There is increasing evidence that people are moving to Moncton – deliberately. What I mean is that people are choosing to move here primarily for quality of life and related issues not because they were forced to because of a…
Continue ReadingTJ stirring the pot a bit
It’s funny. The Telegraph Journal quotes me last week raising caution that a large percentage of the jobs created in New Brunswick have been public sector (or publicly funded jobs in health care, etc.) and then has a sneering Samuel…
Continue Reading"Evidence-based" economic development
I do some work in the health care sector and this term “evidence-based” has become commonplace. Everything now has to be “evidence-based from strategic planning to clinical practice. Now, you might say that is self-evident – particularly in health care.…
Continue ReadingThe real fiscal challenge lies ahead
One of the main reasons why Daulton McGuinty was thrilled with the federal government’s new approach to provincial funding is that the feds have agreed to move to a ‘per capita’ model for health and social transfers. McGuinty and most…
Continue Reading‘Oilpatch-size opportunties’ seen in computer gaming
It looks like someone is starting to listen. I just hope they will jointly realize the benefits of attracting some big studios to the province. That creates more critical mass and everybody wins.
Continue ReadingThe 900 lb gorilla
Pssst. Hey. Don’t you see that 900 lb gorilla standing right there? No, not there. Right There! Apparently not. The TJ is running a story on Jack Mintz – the venerable guru on economic and tax policy – at the…
Continue ReadingThe importance of measurement
I used to be a big fan of concrete ways to measure progress. However, in recent years, I have lost my appetite for it because of initiatives such as the former government’s ‘report card’ which was nothing more than someone…
Continue ReadingThe big ping pong game
I just got a chance to read through some of the ‘Stop Atlantica’ stuff. Most of it is rubbish. Plain and simple. They have raised some important issues and then blasted them out of an ideological cannon designed to rile…
Continue ReadingIt’s official. I’ve become my parents
It was bound to happen. I find myself criticizing my daughters music and humming music from the 1980s. It just pops in my head. Only instead of Frank Sinatra, I am humming Don Henley or Phil Collins. There is one…
Continue ReadingHand out vs. hand up
I just read about the Telus union complaining vigorously about some of the basic customer service functions that the company wants to do in the Philippines. The union would gladly advocate giving more money to the Philippines in the form…
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