Steve Maich’s column in Macleans this week entitled Rumblings of recession suggests that we may be moving into a new recession in Canada. He quotes an expert named Bob Hoye as saying: “Politics goes to the left [in Canada] during…
Continue ReadingBuilding Permit Blues
Every month Statistics Canada publishes the building permit data for the previous month and I look for some sign of good news. From January–April 2004 to January–April 2005, the total value of building permits in New Brunswick declined by 5.5%…
Continue ReadingA bout of self-loathing
New Brunswick can’t get a break. Not only are we not attracting immigrants – we continue to export more of our people than we import from the rest of Canada. By contrast, our friends in Alberta are attracting more immigrants…
Continue ReadingThe importance of being a ‘metro’
A few years back people started to refer to Greater Moncton as ‘metro’ Moncton. This got on a few people’s nerves for two reasons: 1) they had spent years cultivating the brand of Greater Mocnton and 2) there is a…
Continue ReadingBravo to the TJ
Is it possible to have such a difference between two papers with the same owner? The Times & Transcript, at least in its editorial bent, reminds me of a tabloid – I’m just waiting for the T&T Girl/Guy to pop…
Continue ReadingBigger not necessarily better – in the USA
The May 2005 edition of Expansion Management published their annual list of Five-Star Knowledge Worker Metros, calculated by assessing the community’s human capital, educational institutions and R&D spending. Every time they do a survey like this, I am curious to…
Continue ReadingWho lobbies for the economy?
I heard the political panel on CBC this afternoon. I was absolutely amazed that all three, the Liberal, the PC and the NDP all were supportive of the government’s decision (non-decision) on the issue of the Jaakko Poyry Consulting report…
Continue ReadingHow much wood can a woodchuck chuck?
How much wood can a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as he could if a woodchuck could chuck wood. Say that three times. Or maybe nine times. I don’t have…
Continue ReadingA lament for Belledune
Belledune is back in the news again. A new study produced by the government found that there are elevated levels of lead and other contaminants in the area and that the chance of getting cancer is much higher in the…
Continue ReadingInjecting perspective into the language debate
There is nothing like a good ‘stat’ to take out some of the emotion surrounding an issue and inject some perspective. On the Census in 2001 people where asked about the language used at their place of work. Over 37,000…
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