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Fraser Institute

The Fraser Institute

Background

The Fraser Institute is a libertarian think tank based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They describe themselves as a “independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with active research ties with similar independent organizations in more than 80 countries around the world.”1“Who We Are,” Fraser Institute. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KNO3l

The institute’s mandate is to measure and study “the impact of markets and government interventions on the welfare of individuals.” They offer a range of programs and initiatives, workshops and seminars, as well as “dynamic events” featuring “internationally acclaimed economists and influential policy figures, such as Margaret Thatcher, Danish environmentalist Bjørn Lomborg, and Milton Friedman.”2“What We Do,” Fraser Institute. Archived August 13, 2015.

Stance on Climate Change

“The actual climate change in many locations has been relatively small and within the range of known natural variability. There is no compelling evidence that dangerous or unprecedented changes are underway.” 3“Independent Summary for Policymakers IPCC Fourth Assessment Report” (PDF), The Fraser Institute, February 5, 2007. Republished with annotations by RealClimate. Archived December 29, 2010.

A Fraser Institute paper (PDF) authored by climate change skeptic Ross McKitrick suggests that “there has been no statistically significant temperature change for the past 15 to 20 years.”4Ross Mckittrick. “ClimatePolicy Implications of the Hiatus in Global Warming” (PDF), Fraser Institute, October, 2014. 

There is speculation that the Fraser Institute may have influenced the Canadian Conservative Party’s climate change policies:

“Multiple generations of Fraser Institute staffers and donors and board members have had links to the federal Conservative Party,” says Rick Smith, executive director of the Broadbent Institute, a liberal think tank. “There’s no doubt that the Fraser Institute’s aggressive denial of climate change, you can see resonating in Harper government policy.”5Bruce Livesey. “How Canada made the Koch brothers rich,“ National Observer, May 5, 2015. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/s2Oos

Funding

The Conservative Transparency project totals the Fraser Institute’s funding as follows. Note that not all individual values have been verified by DeSmog.6“Fraser Institute,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed August, 2015.

View the attached spreadsheet for additional information on the Fraser Institute’s funding by year (.xlsx).

DonorTotal
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation$1,669,721
Aurea Foundation$1,638,330
Searle Freedom Trust$850,000
John Templeton Foundation$694,862
Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation$300,000
Chase Foundation of Virginia$265,061
Sarah Scaife Foundation$225,000
Exxon Mobil$120,000
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation$95,080
The Carthage Foundation$50,000
Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation$30,000
Blair Foundation$11,000
John M. Olin Foundation$10,000
Grand Total$5,959,054

Archived Funding

Early data is also available from the original Media Matters database, archived in 2011.7“Fraser Institute,” Conservative Transperancy. Archived October 4, 2011. 

Koch Funding

The Vancouver Observer previously found that the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation has donated $625,500 to the Fraser Institute since 2007. In 2012, Alexis Stoymenoff of The Vancouver Observer later reported that the Fraser Institute had received $500 from the Koch Brothers within a four year period. She wrote:8Jenny Uechi. “Koch foundation donated again to Fraser Institute in 2011, U.S. tax records show,” Vancouver Observer, October 31, 2013. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/tt1gr

“According to U.S. tax documents, The Fraser Institute received $150,000 from the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation in 2008, $175,500 in 2009, and another $150,000 in 2010. The grants were purportedly for “research support” and “educational programs.”9Alexis Stoymenoff. “’Charitable’ Fraser Institute accepted 0k in foreign funding from Koch oil billionaires,” Vancouver Observer, April 25, 2012. Archived January 3, 2013. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/0IHO0

Fraser Institute co-founder and former executive director Michael Walker confirmed to the Vancouver Observer in 2012 that the group had in fact been receiving funding from the Koch Foundation for many years, saying:10Daniel Tencer. “Koch Brothers, Tea Party Billionaires, Donated To Right-Wing Fraser Institute, Reports Show,” Huffington Post Canada, March 21, 2014. Archived May 7, 2019. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/GwAE3

