If you are so inclined there is a very detailed analysis of the Canadian economy and recommendations for improvment from the OECD. You can read it here. If you have access, you can read Jeffrey Simpson’s assessment here. The report…
Continue ReadingThere’s no such thing as bad press?
I read most of the big papers in Canada (or at least scan them for relevant content). Lately, there have been a number of stories about New Brunswick. There were several on the irony of Canada’s only officially bilingual province…
Continue ReadingTax free day
Now that I am in the ‘media’ so to speak (as a columnist) I can see things from the perspective of the journalist. But what I am trying to find out is this. I heard at least 6-7 stories on…
Continue ReadingThe world is flat, no wait, it’s spiky, no maybe it’s actually round?
Thomas Friedman makes a bajillion dollars telling us the world is flat. That technology and globalization means that anything can be done anywhere. Richard the-rock-star Florida comes along and says, wait, Friedman is wrong. The world isn’t flat. In fact,…
Continue ReadingGrab some of that pie
You know that a number of Canadian universities and colleges are going to be all over this. I wonder if New Brunswick’s schools even have this on the radar: India asked Canada on Saturday to share its knowledge and make…
Continue ReadingOne liners abound
“In the land of blindmen, the one-eyed man is king.” “To the man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” (that probably describes me) and, now, introducing my one liner: “In the land of thin skins, beware the paper…
Continue ReadingBoneheads abound
I usually don’t call people boneheads but come on: Jason Childs, an economist with the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, said the Bathurst call centre closure may be an indicator of a boom in the local or the…
Continue ReadingThe income measure that matters
I’d like to see us move into a new economic analysis model for economic development. The old days of comparing unemployment rates, average income level, etc. should be turfed in favour of new comparative measurements that matter. In my opinion,…
Continue ReadingAlberta brings out the big gun
An economic development consultant colleague of mind has landed some work on this and is moving to Alberta for a few months. The Alberta government has introduced a new $178-million plan intended to help the province diversify away from its…
Continue ReadingA good news story
I had a chat this weekend with a manager over at ExxonMobil. She is Columbian and was transferred here to help roll out a new function. ExxonMobil now has 1,000 people working in Moncton. One of the top five largest…
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