Here’s another angle on the wealth creation issue. We are fond of saying we earn less here but we pay less too (for example on housing). However, when you adjust for these things, the average New Brunswick household has considerably…
Continue ReadingThe make or buy conundrum: Navy ships edition
We have talked about this before but I will summarize it again given that three people this week approached me on the subject: why don’t we just buy navy vessels from the Yanks or get them built in South Korea?…
Continue ReadingMorrissey’s Thatcherite rant still resonates
Once in a while you hear a song where the lyrics are completely out of place. The 80s band, The Smiths, could never be mistaken for a right wing voice but yet in Still Ill you get the lyrics:…
Continue ReadingPoitras’ Imaginary Line well worth the time
When I first moved to Moncton nearly 15 years ago, I was told I could find out everything I wanted to know about the history of Moncton by reading a book called Resurgo which had been published in 1990. I…
Continue ReadingJuicy shale gas assets
As you know we are now being flooded with stories about shale gas – there seems to be several per day in various media in the province. There are more angry politicians and more calling for a moratorium on…
Continue ReadingShips start here but our hot dogs will be made in Hamilton
As someone who has been in the economic development promotion biz for 20 years, you could not have had a more stark contrast. On the radio in the car I flipped from three stations – the first was reporting from…
Continue ReadingA whizz banger of a day: ships, energy, et. al
Today is one of those days. The Halifax Shipyard will find out if it will win billions in new work. The NB government launched its new – and much anticipated – energy plan. I’ll have to read it to…
Continue ReadingWhat’s going on at UNB?
It’s pretty well known that at the centre of most technology and innovation clusters you will find a university driving much of the research, turning out new IP and entrepreneurs, and feeding the cluster workforce with talent at all levels…
Continue ReadingHyundai kids paying the health care costs of BMW boomers
The Globe and Mail has an excellent summary of a new report on ‘Generation Squeeze’ this morning: A British Columbia study finds that young families in the country are facing growing financial and time pressures even as their baby-boomer elders…
Continue ReadingWe probably should spend a little more time trying to generate wealth before we focus on taking more from the rich
I don’t want to dwell too much on the Occupy movement. I fully support the right to demonstrate in a democracy and I also sympathize with some (some) of the grievances. As I mentioned before, I struggle to understand how a movement that started…
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