“I know the grant from the Koch Foundation is for our international work, but I can’t tell you which of the projects … it’s funding.”11Daniel Tencer. “Koch Brothers, Tea Party Billionaires, Donated To Right-Wing Fraser Institute, Reports Show,” Huffington Post Canada, March 21, 2014. Archived May 7, 2019. Archive.is URL: https://archive.fo/GwAE3

Greenpeace also tracks the Fraser Institute’s Koch funding by year.12“Fraser Institute: Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/W1tyu

YearCharles G. Koch Charitable FoundationClaude R. Lambe Charitable FoundationGrand Total
*1992$18,221 $18,221
*1993 $5,000$5,000
2007 $25,000$25,000
2008$150,000 $150,000
2009$175,500 $175,500
2010$150,000 $150,000
2011$150,000 $150,000
2012$115,000 $115,000
2014$300,000 $300,000
2015$26,000 $26,000
2016$200,000 $200,000
2017$150,000 $150,000
2018$235,000 $235,000
Grand Total$1,669,721$30,000$1,699,721

Aurea Foundation Funding

DeSmogBlog notes that the Fraser Institute has been consistently funded by the Aurea Foundation. Aurea was founded by Peter Munk, the head of Barrick Gold, and is a major funder of a small but influential network of free-market think tanks in Canada, including (but not limited to): The Fraser Institute, the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, the Frontier Center for Public Policy, the Montreal Economic Institute and the MacDonald Laurier Institute.13Kevin Grandia. “Andrew Coyne’s Connections to Free Market Think Tanks; Disclosure Lacking,” DeSmogBlog, October 12, 2012.

Publicly available data from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) shows that the Fraser Institute received more than $1.6 million from the Aurea Foundation since 2006:

YearDonation
2014$260,000
2013$260,000
2012$125,000
2011$433,330
2010$50,000
2009$160,000
2008$100,000
2007$250,000
Total$1,638,330

990 Forms

Annual Reports

Key People

Senior Fellows

As of July, 2015, Fraser Institute Senior Fellows included the following:14“Fraser Institute Senior and Visiting Fellows,” Fraser Institute. Archived July 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/nYm85

  • Michael Walker — Executive Director of the Fraser Institute from its inception in 1974 until September 2005.
  • Vicki Alger — Director of the Women for School Choice Project at the Independent Women’s Forum
  • Derek J. Allison 
  • Gerry Angevine —  Senior Fellow in the Fraser Institute’s Centre for Energy and Natural Resource Studies.
  • Sonia Arrison
  • Professor Eugene Beaulieu
  • Dr. Brett Belchetz
  • Nicholas Bloom
  • Lynn Bosetti
  • Donald Boudreaux — Professor of Economics and former Economics Department Chair at George Mason University
  • Martin Collacott
  • Livio Di Matteo
  • John Dobra — Founding Director of the Natural Resource Industry Institute
  • Alan Dowd — Senior Editor of Fraser Insight, Past director of Hudson Institute’s corporate headquarters
  • Stephen T. Easton
  • Joel Emes
  • Nadeem Esmail
  • Tawni Ferrarini
  • Tom Flanagan
  • Jonathan Fortier — Was a  Fellow with Liberty Fund for three years and was Senior Director of Academic Initiatives at the Institute for Humane Studies
  • Glenn Fox
  • Todd Gabel
  • Steven Globerman
  • Wilf Gobert
  • John R. Graham — Also Senior Fellow of the National Center for Policy Analysis and an Adjunct Scholar of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Herbert Grubel
  • James D. Gwartney —  Directs the Stavros Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Economic Education
  • Csaba Hajdu — Principal of Paprika Consulting Inc., which provides economic research and statistical services primarily for the forestry industry in Western Canada.
  • Joshua C. Hall
  • Michael Harris
  • David R. Henderson —  Research fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University
  • Steven Horwitz
  • Jerry Jordan
  • Lynne Kiesling
  • Stephen Kirchner — Research fellow at Australia’s Centre for Independent Studies
  • Rainer Knopff
  • Marc Law
  • Robert A. Lawson — Served as president of the Association of Private Enterprise Education and is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society
  • Danny Le Roy
  • Kristina Lybecker
  • Preston Manning — Member of the Canadian Parliament from 1993 to 2001
  • Ross McKitrick
  • Jean-Luc Migué
  • Lydia Miljan
  • Alexander Moens
  • Robert P. Murphy
  • Robert Ouellet
  • Filip Palda
  • Sandra Peart — Past visiting scholar at the Center for Study of Public Choice at George Mason University
  • Nigel Rawson
  • Chris Sarlo
  • David Schmidtz
  • Pierre Simard
  • Aeon J. Skoble
  • Cornelis “Kees” van Kooten
  • Joel Wood
  • Moin Yahya
  • Paul Zak

