Election time again. I am feeling a little old – this will be my seventh provincial election. Now I have a little different role – I will be writing three colums a week in the Telegraph-Journal on election topics – Tuesday, Thursday…
Continue ReadingTo BNB or not to BNB? That is the Question
Several people have asked me to comment on the NDP proposal to scrap Business New Brunswick. I have resisted because it really is a red herring – the NDP would just find other ways to do its brand of economic development. …
Continue ReadingNew Brunswick Social Policy Research Network
I think this is a good initiative. I’ve talked with senior provincial government bureaucrats (past and present) that say the first thing cut in the past has been policy development expertise in the departments and that many of them do…
Continue ReadingWe need more taxes
From Moody’s report released yesterday, the following is their table on the changing nature of government revenue in New Brunswick. I don’t have the link to the original document – I can’t find it online. I think this speaks for itself. …
Continue ReadingA lion of N.S. industry in winter
I’m not sure why but I enjoy talking with these old guys. This is an op/ed by a guy who interviewed an 89 year old economic developer from Nova Scotia. Yes, there were lots of people doing economic development even…
Continue ReadingThe Facebook generation
My parents said similar things about me and their parents said similar things about them but, nevertheless, I am going to say this about the kids of today. Here’s a story of a young girl from New Jersey who joined…
Continue ReadingPeople retention efforts can be counterproductive
This is one of the better blogs out there on economic development issues. The author actually takes on important issues rather than just spin out the same old tripe. In his latest blog he talks about how people retention initiatives…
Continue ReadingTaxation discussion fatigue
We never really have a serious discussion about taxation in this province. Periodically we will get a story like this one which suggests if you make $1 million per year you will pay $417,000 in income taxes if you live…
Continue ReadingMacDougall as Pollyanna
The Green Party’s Jack MacDougall has a good op/ed in the TJ this morning entitled “What will we leave to our grandkids?” He muses about the world his new grandson Oscar will find in New Brunswick when he is 57.…
Continue ReadingPower costs matter
Most people were fatigued about the discussion around power rates after the collapse of the NB Power deal and articles and op/eds about the issue have all but disappeared in New Brunswick but the issue will not be going away…
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