For my loyal fans, I present to you the Moncton edition of Nothing but Net. As might be expected Moncton saw less ‘destruction’ and more ‘creation’ compared to Saint John in the 1996 to 2006 period but you have to…
Continue ReadingNothing but net: Accounting for creative destruction
I was reading a story in the TJ this morning and the journalist had put “no new job creation since 2007”. What she should have put was ‘net new job creation’. I suspect most people realize this without thinking…
Continue ReadingAnyone else with a comment, part 7
Let’s try this again. Maybe waiting a couple of months has led to my biggest detractors giving up. All I can say is that if people want to post comments, I welcome them. As I have said before the…
Continue ReadingIf shale gas development is shut down is it a sad or happy day?
How would you answer this question? It’s not a trick question. It’s a straight forward question. If you are full of glee because you were able to bring down an industry that might – just might – have been an…
Continue ReadingIncentive wars – will they ever end?
I have been chatting off and on with an American economist, Kenneth Thomas, whose research is meant to point out the problems with business subsidies. He has a good blog today contrasting the U.S. and European experience. Dr. Thomas’ disgruntlement…
Continue ReadingEqualization: The lost $150 million?
I stumble across this issue yesterday. The Department of Finance Canada tells us New Brunswick got $1.483 billion in Equalization this year while the NB government had budgeted for $1.632 billion. I suspect there is a reason for this discrepancy. It…
Continue ReadingLet’s build something, anything
Just finished that movie, The Company Men, with Tommy Lee Jones and Ben with the last name repeated over and over by that duck in the insurance commercial. It’s not a particularly good movie but it does hit on a…
Continue ReadingA bit coin for your thoughts: Economic assessment of the Thrown Speech
For those that missed it, the Daily Business Buzz site had an amusing picture associated with the story of the NB Throne Speech. It said that Premier Shawn Graham was going to outline his government’s plans for 2012 in the…
Continue ReadingThe smell of greed
After describing my column as ‘a load of manure’, one of the commentators on my Economy Lab post today suggested that the Maritimes need more jobs in the $35,000-$60,000 range and not more in the $100,000 and up range. …
Continue ReadingWe must Keep the EI debate on point
In my column in the TJ today I take another crack at this. I have to reiterate my view that the real reason to try and reform EI is not to “get those lazy slackers” or the other statements made…
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