Note: The complete conference program and registration information are posted on the website of the Canadian Economics Association at www.economics.ca/2009/en/. Presenter in bold. Session 1: Education and Aboriginal Canadians (joint session with the Centre for Education Research and Policy) Organizers: Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) and Jane Friesen (Centre for Education Research and Policy, Simon Fraser University) Friday, May 29 - 8:30-10:00 Chair: Fred Caron (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) Papers: Jean-François Arsenault, Andrew Sharpe, and Fraser Cowan (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) The Effect of Eliminating Aboriginal Economic and Social Gaps on the Fiscal Position -- (Full Paper) John Richards (Simon Fraser University), Aidan Vining (Simon Fraser University), and David Weimer (University of Wisconsin, Madison) Aboriginal Performance on Standardized Tests: Evidence and Analysis from Provincial Schools in British Columbia -- (Full Paper) Jane Friesen (Simon Fraser University) and Brian Krauth (Simon Fraser University) Sorting, Peers, and Achievement of Aboriginal Students in British Columbia -- (Full Paper) Larry Steeves, Sheila Carr-Stewart, and Jim Marshall (University of Regina) Northern and Self-Declared Aboriginal Student Achievement in Saskatchewan: The 2008 Saskatchewan Education Indicators Report -- (Full Paper) Discussants: Colin Busby (CD Howe Institute) Bert Waslander (consultant) Session 2: Policies to Foster the Human Capital Development of Aboriginal Canadians (joint session with the CD Howe Institute) Organizers: Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) and John Richards (Simon Fraser University and CD Howe Institute) Friday, May 29 - 10:30-12:00 Chair: Rick Van Loon (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) Panelists: Dan Beavon (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) Roberta Jamieson (National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation) Kathleen Keenan (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) John McCallum, MP Session 3: Advances in Productivity Measurement for the Canadian Economy Organizer: Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) Friday, May 29 - 16:00-17:30 Chair: Alice Nakamura (University of Alberta) Papers: Jean-François Arsenault (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) and Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) and Wulong Gu (Statistics Canada) New Estimates of Multifactor Productivity by Province -- (Full Paper) Peter Harrison (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) Median Wages and Productivity Growth in Canada and the United States -- (Full Paper) Someshwar Rao, Lili Hao, Jianmin Tang, and Weimin Wang (Industry Canada) Canada-US Productivity Level Comparisons: New Estimates Discussants: Paul Davenport (University of Western Ontario) Barbara Fraumeni (University of Southern Maine) Mel Fuss (University of Toronto) Session 4: The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Well-being of Canadians (joint session with the Progressive Economics Forum) Organizer: Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) Saturday, May 30 - 8:30-10:00 Chair: Ian Stewart (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) Panelists: Don Drummond (TD Bank Financial Group) (Remarks) Pierre Fortin (University of Quebec at Montreal) (Remarks) John Helliwell (University of British Columbia) Jim Stanford (Canadian Auto Workers) Armine Yalnizyan (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) Session 5: Business Innovation in Canada: Perspectives on the Expert Panel Report of the Council of Canadian Academies Report (joint session with the Council of Canadian Academies) Organizers: Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) and Peter Nicholson (Council of Canadian Academies) Saturday, May 30 - 14:00-15:30 Chair: Pierre Fortin (UQAM and Council of Canadian Academies) Panelists: Marcel Coté (Secor) (Remarks) Richard Harris (Simon Fraser University) James Milway (Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity) David Wolfe (University of Toronto) Session 6: Measures of Economic Security in Uncertain Times Organizer: Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) Sunday, May 31 - 10:30-12:00 Chair: Craig Riddell (University of British Columbia) Papers: Lars Osberg (Dalhousie University) and Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) New Estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being for OECD Countries -- (Full Paper) Lars Osberg (Dalhousie University) and Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) New Perspectives on the Economic Security Component of the Index of Economic Well-being -- (Full Paper) Jim Davies (University of Western Ontario) The Effects of Declining Household Wealth on Economic Security in Canada, 2007-09 -- (Full Paper) Discussants: Jonathan Kesselman (Simon Fraser University) Armine Yalnizyan (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)