Senior Research Staff

As of July 2015, Senior Research Staff included the following:15“Who We Are: Staff: Senior Research Staff,” Fraser Institute. Archived July 27, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2WTEu

  • Niels Veldhuis — President
  • Jason Clemens — Executive Vice President
  • Peter Cowley — Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Director of School Performance Studies
  • Ravina Bains — Associate Director, Aboriginal Policy Studies
  • Bacchus Barua — Senior Economist, Health Policy Studies
  • Ben Eisen — Senior Policy Analyst
  • Kenneth P. Green — Senior Director, Centre for Natural Resources
  • Charles Lammam — Director, Fiscal Studies
  • Fred McMahon — Resident Fellow, Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom
  • Deani A. Neven Van Pelt — Director, Barbara Mitchell Centre for Improvement in Education
  • Milagros Palacios — Senior Research Economist, Fiscal Studies

Board of Directors

As of July, 2015, the Fraser Institute’s Board of Directors included the following:16“Who We Are: Board of Directors,” Fraser Institute. Archived July 27, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/cBqlw

  • Peter Brown — Chairman
  • Mark W. Mitchell — Vice Chairman
  • Rod Senft — Vice Chairman
  • Salem Ben Nasser Al Ismaily
  • Gordon E. Arnell
  • Kathy Assayag
  • Joni Avram
  • Ryan Beedie
  • Edward Belzberg
  • Brad Bennett
  • Joseph C. Canavan
  • Alex A. Chafuen
  • Derwood S. Chase, Jr.
  • Tracie Crook
  • James W. Davidson
  • W. Robert Farquharson
  • Dave Filmon
  • Greg C. Fleck
  • Shaun Francis
  • Ned Goodman
  • Peter Grosskopf
  • John A. Hagg
  • Claudia Hepburn
  • Paul Hill
  • Stephen A. Hynes
  • Charles A. Jeannes
  • C. Kent Jespersen
  • Andrew Judson
  • Hassan Khosrowshahi
  • Craig Langdon
  • Pierre H. Lessard
  • Brandt Louie
  • David R. Mackenzie
  • James L. McGovern
  • Tracey McVicar
  • George Melville
  • Gwyn Morgan
  • Eleanor Nicholls
  • John O’Neill
  • Sue Paish
  • Herbert C. Pinder, Jr.
  • Ron Poelzer
  • H. Sanford Riley
  • Frank Rochon
  • William W. Siebens
  • Anna Stylianides
  • Arni C. Thorsteinson
  • Jonathan Wener
  • Michael A. Walker — Honourary Board Member
  • T. Patrick Boyle — Founder and Honourary Chairman for Life

Past Staff

The Fraser Institute has ties a wide range of high-profile climate change skeptics and proponents of the oil and gas industries. For example, as reported in the Vancouver Obsever: Beth Hong.23“Dramatic turnaround from leading climate change skeptic blows open debate,” Vancouver Observer, August 10, 2012. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MwS4b

“Ezra Levant, a Sun media columnist and author of Ethical Oil, came to intern at the Fraser Institute after a fellowship with the Koch Foundation. Kathryn Marshall, political commentator and former Ethical Oil spokesperson, was a development associate at the Fraser Institute. Wildrose leader Danielle Smith took on an internship with the Fraser Institute during her twenties that ‘imbued her with a passion for Ayn Rand and charter schools’, according to a Walrus article. She became an intern with the encouragement of Tom Flanagan, a Fraser Institute senior fellow and Stephen Harper mentor. Vancouver Sun editorial pages editor and columnist Fazil Milhar is the former regulatory studies director at the Fraser Institute.”

