I have a right to end my own life, because it is my life. It therefore follows that I also have a right to ask another person if they are willing to perform this task for me, just as I have hired other willing agents (barbers, lawyers, contractors, etc.) to perform various tasks for me throughout my life. But I do not have a right to force anyone
Politicians habitually promise us greater economic prosperity, but their official policies usually contradict their promises. And if you dare to point out this contradiction, you will be ignored, as happened recently in London, Ontario. First, let’s consider the source of economic prosperity. Economic Prosperity is Driven by Entrepreneurs and
“Dreary as all get-out.” That’s how National Post columnist Chris Selley describes Canada’s 43 rd federal election (October 21). He says “None of the above” (NOTA) should be on the ballot, and he’s right. NOTA should be on the ballot. But what if NOTA wins the election? Then what? Selley doesn’t say, but I will. The NOTA option allows voters to
Writing for Postmedia News , Craig Kielburger is concerned that Canadians are (a) not sufficiently committed to the task of recycling bottles, cans, paper, plastics etc., and (b) not willing to purchase recycled products in sufficient quantities to allow recycling businesses to be profitable. While his concern for the environment appears genuine,
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia) has multi-billion-dollar contracts (see here and here ) to supply various ships to the Canadian government. Major news outlets (Postmedia, Globe and Mail ) have posed questions to the government about, and raised concerns about, various aspects of these contracts. The government has
On July 28, in London, Ontario, a police pursuit of two bank robbers resulted in three collisions . The suspects’ car hit another car, and police cars hit two other cars, the second of which was a taxicab, which appears to have had the right-of-way in an intersection. The taxi driver has been released from the hospital, but his passengers,
City Council in London, Ontario recently decided to explore their options for regulating “short-term rentals” arranged through companies such as Airbnb, HomeAway, etc. The motion was brought forward by Councillor Anna Hopkins, who is concerned about (a) complaints from residents about short-term-renters’ noisy parties, and (b) “ the role those
Rape, violence, and drugs are ubiquitous in prisons, so it is not surprising that recidivists commit a hugely disproportionate share of crime. Government prisons and so-called private prisons have no incentive to rehabilitate prisoners or improve prison conditions because taxes are their source of revenue, which is guaranteed regardless of
Canada’s socialized health care is a failure, as measured against the service the government promised to provide. Tom Kent, the senior government policy person when the Medical Care Act was passed in 1966, described the government’s objectiv : “The aim of public policy was quite clearly and simply ... to make sure that people could get care when
In the United States, law courts routinely hand out court order mandating payments to victims. And then do little to enforce them. For example, according to the U.S. Census Bureau , in 2015 only 43.5 percent of custodial parents received the full amount of court-ordered child support payments. 25.8 percent received partial payment while 30.7
What is the Mises Institute?
The Mises Institute is a non-profit organization that exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian School of economics, individual freedom, honest history, and international peace, in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard.
Non-political, non-partisan, and non-PC, we advocate a radical shift in the intellectual climate, away from statism and toward a private property order. We believe that our foundational ideas are of permanent value, and oppose all efforts at compromise, sellout, and amalgamation of these ideas with fashionable political, cultural, and social doctrines inimical to their spirit.