Almost three weeks in Brazil. Key learning: an in-law visit is not the same as a vacation – if you define vacation as some form of rest and relaxation. Anyhoo, I’m back in the saddle – back to blogging up…
Continue ReadingHousing prices up strongly in Moncton
You need to take a nuanced view of housing prices in the context of economic development. The average price of a bungalow in Moncton is up almost 15% over last year – the fastest growth rate in eastern Canada (the…
Continue ReadingCopa do Mundo
Brazil is in a state of national mourning after losing to France again in the World Cup. It’s a bit surreal to see an entire population devastated.
Continue ReadingHarry S. Truman
As you may know, I am on a 2.5 week vacation in Brazil. It’s more like an in-law visit, quasi-vacation type of thing. Anyway, I was resolved to get some serious reading in on this vacation as there is limited…
Continue ReadingReflections on Canada Day
A quick and dirty post because it is challenging to write blogs from this South American venue. A few reflections: Canada’s a great country – cold weather notwithstanding. But when you think about it cold climate economies tend to be…
Continue ReadingBrazil´s auto sector
I always get in trouble when I talk about the auto sector but what the heck, here I go again. There are 440 automtive OE parts suppliers based in Brazil, 22 automaker assembly plants & 10 parts plants. The vast…
Continue ReadingDispatches from the road: Sao Paulo
I am here. One of the side effects – benefits – of marrying a Brazilian. Especially one that misses her country a bunch. Sao Paulo is an egregiously large city. 10 million in the city – in an area of…
Continue ReadingIf you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
You know that old saying if you can’t beam ’em, join ’em. Well, that’s what happened this week with one of New Brunswick’s largest call centres. TransWorks, a division of the large India firm Aditya Birla Group to purchase Minacs…
Continue ReadingThe Meek Shall Inherit… more Equalization
At the very heart of the matter, this is what is holding Atlantic Canada back. Halifax-based Jim Meek in this article, clearly outlines Donald Savoie’s contention that federal public policies led directly to the growth of the auto sector in…
Continue ReadingThis one hurts, too.
I know some folks in Atlantic Canad were working a project similar to this one. I have no idea if it was the same, but it still would have been nice: A new Fidelity Investments Customer Contact Center is planned…
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