As part of our educational program, the Ontario Landowners Association is hosting an International Conference on Property Rights on October 4th at the Holiday Inn in Kanata (Ottawa), Ontario. See our agenda and registration details here.
The goal of this conference is to bring together an expert panel on property rights protection to discuss one of the most important symbols of our right to own, use and enjoy our property – Letters Patent. In countries of British origin, these Letters Patent are documents that transfer state-owned land into private ownership, subject to reservations and conditions imposed by the Crown, such as reserved rights to gold and silver.
The OLA believes that once Crown Land has been transferred by Letters Patent to the private property owner, governments do not retain future options for the land and do not control its use.
“… governments at all levels continue to weaken or attenuate property rights on a daily basis with a barrage of regulations affecting the use of private property.”
Gerald P. O’Driscoll Jr. and Lee Hoskins in Property Rights – The Key to Economic Development
In addition, our panel will explore how “sustainable development” is resulting in control of private property that is tantamount to expropriation without compensation. The concept of sustainable development emerged from the environmental movement which viewed human growth and development as harmful to the environment and communities.
“On average, GDP per capita, measured in terms of purchasing power parity, is twice as high in nations with the strongest protection of property …”
Gerald P. O’Driscoll Jr. and Lee Hoskins in Property Rights – The Key to Economic Development
In the Ontario experience, the one we are most familiar with, we find that private property owners are subject to regulations such as species at risk, provincial policy statements on land use, and municipal official plans which encroach on the use and enjoyment of private property. For example, there are many instances where the Ministry of Natural Resources has tried to interfere with landowners’ attempts to develop and improve their land.
“The system of private property is the most important guarantee of freedom …”
Friedrich A. Hayek in Road to Serfdom
We invite you to join us on October 4th to listen to our expert panel and to provide your input on how we can influence public policy to strengthen and preserve our property rights, not only in Canada, but around the world.
We are planning a second day of discussion with the speakers, at the conference location, on Sunday, October 5th. This will be an informal workshop type of discussion with the objective of forming some viable solutions for strengthening and maintaining our property rights. Please register here or call me at 1-877-258-6106 to register for the conference and for more information.