The Parkland Institute is an Alberta-wide, non-partisan research institute, situated within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta.[1] The Institute studies economic, social, cultural, and political issues using the intellectual approach of Canadian political economy.[2]
| Formation | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public policy think tank |
| Location | |
| Website | www.parklandinstitute.ca |
The Institute was founded in the fall of 1996,[1] and first came to public attention in February 1997 when it co-published with the University of Alberta Press the book Shredding the Public Interest: Ralph Klein and 25 Years of One-Party Government by researcher Kevin Taft.[3] Then-Alberta premier Ralph Klein accused Taft of promoting "communism"[4] and the book quickly became a best-seller.[5][6]
In addition to publishing and disseminating the findings of research,[7] the Parkland Institute has hosted an annual conference each November at the University of Alberta since 1997.[8]
The Parkland Institute was founded in 1996 by Gordon Laxer, a political economist in the University of Alberta's sociology department, who became the Institute's first director.[1][9]
The Institute's first publication, Shredding the Public Interest: Ralph Klein and 25 Years of One-Party Government by researcher Kevin Taft became a best-seller[5][6] after then-premier Ralph Klein criticized the report and accused Taft of being a communist.[4]
In November 1997, the Institute held its first annual conference, "Globalization, Corporatism & Democracy: Alberta and Canada," which featured a keynote presentation by John Ralston Saul.[10]
In March 1999, Ralph Klein again attacked the Institute, sending a letter of complaint about a conference presentation by economist Armine Yalnizyan to then University of Alberta President Rod Fraser, in which he accused the Institute of being "factually challenged" and "one-sided and ideologically biased."[11]
Bill Moore-Kilgannon was the Institute's Executive Director for the first four years,[12] and was replaced by current Executive Director Ricardo Acuña in May 2002.[13]
In January 2012, Gordon Laxer stepped down as Director, and was replaced by University of Lethbridge sociologist Trevor Harrison.[14]
The Institute "studies economic, social, cultural and political issues using the perspective of Canadian political economy,"[15] and focuses its research in the areas of taxation and finance in Alberta, energy policy, poverty and social inequality, democracy and governance, labour markers, education, and health care.[7] All of the Institute's research is peer reviewed prior to publication.[16]
The most common research formats for the Parkland Institute are reports and fact sheets; the Institute has published over 80 since 1999.[7] The Institute also published or co-published six books between 1999 and 2006.[17] Two of the Institute's books, Shredding the Public Interest: Ralph Klein and 25 Years of One-Party Government and Clear Answers: The Economics and Politics of For-Profit Medicine were best-sellers.[5][6][18]
The Institute published a regular newsletter, The Parkland Post, but suspended publication in fall 2013.[19]
Starting in 1997, the Institute has held its annual fall conference each November on the University of Alberta campus.[20]
Past conference keynote speakers have included John Ralston Saul, Vandana Shiva, Helen Caldicott, Michael Parenti, Linda McQuaig, Maude Barlow, Margaret Atwood, Ronald Wright, Chris Hedges, and Guy Standing.[20]