The blog is back online. There are a few posts to catch up on. Shipley has an interesting story this morning on McKenna talking up Atl. Canada economic development. Citing interprovincial trade barriers, McKenna says: The former premier pointed out…
Continue ReadingUsing labour-sponsored funds to attract industry
I talked on occasion to labour-sponsored fund proponents that say the problem they have is finding investment-grade opportunities in Atlantic Canada. So, I say, go out and find ‘investment-grade’ opportunities in the wider world and attract them to here with…
Continue ReadingMedical tourism going mainstream
I just listened to a documentary on this. By my count there are now about a dozen countries promoting themselves as a destination for medical tourism. It’s really not that crazy an idea. The Americans pay – by far –…
Continue ReadingComing back in droves
I just heard a report on the Rogers News station talking about the ‘droves’ of people moving back to New Brunswick. They quote Minister Keir as thrilled that New Brunswick has finally beat the out-migration curse. Hmmm. If you took…
Continue ReadingIrvings into tidal energy
Now, this is a good idea for a number of reasons: The owners of Canada’s largest oil refinery have been given approval for a study to harness the world’s highest tides as a source of power for generating electricity in…
Continue ReadingIt’s the economy, stupid podcast edition (May 26)
We have been offline for a day or so but now back up and ready to rumble. Here is the audio version of last week’s podcast should you be so inclined. I tried a video version but scrapped the idea…
Continue ReadingExponentiality
One of the things that I grapple with is this issue of exponentiality in economic development. How do you take a kernal of economic development and turn it into a huge tree that keeps cranking out economic benefits for decades.…
Continue ReadingComposite Learning Index
It is hard to remain positive when you see data day after day after day. Have you heard about the Composite Learning Index?The Composite Learning Index (CLI) is the first index of its kind in the world, providing an annual…
Continue ReadingDiversification
I had a great chat with a guy that has been doing a fair amount of economic development work in Northern New Brunswick. We had a good laugh about the story of the high priced Toronto and Montreal consultants coming…
Continue ReadingSolar power
I just listened to a BBC podcast where this ex-Internet entrepreneur said that solar power would be the #1 source of power in the U.S. within 30 years. The economic development potential of that statement is in the billions of…
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