Why print Fraser Institute articles?

By Letter to the Editor on March 5, 2020.

I have to wonder why the Lethbridge Herald continues to print offerings from the Fraser Institute. The institute has been questioned in the past over its methodology, for instance counting taxes twice in their “Tax Freedom Day” articles. They are also largely funded by Koch Industries, a U.S. conglomerate. Yes, the Fraser Institute that is trying to sway public opinion is foreign funded – perhaps we need a war room!

Their latest missive printed in the Feb. 20 Herald is another example of using partial or misleading data. The point of the article was to diminish the Liberal government by asserting that the recent forecasts of Canada leading the G7 in economic growth was no big deal because we have a relatively fast-growing population compared to other G7 countries and that obviously a growing population means a growing economy. What was omitted is that Canada has one of the lowest birth rates of any country in the world and our population growth is from having one of the highest immigration rates.

But a right-leaning organization would be loath to indicate that immigration is actually good for the economy and upset many of their “Yellow Vest” anti-immigration type of supporters. What was also omitted, while claiming that leading the slow economic growth G7 is not worth the Liberals’ crowing about, is that it is a heck of a lot better than being the only G7 country in recession as we were under Harper’s government!

Jerry Strate

Lethbridge