Past Directors

In a 2010 investigation, DeSmog found that 9 of the Fraser Institute’s 47 directors could be clearly linked to the oil, gas, and coal industries:24Brendan DeMelle. “Squadron of Oil Industry Executives on Fraser Institute Board,” DeSmogBlog, April 19, 2010.

William (Bill) Siebens founded Siebens Oil and Gas Ltd in the 1950s and is still at it.  His lifetime of extracting fossil fuels earned him a spot in the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame.25“Bill Siebens,” Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/vMLWT

Roger Phillips sits on the board of directors of Imperial Oil, Canada’s largest oil company.  Imperial is 70% owned by ExxonMobil and has a 25% stake in Syncrude Canada, the largest producer of oil from tar sands.26“Exxon Looking To Maintain, Not Increase, Imperial Ownership Percentage,” Seeking Alpha, May 24, 2007. Archived September 8, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/cppBH 27“Syncrude Athabasca Oil Sands Mine, Alberta, Canada,” Mining-technology.com. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FaI28

John Dielwart is a founding member and past President and CEO (until Jan 1, 2014) of Arc Energy Trusts, one of Canada’s largest conventional oil and gas royalty trusts. He is currently Vice-Chairman of ARC Financial Corp.28“Board Committees,” ARC Resources LTD. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YfmjY

Paul Hill is the Chairman, President and CEO of the Hill Companies.  According to his bio, he is a past director of Canada Trust, North Canadian Oils Ltd., Shopping.com, US Forest Industries, the Canadian Forces Liaison Committee and the Asia Pacific Foundation to name a few. He is a member of the World Presidents and Chief Executives Organizations.29“Executive,” The Hill Companies. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EqOQC

Gwyn Morgan is the former director, President and CEO of EnCana Corporation, one of North America’s largest natural gas producers. Morgan has been described as one of the most powerful men in the oil patch and spent his lifetime building an oil empire in Alberta.30“Morgan, Gwynn (Profile),” The Canadian Encyclopedia Historica. Archived September 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/JD7T5

Herbert Pinder has been a director of ARC Resources since 2006 and also serves as director for “a number of private energy companies,” according to his ARC Energy Trusts bio.31“Board Committees,” ARC Resources LTD. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MtnRO

Also on Fraser’s board are Charles Barlow of gas exploration company Barlow Brothers Ltd;  R. Jack Pirie who is associated with private oil company Sabre Energy Ltd.; and John Hagg, CEO of tar sands extractor Northstar Energy (later merged with Devon Energy Corporation).

Actions

October 30, 2023

The Fraser Institute hosted Steve Koonin for a webinar titled “The Realities of Climate and Energy.”32“The Realities of Climate and Energy,” Fraser Institute. Archived February 29, 2024. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/4lzcT

“A climate crisis, which you hear all of the time from the politicians and the NGOs, really has scant scientific support,” Koonin claimed in the webinar.33“The Realities of Climate and Energy,” Fraser Institute. Archived February 29, 2024. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/4lzcT

He added: “The climate today is not broken, and what concern there is about catastrophes in the future depends upon extreme assumptions about future emissions that are fitted to models that are, by their own creators, deemed unsuited to the task.”34“The Realities of Climate and Energy,” Fraser Institute. Archived February 29, 2024. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/4lzcT

In his conclusion Koonin reiterated: “[W]e need to cancel the climate crisis. This is not an emergency.” He recommended, “We need better observations and better understanding of the climate. We must not constrain the developing world’s energy supply. We need to put a greater focus on adaptation and resilience.”35“The Realities of Climate and Energy,” Fraser Institute. Archived February 29, 2024. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/4lzcT

