A couple of interesting stories this morning. First, an NDP government in Nova Scotia brings in a fiscally conservative budget with a massive tax hike in order to clean up the books. Just to put things in perspective the 2…
Continue ReadingOn industry subsidies, again
One of the top opponents of the NB Power deal wrote a commentary in the newspaper this weekend in which he reiterates his them that government should not be “providing across-the-board energy subsidies to industries” (although as a side point…
Continue ReadingOn Enbridge
Someone sent me an email asking why I wasn’t blogging or writing columns on the current high natural gas prices for industrial users. I do mention the high cost of gas in my column today. A few months ago I…
Continue ReadingBalance
One of the things I watch closely is the intersection of regulation and economic development. There are many instances in New Brunswick where regulation has been developed without – it seems – any regard for the economic development consequences. Don’t…
Continue ReadingKPMG Competitive Alternatives
KPMG is out with their 2010 version of their Competitive Alternatives report which compares the costs operating a sample facility for a variety of industries across 100+ global locations. While you could drive a Mack truck through some of the…
Continue ReadingNever leave a paper trail
An astute reader has searched my blog for my historical comments on NB Power and unearthed this blog from way back in 2005. I actually stand by this blog post – there are likely many I wouldn’t – I still think…
Continue ReadingSuccess has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan….
I had an interesting chat this morning over breakfast with a young leader in Northern NB with a real passion to change things up there. I wish her well. I raised in our conversation this issue of leadership and responsibility. …
Continue ReadingNB Power ad nauseum
A Conservative friend of mine sent me an email saying he was glad the NB Power deal was done so we could now go back to focusing the more serious challenges facing New Brunswick. I told him I would blog…
Continue ReadingNB Power expertise
One of the things out of the NB Power process that I was most confused by was how people with absolutely no expertise in electricity, electricity markets, capital cost assessment, risk assessment, etc. all of a sudden became instant –…
Continue ReadingNB Power
I am a little disconnected up here in Ontario but I did receive over a dozen requests yesterday for comment on the NB Power saga. I have scanned the media and read the releases and I guess we have to…
Continue Reading