This thesis provides an analysis of Regional Economic Development Authorities (REDAs), which were created by the Saskatchewan government in 1993. It examines the political and economic factors that led to the creation of the REDAs; the design of the organization and funding framework for the REDAs; the main challenges that REDAs face today, and offers recommendations for consideration in the future. <p>The thesis reveals that REDAs were created in response to the challenges associated with the changing global economy. They were based on the principles of Community Economic Development (CED), a grassroots approach that encourages individuals in a community to support and facilitate new and existing businesses in order to contribute to the strength of a communitys economy. This approach was created with the understanding that rather than leading the process, as it had done in the past, the government would facilitate the efforts of these organizations through the provision of resources and support. <p>In an effort to coordinate the CED services being offered in the province, REDAs were established on a relatively large regional basis. Operating as umbrella organizations, REDAs both monitor CED efforts in their respective regions and deliver them. The Saskatchewan government has positioned itself as a partner, offering financial resources that REDAs can rely on and also organizational development and technical support. <p>The analysis provided in this thesis demonstrates that while CED is a popular approach taken by governments at both the federal and provincial level, there must be a considerable degree of commitment to the process to be effective. In the case of the Saskatchewan government, the capacity of these authorities has been enhanced substantially due to the governments efforts to develop an organizational framework, deliver support through education and training in CED, commit to an evaluation procedure and provide funding on which the authorities can rely. <p>This thesis reveals that the main challenges REDAs face today are largely associated with inadequate financial resources. One of the greatest assets to the organizations is the dedication of qualified staff. With increasing workloads however, REDA staff are reaching their limit in terms of what they can accomplish and without the financial capability to alleviate these pressures by hiring and retaining talented and dedicated staff, the capacity of the CED process becomes significantly restricted. This thesis recommends that to ensure the continuing success of REDAs in the future the following initiatives should be undertaken. First, the provincial government must consider the workload being placed on each REDA. With every new layer of responsibility, there must be an equal level of human and financial support. Second, a review of the funding formula is necessary. With varying levels of capacity, it is not necessary for each REDA to receive equal funding. Finally, if the program is expected to improve, an ongoing evaluation procedure, much like the one in place, will continue to be necessary.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

This thesis examines the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow commission), in particular the ways in which the commission deviates from previous public inquiries. The paper surveys the literature on royal commissions to identify common attributes of commissions and explore the dimensions along which public inquiries vary. By identifying the dimensions of variation, it becomes possible to conduct an assessment of the Romanow commission according to each dimension. The thesis is framed by an assessment of each dimension. The product of this analysis is a clear understanding of the ways in which the Romanow commission differs from its predecessors. The thesis identifies three dimensions in which the Romanow commission is unique: it is the first national commission in nearly forty years with a major social policy as its focus; its emphasis on public consultation exceeds recent commissions: and the long-term advocacy role assumed by its chair.

Stobbe, Mark Jacob, M.A. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, February 2014. Public-Private Partnerships in Saskatchewan: A Tale of two Upgraders. Most of the literature dealing with public-private partnerships (P3s) examines the impact of private sector involvement in the provision of infrastructure or services normally provided by the public sector. This thesis uses the two case studies of the NewGrade Heavy Oil Upgrader and the Bi-Provincial Heavy Oil upgrader to examine the dynamics of P3s entered into by government in a market-driven, commercial sector for the purposes of promoting economic development. In the 1980’s, there was a political consensus in the Saskatchewan legislature that the province needed upgrading capacity to convert heavy crude oil into more marketable and valuable light synthetic crude and that the upgraders should be built through P3s. The result was the creation of the NewGrade and Bi-Provincial Upgraders. In the 1990’s, financial losses at both upgraders caused the Saskatchewan government to demand renegotiation of these partnerships. The thesis examines these partnerships in their initial negotiation, construction/operation and renegotiation in order to determine what environmental factors and internal dynamics contributed to the success or failure of the partnerships and the relations between the partners. The thesis argues that the upgraders successfully achieved their public policy objectives and gained the benefits of synergies arising from the differences between the public and private sector. However, the partnerships came under severe stress arising from a prolonged downturn in oil markets and the price of crude oil. The resulting financial losses caused the Saskatchewan government to seek a renegotiation of the terms of partnership. Despite this common cause of stress in the partnerships, the renegotiations of the agreements varied greatly. It is demonstrated that these differences arose from the financial structure of each partnership, the nature of the private sector partners and the number of partners involved in the project. The thesis provides some observations of potential value for governments and corporations considering entering partnerships for economic development projects. The differences between partners that can create synergistic benefits can also be the basis for the erosion of trust between the partners. The different financial tools used by government to participate in P3s can have significant impacts on both project viability and relationships between the partners.