It’s hard to get much out of a speech to the throne. There wasn’t much that looked interesting from an economic development standpoint. I’ll make a couple of points: Now more than ever, New Brunswick must be competitive in demonstrating…
Continue ReadingAs you know, in recent years, I have become a big believer that we need to have far more discussion in the public square about economic development and the role of government and communities in fostering economic development. There are…
Continue ReadingReport card on economic development
NB receives mediocre report card on state of children and youthMONCTON, NB-A report card on the state of New Brunswick’s children and youth was released today, and the province didn’t receive a single A. New Brunswick’s Ombudsman, and Child and…
Continue ReadingThe Citi Never Sleeps
The first time I visited Brazil back in 1994 I remember being surprised by the fact there were billboards all over Sao Paulo stating in english “The Citi Never Sleeps” with the Citibank logo. I guess it was sleeping as…
Continue ReadingMedical tourism
Don’t forget to check out the video version of the podcast here. We need to get feedback to figure out if it is worth continuing. Thanks. We have been chatting off and on about the potential of medical tourism as…
Continue ReadingFor better and for worse
I got an email the other day from an old friend I hadn’t talked to in probably 10 years. He had been reading my columns/blogs and wanted to assure me that there would be no way in heck any government…
Continue ReadingWarning – rant ahead
I have been saying for years now that the slavish adherence to balanced budgets in New Brunswick is a false security. That balancing NB’s books because of the largess of the federal government is not good public policy over the…
Continue ReadingRethinking Moncton
While I am based in Moncton, New Brunswick I have the privilege of working with communities all over New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Ontario and the State of Maine. But an important client of mine over the years has been…
Continue ReadingAutos and economic development
Someone asked me yesterday about the problems in the auto sector and the implications on the economy of New Brunswick. They also asked about the bailout request. This is a complicated issue but here are my thoughts. On the one…
Continue ReadingNot the way to go
I like Bruce Fitch. I run into him occasionally at church. His commentary against upping the HST has been published in at least the T&T and the Gleaner. In the commentary he hammers the idea of raising the HST and…
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