How’s that for a whopper on a Saturday morning? I have been thinking about this and it is a classic Gordian Knot. The tax/spend balance is out of whack and there is very limited political will to seriously tackle the…
Continue ReadingThe baffling statistics around call centre employment
Once in a while you come across a statistic that is so mind boggling your first thought is that it must be an error in the data. I was look at the business support services sector employment data in New…
Continue ReadingAre we heading towards another recession?
It seemed to me the news yesterday that Canada’s GDP declined in the latest quarter was met with a yawn. One more quarter of negative growth and it is called a recession – or in this case a double dip…
Continue ReadingSkin in the game
I was surprised to read in the NY Times that 47 percent of Americans don’t pay federal income tax. I checked the Canadian data and 37 percent of Canadians with income don’t pay federal income tax here. The argument…
Continue ReadingAlgae biomass production in New Brunswick
I came across this while doing some research this morning. This is U.S. firm is working with someone in New Brunswick to establish “our first integrated commercial scale open-ocean algae biomass production operation.” HDS International Corp. (OTCQB: HDSI), a provider…
Continue ReadingThe new normal in labour markets
It seems economists are befuddled as to why we can have high unemployment and rising wages. This doesn’t fit the standard models – weak labour markets = less upward pressure on wages. What amazes me is that we can…
Continue ReadingA more focused approach to mining and economic development in NS
I like the wording of the mining section of the new Nova Scotia strategy: Mineral exploration Exploration is an important part of the mining cycle and is necessary for a sustainable mining sector. Nova Scotia competes with other places in Canada…
Continue ReadingNewpage loss could put up power rates for other customers
Ah that old contribution margin sneaking up on NS Power the way it did for NB Power. I noticed the following tweet from a CBC reporter yesterday: Witherscbc Paul Withers: NS Power and stakeholders consider the future of power rates…
Continue ReadingSmall biz tax credits, yes but…
PEI has become the latest jurisdiction to offer a tax credit for investing in small businesses. The Community Economic Development Business program (CEDB) offers Islanders a new method to invest in the economic development of their own communities, Sheridan said. Through…
Continue Reading