It’s funny what people focus on when a report gets released. I have had several conversations in the past few days with economic development types about my recommendation that the government look at tax-based incentives to stimulate development in New…
Continue ReadingY Combinator
I just heard one of the founders of this Y Combinator group. They have an interesting model where they bring in 20 or 30 IT types per year with good ideas and incubate them – its part angel capital, part…
Continue ReadingStimulation
The New Brunswick government was estatic this month when it was reported that the province would lead the country in GDP growth this year with a 0.9% increase. The latest labour force survey shows the government is a key factor…
Continue ReadingGetting beyond the margin
It’s a slow news day so I’ll serve up a comment on Ignatieff’s Blood and Belonging which I started reading a few weeks ago. In the section on Quebec nationalism, Ignatieff defines what he considers to be the three big…
Continue ReadingShermer, Illinois mattered
Ever felt like you were just bolo punched? I was cooking supper when I heard that John Hughes just passed away. I had this overwhelming sensation of sadness. I can”t explain it but I have always hoped that Hughes would…
Continue ReadingWill economic development follow?
I kind of liked this article in the Bangor Daily News about Saint John and some of its economic development efforts. Right up until, of course, they had to spoil it with this little snippet: The Brookings Institute’s 2007 study…
Continue ReadingPEI animators taking a dig
There was a story a couple of weeks ago about a PEI animation company moving to Halifax. This article seems like a defensive move. A recent funding announcement from the Canada New Media Fund shows PEI is dominating the industry,…
Continue ReadingNew Brunswick Museum circa 2075
I had the opportunity to visit the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John today. The main exhibition was a tribute to New Brunswick ‘industry’ starting with the earliest days of English/French settlement through to the heydays of New Brunswick industry…
Continue ReadingMeaningless but interesting
Here is one of those little stats that doesn’t mean much but is mildly interesting. This is the per capita spend on eating out among the 10 provinces in Canada (for May 2009). Alberta $ 162.93 British Columbia 150.33…
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