corporate and think-tank researcher

Tobacco

Follow the Money, Part 6 — Obesity: A new role for second-hand-smoke-causes-cancer deniers

21 May '14

Last week I wrote about tobacco industry funding for Fraser Institute research that “proved” second-hand smoke doesn’t cause cancer. You may think that’s ancient history. And in one sense you’re right. The tobacco industry has shifted its doubt-manufacturing operations to countries like Russia, Indonesia and China, where the incidence of smoking—and cancer—continues to rise. But …

Follow the Money, Part 5 — The Tobacco Papers Revisited

20 May '14

Michael Walker, former executive director of the Fraser Institute, long denied that institute directors—the people who fund the institute’s work—can tell researchers what to do. According to this rosy view of the think tank’s mission, Big Oil directors from Calgary, for instance, don’t tell Fraser Institute researcher Kenneth Green to produce studies denying global warming …

Murdoch’s ties to Big Tobacco

23 Jul '11

Rupert Murdoch’s phone-hacking problems have been all over the news in recent days, but it wasn’t too long ago his media properties were providing a supportive environment for Big Tobacco that went largely unreported. Murdoch’s connection to Phillip Morris Co. was revealed through secret industry documents made public as a result of the landmark 1998 …

Following the Money: The Fraser Institute’s Tobacco Papers

14 Oct '09

When the Fraser Institute celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2004, media coverage was ebullient. The Province was typical when it proclaimed in an editorial “we’re all ‘right wing’ now” and ended by congratulating the institute for “daring to dissent. May it do so for another 30 years.” This piece was reprinted in the Ottawa Citizen …

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Harperism: How Stephen Harper and his think tank colleagues have transformed Canada

harperism cover

Margaret Thatcher transformed British political life forever. So did Ronald Reagan in the United States. Now Canada has experienced a similar, dramatic shift to a new kind of politics, which author Donald Gutstein terms Harperism. Among its key tenets:

A weakened labour movement – and preferably the disappearance of unions – will contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity
Cutting back government scientific research and data collection will improve public policy-making

The success of Harperism is no accident. Donald Gutstein documents the links between the politicians, think tanks, journalists, academics, and researchers who nurture and promote each other’s neo-liberal ideas.

Donald Gutstein