One of the commentators on the life of Louis J. Robichaud this week commented that without the former Premier’s reforms we would have been an ‘Alabama North’. Elizabeth Weir was famous for saying that Frank McKenna was turning New Brunswick…
Continue ReadingLearning from LJR
It now seems clear that Louis J. Robichaud will most likely go down in history as the most successful Premier in New Brunswick’s history. I have heard this intonation from a half dozen experts in the past 24 hours. Why?…
Continue ReadingMcKenna is the right guy for Washington
After the news broke yesterday that Frank McKenna has been offered the post of Ambassador to Washington, a colleague of mine remarked “why would Frank want to become a diplomat, that’s not his passion”. After pondering on that awhile, I…
Continue ReadingFarewell, Ms. Weir
2005 marks the end of an era. Elizabeth Weir, the leader of the provincial NDP for well over a decade, is stepping down. I can tell you from personal experience that she was a formidable opponent for the government –…
Continue ReadingThe Airport: Good news & bad news
First the good news. The latest report from Transport Canada confirms that the Greater Moncton Airport has become the major airport in New Brunswick. In September 2004, there were 3,152 commercial flights out of Greater Moncton (domestic and transborder). There…
Continue ReadingFood industry needs to get ‘healthy’
Did you know there are over 400 companies employing some 16,000 in New Brunswick in the food production business? Over 100 of them are right here in Greater Moncton. It is a major economic generator for the province. However, according…
Continue ReadingThe truth about population growth
According to Statistics Canada, almost all population growth in Canada from 1971 to 2001 was concentrated into four areas of Canada: Extended Greater Toronto, Greater Montreal, the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and Greater Vancouver. Collectively, the rest of Canada grew only slightly…
Continue ReadingSell! Sell! Sell!
I recently heard that Moncton-based Hi-Tech Gaming was being acquired by Nevada-based IGT. This follows the blockbuster acquisition earlier of Speilo Manufacturing by another U.S. company, GTech. Some economic developers shudder when they hear that a locally owned and controlled…
Continue ReadingHappy New Year – Premier Williams
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse – and I have the misfortune of my mindshare being occupied by Premier Danny Williams of Newfoundland and his crazy idea…
Continue ReadingThe Trouble with Normal
The Trouble with normal is it always gets worse – Bruce Cockburn (1983) Unknown to most casual fans of Bruce Cockburn, he is actually the quintessential contrarian railing against the Right and the Left. He is a pacifist with a…
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