During my visit to Freddy last week several people asked me about the Costco effect. I also read about local gas retailers in the Freddy area demanding the government set a minimum price for gas as Costco had eaten into…
Continue ReadingShould Maritimers pay more in taxes than Albertans? – Postscript
For anybody looking to take a strip off me for suggesting some kind of provincial personal tax harmonization – put away the pitchfork – I am not calling for this. What I am saying is that in my opinion the…
Continue ReadingDrowning in debt
There is a good article in the TJ today about the high debt load the average Canadian family faces these days. This piled on top of public debt and it would take decades and decades of determined effort to pay…
Continue ReadingShedding historical baggage: Hugh John edition
Struggle for a dollar, scuffle for a dime Step out from the past and try to hold the line So how come history takes such a long, long time When you’re waiting for a miracle -Bruce Cockburn (Waiting for a…
Continue ReadingWas Lenin the step father of modern capitalism?
How’s that for a provocative title? We live in a 140 character world so have at it. I just finished an Ideas podcast where the speaker argued that the fear of communism led to the green revolution in agriculture as the wealthy…
Continue ReadingNo Skin in the Game: The Fragilistas
I really like the economist Nassim Taleb who wrote two very popular books Fooled By Randomness and The Black Swan. He has a new book coming out and he spoke on EconTalk recently about it. There is a transcript…
Continue ReadingWelfare state economies: The 1 percent (and the 20 percent)
I have following the Occupy movement with interest – I wrote a couple of columns looking at its various contours – with a focus on New Brunswick but it is interesting to get the British view on this. I have…
Continue ReadingUNB’s GPS expertise and economic development
Great commentary in the Daily Gleaner a few days ago on the GPS expertise at UNB. The university has been a leader in GPS research for years. I’ve written about this as well but my concern has been why we…
Continue ReadingLamenting the loss of The Bay? Nah
“Well, I guess that’s the way it goes… one out and one in.” Rick – Casablanca (1942) Reading of the closure of The Bay in Moncton yesterday I was reminded by how much churn there is in any local…
Continue ReadingWe need bold and ambitious business leaders to invest in our province
This is the title of my column in the Telegraph-Journal this morning. I trace history back to the 1940s with an interesting quote suggesting that NB business people (with some notable exceptions) were not particularly ambitious even back then. My…
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