A couple of observations coming out of the Future NB summit. It was very interesting to me as I met and had significant conversations with union leaders, social development folks, left-leaning educators, etc. – we mostly got a long –…
Continue ReadingWhat’s the next discussion Canada needs to have?
I wrote a column a few weeks back lamenting the fact the Globe & Mail didn’t put regional development on its list of “discussions we need to have” as a country. Now the Globe is back with “the next discussion Canada…
Continue ReadingCooperation. It’s simple, really.
What is amazing to me is that a lot of folks don’t seem to understand the most basic concept when it comes to cooperation: it has to provide some type of mutual benefit and it can’t be seen to be…
Continue ReadingDanny Williams RIP
Whenever a high profile provincial premier retires, there is a brief speculation about his/her federal intentions. I suspect that this will not be the case with Danny. He was master of his domain in Newfoundland that he would never match…
Continue ReadingGeologists and energy experts
My column yesterday was on shale gas and my view that we need to treat that industry as a once-in-a-generation economic opportunity that could end up creating thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in tax and royalty revenue to…
Continue ReadingTLC – Don Roberts’ style
I heard Don Roberts – the CIBC vice chair and forestry industry expert – give a talk on Friday. I had read his stuff but that was the first time I heard him talk. He has a clarity in approach…
Continue ReadingData centres redux
Someone asked about data centres in the threads. The truth is that a bunch of us were pushing NB to get out front and become an early adopter of this sector almost a decade ago. With the advent of large…
Continue ReadingDefining lazy
I was a guest on The Rutherford Show yesterday – I believe it is carried on a number of Alberta radio stations. He asked me if I think that Maritimers are lazy – because of a comment I made in…
Continue ReadingStealth equalization
One of the lessons that economists are taught is not to equate correlation with causality. For example, there may be a strong correlation between wealthy people and Italian shoes but that doesn’t mean that wearing Italian shoes will make you…
Continue ReadingAmbition
I have been reading about the new crop of Brazilian firms that are investing abroad – mining, manufacturing, construction – even services. As someone who has been travelling to Brazil for almost 20 years it has been an amazing transformation. …
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