The Canadian Press is running a story (picked up here) about seven firms that have received funding from ACOA for the past 20 years. This is a classic case of what I have been talking about. Read the article and…
Continue ReadingHave we moved the ball down the field?
A few weeks ago someone posted here that guys like me need to shoulder much of the blame for New Brunswick’s inability to chart a new and successful economic course. It was in response, I think, to a comment I…
Continue ReadingOn the CBoC city magnets report
I just read the Globe & Mail story on the CBoC report on magnet cities. I read five or six of these comparisons each year and you can poke holes in the all. Consider the MacLean’s crime report which has ‘Codiac’…
Continue ReadingHaiti
I’d love to get the opportunity to get involved in economic development in a place like Haiti. I’ve read Hernando De Soto’s work and other best practices in third world economic development and I think it is possible to take…
Continue ReadingMore focus on productivity
Two large call centre closure announcements in the past week. Eddie Bauer just announced they are shutting down their Saint John facility. Eddie Bauer went into bankruptcy protection a year ago – I suspected they would look to outsource their…
Continue ReadingDon’t bet the farm on lower taxes
I have said many times that I prefer that a jurisdiction make an effort to have a competitive corporate tax rate (around the average among competitor jursidictions) and then use targeted tax cuts to incentivize specific behaviour (like business investment).…
Continue ReadingEmployment levels
The employment level in December in New Brunswick dropped fairly substantially. As I have pointed out many times before, there are always going to be swings in the monthly data. The important thing to look at is the trending over…
Continue ReadingThe Ruse of the Creative Class
There is a great article in the American Prospect this week on the Richard Florida cult and how he is modifying his views. He has been chargin $35,000 per talk to tell every small and medium sized community across North…
Continue ReadingSenate reform
The Globe & Mail has an interesting story today on Harper’s plans to try and get senate reform back on the docket. Apparently, Atl. Canadians are outraged. Premier Dexter will fight the good fight. In Atlantic Canada, where the provinces…
Continue ReadingBlink vs. Squint
I have been avoiding commenting on the NB Power deal because there are a few people that get all bent out of joint and send me really nasty comments and I don’t appreciate the abuse. There have been some interesting…
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