March 18, 2021

PressProgress reported that a Fraser Institute report by Ross McKitrick and Almira Aliakbari titled “Estimated Impacts of a $170 Carbon Tax in Canada” was uncritically cited by a major newspaper chain in British Columbia.36“Local BC Newspapers are Promoting Junk Research From the Fraser Institute’s Anti-Climate Science Expert,” PressProgress, March 18, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mmZdT 37“ESTIMATED IMPACTS OF A 0 CARBON TAX IN CANADA” (PDF), Fraser Institute, 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The report claimed a federal carbon tax of $170 per tonne by 2030 would “cause a 1.8% drop in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which works out to about $1,540 in current dollars per employed person, and the loss of about 184,000 jobs nationwide.”38“ESTIMATED IMPACTS OF A 0 CARBON TAX IN CANADA” (PDF), Fraser Institute, 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

PressProgress noted the report was repeated by Victoria News columnist Tom Fletcher, who cited the report to suggest the tax will cost “more than 20,000 jobs” in BC.39“Local BC Newspapers are Promoting Junk Research From the Fraser Institute’s Anti-Climate Science Expert,” PressProgress, March 18, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mmZdT

April 7, 2020

As reported at PressProgress, the Fraser Institute was among Koch-funded groups who have used the COVID pandemic as reason to promote the use of plastic bags over reusable bags. In an email with the title “Suddenly, plastic is looking pretty good again,” the Fraser Institute linked to a study by senior fellow Ross McKitrick.40“Fraser Institute Uses Coronavirus Pandemic to Push Dubious Claims About the Health Benefits of Plastic Bags,” PressProgress, April 8, 2020. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.vn/4uD1d

The email reads:41“Fraser Institute Uses Coronavirus Pandemic to Push Dubious Claims About the Health Benefits of Plastic Bags,” PressProgress, April 8, 2020. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.vn/4uD1d

“It is easy to forget that much of our reliance on plastic packaging was motivated by the need for public hygiene.

“The coronavirus reminds us that public hygiene remains an important priority. Just weeks after banning plastic bags, New York Temporarily suspended implementation of the law, while urging people to remember to wash their reusable cloth bags.

“The Fraser Institute’s Ross McKitrick has a great article about this in today’s Financial Post. Check it out below or read it here and please be sure to share it with your friends and colleagues!”42“Fraser Institute Uses Coronavirus Pandemic to Push Dubious Claims About the Health Benefits of Plastic Bags,” PressProgress, April 8, 2020. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.vn/4uD1d

McKitrick’s full article appeared in the Financial Post on April 7.43Ross McKitrick: “Suddenly, plastic is looking pretty good again,” Financial Post, April 7, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/UmKYD

“Would you want to buy a toothbrush from a bin that a hundred people rummaged through? As for disposable plastic water bottles, this is surely one of the great public health inventions of the modern age. They are remarkably cheap and they save us the ordeal of shared public water fountains,” McKitrick wrote.

“Whether or not a ban on plastic bags has big implications for public health, the better question to ask is whether it (or similar bans on single-use plastics) will do any good for the world’s oceans,” McKitrick added. “The answer is no. Canada’s single-use plastics are not the source of ocean contamination. Banning them will impose costs and inconvenience here while doing nothing to fix the problem.”“

“[F]or those who have lamented our use of plastic packaging over the years, it’s understandable, especially since the marketers sometimes make excessive use of the stuff. But the coronavirus shows that public hygiene was, and remains, an important priority, and we downplay it at our peril,” he concluded.

PressProgress notes that “the Fraser Institute’s claims about the health benefits of plastic bags miss their mark in significant ways” including that “there have been no specific scientific studies looking into whether bags made of any material, cloth or plastic, are actually spreading COVID-19.”44“Fraser Institute Uses Coronavirus Pandemic to Push Dubious Claims About the Health Benefits of Plastic Bags,” PressProgress, April 8, 2020. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.vn/4uD1d

“In fact, a recent study found COVID-19 lives significantly longer on plastic surfaces than it does on paper or cloth, a point that would appear to contradict the premise of the Fraser Institute’s argument.”45“Fraser Institute Uses Coronavirus Pandemic to Push Dubious Claims About the Health Benefits of Plastic Bags,” PressProgress, April 8, 2020. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.vn/4uD1d

