New Brunswick continues to sputter along. I haven’t seen the provincial press release but you can be sure that the following table will not be mentioned. Alberta will not remain in negative territory much longer. Employment Growth (%) March 2009…
Continue ReadingMixed reaction greets news of HST increase
Mixed reaction in Nova Scotia to the raising of the HST? In New Brunswick, there would be pitchforks. Good to see the CFIB is outraged. Dexter must be doing something right.
Continue ReadingLaffer and Laughter
A couple of interesting stories this morning. First, an NDP government in Nova Scotia brings in a fiscally conservative budget with a massive tax hike in order to clean up the books. Just to put things in perspective the 2…
Continue ReadingOn industry subsidies, again
One of the top opponents of the NB Power deal wrote a commentary in the newspaper this weekend in which he reiterates his them that government should not be “providing across-the-board energy subsidies to industries” (although as a side point…
Continue ReadingOn Enbridge
Someone sent me an email asking why I wasn’t blogging or writing columns on the current high natural gas prices for industrial users. I do mention the high cost of gas in my column today. A few months ago I…
Continue ReadingBalance
One of the things I watch closely is the intersection of regulation and economic development. There are many instances in New Brunswick where regulation has been developed without – it seems – any regard for the economic development consequences. Don’t…
Continue ReadingKPMG Competitive Alternatives
KPMG is out with their 2010 version of their Competitive Alternatives report which compares the costs operating a sample facility for a variety of industries across 100+ global locations. While you could drive a Mack truck through some of the…
Continue ReadingNever leave a paper trail
An astute reader has searched my blog for my historical comments on NB Power and unearthed this blog from way back in 2005. I actually stand by this blog post – there are likely many I wouldn’t – I still think…
Continue ReadingSuccess has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan….
I had an interesting chat this morning over breakfast with a young leader in Northern NB with a real passion to change things up there. I wish her well. I raised in our conversation this issue of leadership and responsibility. …
Continue ReadingNB Power ad nauseum
A Conservative friend of mine sent me an email saying he was glad the NB Power deal was done so we could now go back to focusing the more serious challenges facing New Brunswick. I told him I would blog…
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