I just read this editorial advocating for a transCanada energy network and it got me thinking about New Brunswick and energy (again). I think we really need to get in on the Labrador hydro project. They will not push that…
Continue ReadingWhat a difference a year makes
Looking at the labour force data for June 2008 compared to last year shows some stark changes. In June 2007, employment over the previous 12 months was up by 8,500 people – the best growth in Canada. In June 2008,…
Continue ReadingBack from the hinterland
Back from 10 days of hiking, fishing and driving in Alaska, Yukon and the NWT. It’s beautiful country up there but not for the faint of heart. It got down to 3 degrees several times, it never got dark for…
Continue ReadingOff to Alaska
I’m off. This afternoon I leave on a 11 day backcountry hiking vacation. I’ll be back on these pages July 14th. Keep sending me interesting stories that you want blogged about and I’ll do a digest upon my return.
Continue ReadingData centres in Kelowna
The TJ is running an interesting story about Kelowna’s attempts to attract data centres. The core element of the value proposition? Cheap hydroelectric power. It’s hard to beat.
Continue ReadingNever bring a knife to a gunfight
I went to the open house on the proposed changes to the French Immersion program in New Brunswick on Saturday and ran into Harold Jarche. If you don’t know Harold, he is a important thinker in the area of education…
Continue ReadingI have an appreciation for scar tissue
No, I am not a particularly big fan of David Cronenburg. It’s just that I like communities that have gone through tough times and came out the other end even stronger. There is kind of a grittiness and toughness that…
Continue ReadingWhy not more opportunity?
I have never figured out why New Brunswick doesn’t do more to leverage its language skills for economic development. Take the translation industry. A fairly good paying industry. We have a good translation program at UdeM. You would think that…
Continue ReadingOpportunity cost abounds
You know the old economics term: opportunity cost? It’s a helpful tool when looking at economic development. Wikipedia’s definition is not quite perfect but it works: Opportunity cost is the theoretical cost of passing up the next best choice in…
Continue ReadingAlec Bruce in Area Development
Our friend Alec Bruce as a nice puff piece in Area Development magazine this month. His writing there still has the wit but not the biting satire of the stuff he puts in the local paper. Maybe this is a…
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