Looking at groups in the US, Mother Jones has suggested “the timing of these messages suggests a concerted public relations campaign by the plastic industry,” highlighting groups like the Manhattan Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Independent Women’s Forum.46Rebecca Leber. “How Big Plastic Is Using Coronavirus to Bring Back Wasteful Bags,” Mother Jones, March 27, 2020. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/ROsCa

December 6, 2016

The Fraser Institute released its “Global Petroleum Survey” for 2016, co-authored by Keneth P. Green, Taylor Jackson, and Kyle Sholes.47“Global Petroleum Survey 2016,” Fraser Institute, December 6, 2016. Archived December 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/YZDr5

According to the Fraser Institute press release, the report surveyed petroleum industry executives and managers “regarding barriers to investment in oil and gas exploration and production facilities in various jurisdictions around the globe.”48“Global Petroleum Survey 2016,” Fraser Institute, December 6, 2016. Archived December 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/YZDr5

View the full report (PDF) here.49Taylor Jackson, Kenneth P. Green, and Kyle Sholes. “Global Petroleum Survey 2016,” Fraser Institute, December, 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

October 2016

The Fraser Institute’s Kenneth Green wrote in the AusIMM Bulletin on the results of the Fraser Institute’s Annual Mining Survey.50Kenneth P. Green. “Where is the most attractive for investment?” The AusIMM Bulletin, October 2016. Archived December 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mEmaA

“A well-developed mining sector can produce great economic and community benefits,” Green begins. “To encourage a robust development of the mining sector, governments must put forth attractive and competitive policies.”51Kenneth P. Green. “Where is the most attractive for investment?” The AusIMM Bulletin, October 2016. Archived December 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mEmaA

The Fraser Institute, which has been doing such surveys since 1997, talked to mining company presidents, vice presidents, and managers to capture executive opinion on investment.52Kenneth P. Green. “Where is the most attractive for investment?” The AusIMM Bulletin, October 2016. Archived December 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/mEmaA

July 5, 2015

Kenneth Green, the Fraser Institute’s Senior Director for the Centre for Natural Resources, weighed in on Pope Francis’s Encyclical on the Environment in an opinion article for The Province.

According to Green, “while the encyclical might discuss a lot of environmental issues, it doesn’t offer much in the way of factual support.” Making the argument that capitalism has improved environmental protection, he continues that “if [Pope Francis] really wants the people of Earth to breathe clean air, drink clean water, protect critical ecosystems, and protect endangered species he could have given them much better advice, including advocating for ever-greater levels of democracy and economic freedom.”53“Kenneth Green: Pope wrong to link capitalism to pollution,” The Province, July 5, 2015. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/BJ2Gw

April 25, 2015

Kenneth Green and Taylor Jackson, Senior Director and Policy Analyst, respectively, at the Fraser Institute wrote an opinion piece for The Vancouver Sun titled “Renewables: All pain, little gain.”

They make the case that renewable energy, including hydroelectric sources, should be avoided because they could lead to higher prices. They cite research by economist Ross McKitrick to support their views.54Kenneth P. Green and Taylor Jackson. “Opinion: Renewables: All pain, little gain,” The Vancouver Sun, April 25, 2015. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yjkz5

The Vancouver Sun published responses to the piece in an article titled “Renewable energy has a bright future.” It included a response by Merran Smith, Executive Director of Clean Energy Canada, who concluded that “Kenneth Green and Taylor Jackson must have turned over more than a few rocks in their effort to argue that renewable energy is driving up electricity prices because a growing mountain of evidence points to the contrary.”55“Saturday, May 2: Renewable energy has a bright future,” The Vancouver Sun, May 1, 2015. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EziEf

April 23, 2015

Writing for the “full comment” section of the National Post, the Fraser Institute’s Kenneth Green suggests that while Canada will likely miss its Copenhagen emissions targets set in 2009, this might not necessarily be a significant problem. According to Green, “this is less about Canada being an environmental laggard, and more a problem with agreeing to politically derived targets you have no idea how to hit.”56Kenneth P. Green. “Kenneth P. Green: Canada is prosperous… and relatively green,” National Post, April 23, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/P6Owz

He goes on to highlight the “good news” in that GDP increase has increased by 71%, making for a “great trend in emissions intensity.” By “letting markets do what they do best,” as opposed to focusing on emissions standards, Green says that emissions will decline on their own due to technological growth.

