For those of you interested in such things, I have uploaded Service Canada’s monthly labour market report for New Brunswick. It’s an interesting read. Moncton, for example, saw an increase in employment in January (year over year) but a…
Continue ReadingDeeper dive into the NB employment figures: Warning – it’s a bit ugly
As I have said in the past, I am not a huge fan of looking at the month-over-month labour force survey data because there can be significant swings on a monthly basis – even in the seasonally adjusted data. I…
Continue ReadingA worrying trend
The labour force survey out this morning shows a continuing downward trend in employment. There are an estimated 4,600 fewer people working in January 2011 than in January 2010. There are an estimated 6,700 fewer full time workers year over…
Continue ReadingIn defense of capitalism
Based on a few columns and conversations over the past few days, I regret to inform you that anti-business sentiment is alive and well in New Brunswick. Of course this is nothing new – I remember feeling this back…
Continue ReadingPopulation growth + inflation: The magic public spending formula?
The CFIB is calling for public spending to increase each year by a formula – inflation + population growth. For example, the NB government spends about $10,000 per person each year. The idea would be that spending in the subsequent…
Continue ReadingNew Brunswick: It could be worse
I read the AG’s report on BNB’s largest financial assistance program this morning. It’s an interesting report but there isn’t much in there that is new. There is some interesting data on the number of financing programs/dollars over the…
Continue ReadingAlways be closing if you want the knife set
Dennis Miller’s adaptation of Alec Baldwin’s motivational speech in Glengarry Glen Ross – an amazing look into the world of a sales guys. I suspect the new lead sales guy for New Brunswick, Robert MacLeod, is getting a lot of…
Continue ReadingThe big society and economic development
I have been following the big society idea in the U.K. with some interest – I heard another podcast last night as I was cooking/doing the dishes and waiting for my daughter at piano lessons. It seems to me the…
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