One of the things I watch closely is the intersection of regulation and economic development. There are many instances in New Brunswick where regulation has been developed without – it seems – any regard for the economic development consequences. Don’t…
Continue ReadingKPMG Competitive Alternatives
KPMG is out with their 2010 version of their Competitive Alternatives report which compares the costs operating a sample facility for a variety of industries across 100+ global locations. While you could drive a Mack truck through some of the…
Continue ReadingNever leave a paper trail
An astute reader has searched my blog for my historical comments on NB Power and unearthed this blog from way back in 2005. I actually stand by this blog post – there are likely many I wouldn’t – I still think…
Continue ReadingSuccess has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan….
I had an interesting chat this morning over breakfast with a young leader in Northern NB with a real passion to change things up there. I wish her well. I raised in our conversation this issue of leadership and responsibility. …
Continue ReadingNB Power ad nauseum
A Conservative friend of mine sent me an email saying he was glad the NB Power deal was done so we could now go back to focusing the more serious challenges facing New Brunswick. I told him I would blog…
Continue ReadingNB Power expertise
One of the things out of the NB Power process that I was most confused by was how people with absolutely no expertise in electricity, electricity markets, capital cost assessment, risk assessment, etc. all of a sudden became instant –…
Continue ReadingNB Power
I am a little disconnected up here in Ontario but I did receive over a dozen requests yesterday for comment on the NB Power saga. I have scanned the media and read the releases and I guess we have to…
Continue ReadingDispatches from the road: Southwestern Ontario
I am in Ontario all week working on a project. I had a converation about the challenges in Detroit with some locals here and I find what has happened there fascinating. It’s a complex brew of bad government, grinding poverty, racism…
Continue ReadingI’m not a doctor….. but I play one on TV
For me probably the best show on CBC radio is The Age of Persuasion. No other show crystallizes the role of marketing in society today as does this one. I was thinking about that show when I heard Guy Kawasaki…
Continue ReadingNBIF dinner observations
I attending the NBIF R3 dinner last night where three of NB’s top researchers were honoured. It was a nice event – good conversation, interesting room dynamics. A couple of observations. First, in the slightly weird category, the audience gave…
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