On the economic development of Canada's north west territories

Abstract

The Canadian government has in recent years spent up to {dollar}80 million annually to develop the North West Territories, an area of about one and quarter million square miles. No systemic study of the economic problems involved has to date been undertaken. This dissertation is an attempt to remedy this deficiency. Firstly, the problem of widespread native unemployment is considered. The study traces the way in which the high level of attenuation of private property rights prevailing in traditional native society affects the slope of indifference curves between income and leisure. It is shown to result in a negatively sloped labour supply curve. The effect of selected welfare measures among groups characterized by differently sloped indifference curves is shown to explain the behaviour of natives in the labour market. ...