I have been watching that HBO miniseries “John Adams” on TMN. I read the book it is based on and I have enjoyed the TV version equally. However, I have to say that interpreting history is a bit tricky. The…
Continue ReadingCheap power and economic development
Manitoba was the only Canadian province that was competing with New Brunswick to attract call centres in the early 1990s. By the mid to late 1990s every province in Canada was trying to attract them. Manitoba is now out front…
Continue ReadingIt’s the Economy, Stupid – March 30 Podcast
Here is the podcast version of It’s the economy, stupid for March 30 – keep the feedback coming.
Continue ReadingLose-Lose Game
I don’t know what I like worse, outright naivete or pragmatism. The folks pushing for ‘self-sufficiency’ have almost no real grounding in reality. SS has become a generic term. However, the New Brunswick Union of Public and Private Employees’ resignation…
Continue ReadingCompetitive Alternatives – Comes at a price!
KPMG is out with their 2008 version of the international cost comparison called Competitive Alternatives. I was waiting for this as the 2006 version confidently intoned that Canada’s competitive cost advantage would hold all the way to an 85 cent…
Continue ReadingRoasting Francis McGuire
Just got back from the roast of Francis McGuire – the former Deputy Minister of Economic Development under McKenna and for awhile my boss (at least way up on the chain). He’s a good guy and I am happy for…
Continue ReadingIreland and incentives
NBT makes good contributions to this blog. Sensible stuff. He/she is correct that Ireland reduced ‘statism’ and that contributed to the economic resurgence but let’s not make sweeping statements. This chart is taken directly from the 2006 Irish Development Agency…
Continue ReadingOntario and forestry
Funny stuff. The forestry sector* in Ontario is about 1% of the provincial GDP. It’s about 8% in New Brunswick. Pop quiz. Which province Ontario or New Brunswick has taken these steps recently? Capped power rates for pulp and paper…
Continue ReadingThe last word on incentives
Or maybe not…. We all love to debate the merits, morality, legality, efficacy, etc. of the government using taxpayer funds directly to attract industry. From their perspective, they are looking at an ROI (return on investment). For example, if we…
Continue ReadingLots of R&D coming our way
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has announced another wave of R&D funding. $22.5 million in total. New Brunswick is getting about its usual share: Universite de Moncton one project at $48,000 UNB one project at $115,000 0.7% of the…
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