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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Mark Mullins to leave Fraser Institute
In an email to friends and supporters this evening, Mark Mullins, Executive Director of the Fraser Institute, announced he will be leaving the free market think tank.
Mullins wrote:
It is with a heavy heart -- but exceptional pride -- that I am writing to thank you for your ongoing interest in the Fraser Institute and our public policy ideas, as I prepare to leave the position of Executive Director. I have taken my vision for the Institute as far as it can go and it is time to pass the baton to new leadership here.
As I look back over my four years at the helm of this extraordinary organization, I am reminded of the tremendous successes we shared.
We expanded our role on the international stage through our economic freedom projects in Arab, Asian and Latin American countries, and raised the number of our global partnerships to 79 think tanks and similar organizations. We also opened virtual offices in the United States and developed hundreds of relevant research publications to populate our dedicated American web site at www.fraseramerica.org.
Two new offices -- in Montreal and Ottawa -- opened doors to French language audiences, policymakers, and the national media, and completed the Institute's expansion to provide direct access to people in Canada's five largest cities. The Ottawa office also provided an opportunity to launch a very successful new education program for Parliament Hill elected representatives and their staff and allowed us to expand our annual Canada Strong and Free gala event.
We significantly increased our team of talented staff and subsequently our research, including publications on climate change, energy, corporate subsidies, petroleum investment barriers, social insurance fraud, mining, home schooling, tax compliance, psychiatric care waiting times, urban planning, Canada/US relations and hundreds more.
As one notable example, our new Ontario, B.C. and Alberta Hospital Report Cards, which measure patient safety and quality of care at the local hospital level, provoked tremendous public interest and tens of thousands of individuals have now visited the program's special website at www.hospitalreportcards.ca.
Our outreach was expanded through events and excursions, involving renowned speakers from around the world including Prime Minister John Howard, Fed Governor Ben Bernanke, and Lord Nigel Lawson. We reached and educated young journalists in a week-long annual program and this was bolstered by new media initiatives, including Fraser TV and our ever growing video program, which have so far attracted more than 75,000 viewers on Institute websites and on YouTube.
The Institute doubled our media attention and attained record levels of supporters, whose contributions enable us to do what matters most -- conduct innovative, high quality research to impact the public debate leading to better public policy.
I feel privileged and honoured to have had the opportunity to work with the Institute's exceptional and dedicated staff on these activities and I know they will continue the work with their customary zeal. Their efforts have paid off spectacularly this year, with Foreign Policy magazine awarding us a top 10 ranking in the world out of 5,500 think tanks in existence. That is an incredible achievement for us all.
Mullins is ranked #4 on the Western Standard's Liberty 100 for this work in advancing economic liberty.
(Picture: Mark Mullins and enviro-realist Bjorn Lomborg)
Posted by Matthew Johnston
Posted by westernstandard on July 7, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
thank you for all your hard work Mr.Mark Mullins. you are an inspiration to all canadians.
Posted by: krista zoobkoff | 2009-07-07 10:16:17 PM
You are amazing Mr. Mark Mullins. What are his plans for the future as I'm sure most Canadian's would be interested in following his career?
Posted by: Liz Matthew | 2009-07-26 2:16:50 PM
A lot of fine work from a fine man. Hopefully, he'll run for office and keep his principles, unlike the fraud - Stephen Harper.
Posted by: Dennis Young | 2009-07-26 6:28:03 PM
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