You will have to excuse me this morning. I’m suffering from a kind of cultural whiplash and the collar is making it hard to type. On Sunday, I saw the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men and last night…
Continue ReadingBeware the wrath of Bruce
I see the Self Sufficiency Action Plan is quoting Alec Bruce: It’s all very well to talk about New Brunswick’s emerging industrial clusters, technology centres of excellence, and innovative economic sectors, but none of it means much when the crucial…
Continue ReadingWhat are we selling, part 12
I’d like to make a point on the Self Sufficiency Action Plan. I supposed there will be many of these going forward. Anyway, my little Internet stalker doesn’t much care for French. That combined with the seemingly disinterest in leveraging…
Continue ReadingMan of inaction
Sorry I haven’t posted for a couple of days but I have been flat on my back with something sinister. Maybe the Lord smote me so that I would be kind to the self-sufficiency action plan announced yesterday. Certainly, it…
Continue ReadingInteresting and important issue
I am not sure we have to read about this in the national papers. It is not even a negative piece on the Irvings – just a good overview of them and their business interests. One would think this should…
Continue ReadingCranky on education
I heard another anecdote this week that drives me nuts. A guy I was sitting with at a kids event told me attends NBCC in Moncton. He said his professor proudly told them on the first day of class that…
Continue ReadingIrvings look to break up empire
Yowsa. This doesn’t happen every day. Sources familiar with the sprawling family conglomerate say the three principal owners, brothers J.K., Arthur and Jack, all in their 70s, are engaged in tense discussions that will see the various Irving businesses split…
Continue ReadingOne size fits all
In my column today in the TJ I take a jab at the federal government and its “one size fits all” thinking. Ontario, B.C. and Alberta, for example, have experienced very strong population growth over the past decade which has…
Continue ReadingThe politics of economic development
I think when you get right down to it most rational people see the need for communities to be involved in economic development. What most people do not like is this. $65 million as a direct subsidy to keep Stora…
Continue ReadingWeird comparison
The TJ had a story yesterday talking about how Saint John can learn from Fort McMurray’s explosive growth. Has anyone seen any real job or population growth forecasts for this growth? I am thrilled about Saint John’s potential growth but…
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