I admit to some mixed feelings regarding the debate over Equalization. On the one hand, more dough from Ottawa would be a good thing, right? Or would it lead to more dependency and a worsening of our economic standing in…
Continue ReadingTake a lesson from the Wildcats
I know a lot of people love to loathe the Irvings, a subject that I rarely wade into out of sheer lack of knowlege, but you have to admit Robert Irving’s handling of the Wildcat’s has been amazing. Never mind…
Continue ReadingGet ’em while their young
I have been watching the Nova Scotia Liberals serve up their election promises over the past few days. I watch them particularly because the Tories are a known quantity and the NDP seem to be fairly clear in their position.…
Continue ReadingEqualization debate heating up
David Ganong made a speech yesterday, it would seem arguing for more Equalization funding for New Brunswick but I thought his comments or the newspaper’s interpretation of them were confusing. Firstly, Ganong reportedly said: “… the point is not for…
Continue ReadingWhy I don’t trust entrepreneurs
Beyond the inflammatory title, I actually love entrepreneurs – I work for one – and I think they are a key part of the future for New Brunswick. But they are only a part. We need to have a solid…
Continue ReadingMisery loves company
You know the old saying about misery loving company. Once in a while it is comforting to know that there are other areas that are just as mis-informed and backwards when it comes to economic development. The local newspaper in…
Continue ReadingAn ideological piñata?
Alec the Bruce is back at it doing a little whacking of his own. I don’t do a lot of linking to other blogs (I should do more) but this one is well worth the read. Unfortunately, through decades of…
Continue ReadingCan’t government spend your way to prosperity
I have seen very little analysis of the rapid rise in provincial government spending since 1999. This is a bit perplexing considering that the bulk of the funding for this expansion of spending comes from federal transfer payments. So, I…
Continue ReadingThe great labour market squeeze
There have been a number of stories recently about the shortage of labour in New Brunswick. Mexicans have been brought in to pick potatoes. The Dutch have been brought in to drive trucks. Employees from the Phillipines and India as…
Continue ReadingFive Years On: More Mobility of of University Grads
The Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission just released a new study entitledFive Years On: A Survey of Class of 1999 Maritime University Graduates. Now, I admit I only breezed through the 86 page report but I got caught up on…
Continue Reading