I usually don’t like calling out specific people on this blog because they might not appreciate it one way or the other but occasionally I feel the need to do just that. When I first moved to Moncton in 1997 I met…
Continue ReadingWarning: Wonky GDP analysis ahead (interesting though)
One of the things that folks who think a lot about economic development in New Brunswick focus on is the significant economic leakage from a small province such as New Brunswick. Visualize a ‘closed’ economy where almost all the economic…
Continue ReadingDog with a bone leaders wanted
I had the opportunity to take part in a session today looking at the growth potential in one of the province’s most interesting industries – life sciences. There was an expert brought in from the U.K. to discuss her experience…
Continue ReadingInvest NB launch
I have thought through the economic development problem in New Brunswick from just about every angle over the years. I hadn’t advocated for a separate Invest NB organization. I had argued that a private sector-led economic development agency with a…
Continue ReadingThe complexities associated with trying to eliminate industrial incentives
I had an excellent conversation with this guy a couple of years ago. He is a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and he was writing a book on the problems with industrial incentive policies in the United States.…
Continue ReadingLearning from Ireland (?)
Lisa Keenan’s op/ed in today’s Telegraph-Journal is an important contribution. She ties it into the Atcon affair which is a little much given the pile of lost money given by the Tories to companies such as Atlantic Yarns which…
Continue ReadingGoin’ down the road and educational attainment
An excellent article in the Economist this week discusses educational reforms since the introduction of the PISA tests. The article singles out Ontario for its success at getting better outcomes across the board and herald Premier McGuinty’s efforts. Too bad…
Continue ReadingProtectionism is not the answer, a focus on comparative advantage is
I read in the paper this morning that NB exporters are worried about Obama’s new jobs bill which calls for preference towards companies that employ Americans in America. At the same time I get Tweets and Facebook posts from people…
Continue ReadingThe importance of work
My column today looks at the issue of work -specifically I make the case that we need more of it in New Brunswick. Between the low employment rate, the high usage of EI, the lack of people working over…
Continue ReadingThe deferred revenue hocus pocus
Allowing regulated utilities to book ‘deferred revenue’ in theory is not a bad concept. There may be times such as a new market development phase or even for refurbishment of a large asset but I think using the term in…
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