April 2015

The Fraser Institute’s Senior Director for the Centre for Natural Resources, Kenneth Green, spoke to The Vancouver Sun about how there is a supposed “18-year temperature pause.”57“Video: Skeptical of climate change computer models,” The Vancouver Sun, April 22, 2015. Archived August 13, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/WlJen

According to Green, the IPCC process is “corrupted,” and that mainstream climate scientists have become “activists.” Green comments that since 1979, global temperatures have “no significant trend” and there has been a “pause” in the temperature record. He continues to state arguments commonly used by skeptics including that “the climate has always changed,” that “the [temperature] models, themselves, are wrong.” 

Green says that he is not a “denier” of the science behind climate change, and that “we are probably causing a mild warming,” however not enough to cause concern.

October 30, 2014

The Fraser Institute released a report by Ross McKitrick and Tom Adams, titled “What Goes Up,” which recommends that the government look at a moratorium and new wind and solar power facilities as well as re-open four coal burning power plants to curb increases in electricity prices. See the whole report here (PDF).

The Toronto Sun reports how the provincial government did not heed the Fraser Institute’s report and continues to pursue wind and solar energy projects.58Antonella Artuso. “Energy minister won’t heed Fraser Institute report,” Toronto Sun, October 30, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/HSWSi

February 5, 2008

The Fraser Institute hosted Bjorn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist on a cross-country speaking tour.59“Up Front: A skeptic’s view on climate change,” The Fraser Institute, February 5, 2008. Archived July 22, 2015.

October 16, 2008

The Fraser Institute hosted (PDF) Ezra Levant, since author of the controversial book Ethical Oil, in Calgary as part of its “Behind the Spin” speaker series.60“Ezra Levant speaks freely, The Fraser Forum, November 3, 2008. Archived April 9, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpzLa

February 5, 2007

The Fraser Institute released their Independent Summary For Policymakers (ISPM) report shortly after the official Independent Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) released their own Summary for Policy Makers which was part of their Fourth Assessment Report on Climate Change (AR4).61“Independent summary of UN climate change report to be released in London on Monday, February 5,” The Fraser Institute, January 30, 2007. Archived March 23, 2007. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/vOdBX

The current version of the ISPM report, revised in March, 2007, is available on the Fraser Institute Website. The original version, with additional notes and critiques by RealClimate, can be viewed here (PDF).

The Center for Media and Democracy’s SourceWatch also documents a list of the errors and discrepancies in the Fraser Institute’s original report.

The following were contributors or editors to the report:

Writing Team

January 1, 2003

The Fraser Institute published an issue of the Fraser Forum devoted to “The Politics, Science, and Economics of Kyoto” (PDF). Authors who contributed to this issue included prominent climate change deniers Sallie Baliunas, Barry Cooper, Kenneth Green, Ross McKitrick, and Willie Soon.

According to the editor, “The issue also explains, in as clear and non-technical a language as possible, the scientific reasons why the Kyoto Protocol is unsound.”

Although the issue focuses on Kyoto, Sallie Balliunas and Willie Soon also co-published an an article skeptical of man-made climate change titled “The Varying Sun & Climate Change.”62Fraser Forum, January 2003 Issue (PDF). The Fraser Institute.

Fraser Institute Contact & Location

The Fraser Institute has headquarters in Vancouver, BC, and maintains offices in Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. Their main contact address is below:63“Contact Us,” Fraser Institute. Archived July 7, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yWcD2

Vancouver Office
4th Floor, 1770 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC Canada
V6J 3G7
Tel: (604) 688-0221
Fax: (604) 688-8539

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