New Brunswick’s unemployment rate dropped below the national average for the first time since 1976 last month. A combination of 2,400 people leaving the workforce coupled with an increase of 2,900 jobs made for this 1.2 percentage point drop in…
Continue ReadingBernie playing the dispersed population card
It’s his job, of course, but it is quite fun to watch. Former Premier turned telecom lobbyist on why we pay more than twice as much for cell phone charges: He says the federal fees firms pay to access the…
Continue ReadingAtlantic Ballet
I had the pleasure of attending the Atlantic Ballet season kickoff and gala last night. It was an impressive affair. Every time I am sitting the Capitol Theatre watching the ballet I think back to the 1970s when people watched…
Continue ReadingWhy self-sufficiency matters
We have talked a lot here about the future of the Equalization system and transfer payments in general. There is a growing consensus, I believe, that federal transfers to New Brunswick and other Maritime Provinces are going to begin to…
Continue ReadingIs the broadband economy open to everyone?
According to the T&T, yes. Again, we have a case of yes, but no. I remember Jean Cretien back in the mid 1990s talking about how the new ‘information highway’ would level the playing field for urban and rural Canada…
Continue ReadingA gaseous affair
I don’t know if you have been following the natural gas issue in New Brunswick but it is approaching the level of bizarro world. The CEO of Flakeboard writes and op/ed stating he pays 10 times the gas distribution costs…
Continue ReadingFatKat forensic review
The Miramichi Leader has been milking the FatKat story for weeks and now is launching an eight part series to stretch out their recent investment in a Right to Information Act request. Of course, we know about the ongoing troubles…
Continue ReadingOff the road, again
I have participated in four panel/round table discussions in the past few weeks. I like getting out there and meeting folks and discussing economic development. We don’t always agree – in fact there can be sharp disagreement – but for…
Continue ReadingNova Scotia’s biggest challenge
Coming back from Cape Breton yesterday I was reminded of my belief that Nova Scotia’s biggest challenge over the medium to long term is the lack of urban nodes around the province. I just don’t see how the province will…
Continue ReadingOur universities are going to fix our problems
Hey, our universities are getting in the game: The Association of Atlantic Universities is holding its semi-annual meeting of the council of university presidents at Mount Allison University in Sackville this week. There will be discussion of the challenges facing…
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