Here’s the monthly update on the labour market in New Brunswick as of August 2005. Total employment is down 0.1% from July and down 1% since last year. Across Canada, the number of people employed increased by 1.5% year over…
Continue ReadingPlace and economic development
In recent years, I have become increasingly concerned about how policy makers view economic development in this region. There seems to be a growing belief that economic development is solely tied to geographic-based factors. For example, if you have minerals…
Continue ReadingNearly fell off my chair
It looks like the editorial board of the Times & Transcript and I have something in common after all. We both want to see downtown development proceed after years of inaction. The Petitcodiac Riverkeepers and spokesman Daniel LeBlanc wants another…
Continue ReadingWorrying signs about the state of Confederation
One of the interesting things about the United States is that despite all its talk about ‘freedom’, there is still a federal law on the books that allows for the death penalty for treason – or for trying to take…
Continue ReadingLord’s star is fading
I think Chisholm Pothier and the rest of Bernard Lord’s handlers better start figuring out his position on the Federal leadership question. After writing nothing but glowing reports, the national press is starting to show signs of critism of Premier…
Continue ReadingJust get on with downtown development
I have been in Moncton now for going on nine years. Nine good years. The city has added 10,000 people to its population, the economy is chugging along. New residential and retail nodes are growing. But there is one major…
Continue ReadingOil & economic development
In a new Leger poll of Canadians 49 per cent of respondents wanted petroleum resources nationalized while 43 per cent said they would like to see the same fate for gas companies. At first glance, the nationalization of the oil…
Continue ReadingFitting on Labour Day
I am going to range a little out of my traditional comfort zone on this one. I don’t claim to have any experience or expertise relating to third world economic development. However, I have read Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky and…
Continue ReadingLeast Internet connections, it’s true
A colleague of mine commented that he thought it was impossible that New Brunswick could have the lowest connectivity to the Internet. Impossible, he said. Well, I go by Statistics Canada. 53.3% of households in New Brunswick access the Internet…
Continue ReadingLagging Atlantic Canada
You know, I am not so much bothered by Alberta kicking NB’s arse on economic stats or even Ontario and British Columbia. After all, they have been the strongest economies in Canada for years. No, it’s this constant hammering by…
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