THE RURBAN FRINGE

Pay Hike for Rural Politicians?

With municipal elections gearing up across the country, a new report by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation details the salaries paid to all the reeves, mayors and councillors in Manitoba’s 200 rural municipalities and villages.
With the majority of part-time politicians earning between $6,000 – $10,000 per year (i.e. as compensation for work hours/wages lost while attending to [...]

The Need to Revive Rural Communities

Today, residents in New Brunswick head to the polls to elect a new provincial government.  Yet rural communities here – and elsewhere across the country – are at risk of being pushed farther to the periphery of society unless governments strive to adopt policies to support them, says Susan Machum, Canada Research Chair in rural [...]

The Value of a Signature Event

I’ve heard it said that if fundraising is like cultivation, then events are like greenhouses for nurturing growth for your organization.
While many events aim to generate cash for small and large organizations alike, they also have hidden costs.  Some events take up considerable resources, require up-front costs, and fall short of creating long-lasting relationships between the [...]

Is Civic Engagement a Dying Dream?

I live in a decidedly rurban area due east of Calgary, Alberta, in one of the fastest growing urban areas in Canada.  My community – like many others across the West – still holds strong ties to an agricultural past and has really only had to deal with the effects of rapid urban growth within the past [...]

It’s Not the Economy, Stupid

Even though James Carville’s well-known phrase states otherwise … economies are built on people. 
When people aren’t engaged, aren’t able to utilize their skill sets, aren’t even working in many instances these days, economic activities grind to a halt.  Time, energy, knowledge and experience can all be found at the core of any market activities … and [...]

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