. It is a worthwhile read for policy-makers and policy junkies everywhere.

Suggestion #3:
No doubt by now you've heard that Roy Romanow, the former Premier of our province, was appointed to head up a national health care review with a report due out sometime in 2002. (By the way, the commission expects to have about three dozen staff, including a research team, a consultation team, media services, correspondence clerks and at least three offices at a total cost of $15 million). But what you may not know is that the Romanow Commission is covering much of the same ground as a Senate Committee that has been studying the very same subject for over a year (on a budget of less than $300,000). Headed by Liberal Senator Michael Kirby, the committee has already produced an initial draft report that is worth a peak if you are interested in the future of health care in our country. The 120 page report is entitled The Health of Canadians: The Federal Role - The Story So Far and can be found at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-E/rep-E.htm

So there you have it - some enthralling summertime reading. Just be careful not to fall asleep in the sun!