I guess it’s a little thing but I have to say the spinning – so far – out of the new government is much more measured than in the past. Some will say this is because they are new and…
Continue ReadingLabour market blues
Hopefully these numbers will turn around eventually. NB shed more employment last month – just a small amount but nevertheless this makes a continuing jobs slide that has lasted since some time last year. There were an estimated 361,700 persons…
Continue ReadingFraser trying to institute
What amazes me is that the Fraser Institute can say things – sometimes wild things – and there is virtually no push back. The best journalists are those that can smell a rat – and call out the so-called experts.…
Continue ReadingSuzuki is right, but…
One quick final point on Future NB. I had several conversations about David Suzuki and his imperative that we need to ramp down consumption to be a more sustainable place. I think on a macro and micro level that makes…
Continue ReadingIt’s the feedback, folks
I wanted to quickly thank all the people that expressed their appreciation of this blog – there must have been 30-40 people tell me they regularly read this. I appreciate it. I see the traffic to the site but as…
Continue ReadingThoughts on Future NB
A couple of observations coming out of the Future NB summit. It was very interesting to me as I met and had significant conversations with union leaders, social development folks, left-leaning educators, etc. – we mostly got a long –…
Continue ReadingWhat’s the next discussion Canada needs to have?
I wrote a column a few weeks back lamenting the fact the Globe & Mail didn’t put regional development on its list of “discussions we need to have” as a country. Now the Globe is back with “the next discussion Canada…
Continue ReadingCooperation. It’s simple, really.
What is amazing to me is that a lot of folks don’t seem to understand the most basic concept when it comes to cooperation: it has to provide some type of mutual benefit and it can’t be seen to be…
Continue ReadingDanny Williams RIP
Whenever a high profile provincial premier retires, there is a brief speculation about his/her federal intentions. I suspect that this will not be the case with Danny. He was master of his domain in Newfoundland that he would never match…
Continue ReadingGeologists and energy experts
My column yesterday was on shale gas and my view that we need to treat that industry as a once-in-a-generation economic opportunity that could end up creating thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in tax and royalty revenue to…
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