I think people are making a mistake when they look at Northern New Brunswick in the same way as the urban/rural situation. They are not the same thing. Northern New Brunswick has urban centres – by Statistics Canada definition and…
Continue ReadingNothing is Written
Do you remember that powerful scene in Laurence of Arabia where they are humping it over a huge desert and one of the guys gets left behind. The locals say “it is written” and are okay with him being left…
Continue ReadingWanna buy a data centre?
Remember that guy from Sesame Street that was always trying to sell you a vowel? I get that feeling these days with data centres. They are hot and they are sexy from an economic development perspective (probably why Atlantic Canada…
Continue ReadingDonald Savoie & Diana Krall
For me, reading Donald Savoie is a bit like listening to Diana Krall. When I hear Krall with that throaty, entrancing voice I get tingles. When I read Savoie talking about regional development, ditto. His piece in today’s G&M has…
Continue ReadingPixar in Vancouver
This is a very instructive story. I have read seven stories this morning about the new Pixar animation studio in Vancouver. It is positioned as a coup for Canada. Every story has mentioned, in passing, the ‘tax break’ that got…
Continue ReadingTaking politics out of economic development: redux
I know this is a theme I revisit every few months but it is worth it because I think this is one of those things we get wrong in New Brunswick (and elsewhere). When I say keep ‘politics’ out of…
Continue ReadingDeepest Recession since the Great Depression!
The Canadian work force grew in April, adding 36,000 positions, mainly through self-employment, Statistics Canada says. As a result, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.0 per cent last month, the highest in seven years. You have to admire how…
Continue ReadingExports Trend
For those who like data, here is a look at how exports from New Brunswick are holding up. Overall, in the most recent six months, total exports are down 11% – not bad comparatively. Obviously, the refined oil skews the data. Without…
Continue ReadingGovernment PR efforts
I have a different view, maybe than some others, on the topic of the role of provincial government ‘communications’ activities. It seems to me that the bulk of the PR/GR work done by government spinners is targeted at New Brunswickers. …
Continue ReadingReport on the ICT industry in NB
I find this a well written report with cogent analysis and detailed insight. It’s factual and points out key issues that influence the growth of the ICT sector. Of course, I may be a little biased because I wrote it :-).
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