Just listened to the 60 Minutes podcast about the growth of Dubai. I have been following this trend for a couple of years. I think New Brunswick needs to figure this out. Several countries in the Arabian Peninsula are investing…
Continue ReadingCould be a good idea
Cape Breton University is offering an MBA in Community Economic Development. I don’t know much about this program, but I think the concept is great. For the most part B Schools have ignored ‘economic development’ as a discipline and the…
Continue ReadingThe wacky and weird
I heard a really strange thing on CBC Information Morning in Freddy this morning. Terry Seguin (sp?) was reading an email from a listener about NB Power and large industrial power rates. It was clear that this was likely an…
Continue ReadingCBC Dalhousie Mill retrospective
A very good retrospective on the paper mill in Dalhousie on CBC. They really honed in on the importance of the mill and the impact of its closure. Heart rending stuff. They interviewed a number of people moving to Alberta.…
Continue ReadingSOTP
I just got back from listening to the Premier’s State of the Province address. I hadn’t gone to one of these things in several years. In fact, the last one I went to was held at the Sheraton and wasn’t…
Continue ReadingImagine that
A couple of weeks ago Macleans magazine ran a story on the secret U.S. dossier about the Airbus affair that everyone in Canada is familiar with by now. I’d like you to read this quote and then my comments below:…
Continue ReadingCommitment matters
There are only a few ways that government can impact economic development. Admittedly, they can have profound effects – positive or negative – but you can boil down the options: Direct funding of economic development (incentives, R&D, direct training, marketing,…
Continue ReadingThe art of the possible
I had a long conversation with someone today who expressed considerable frustration with what he called the lack of good public policy analysis in government these days. He complained about the lack of internal public policy analysis skills and was…
Continue ReadingBack from Yankeeville
Just got back from my trip to the States. It continues to fascinate me, the US of A. It’s by far the most affluent and successful place in the world and yet everyone seems angry. For my periodic dose of…
Continue ReadingHow do your local taxes compare?
The City of Edmonton has just published its 2007 Residential Property Taxes and Utility Charges Survey. Moncton is not included but Fredericton and Saint John are included. Here is how they fare according to the survey (these are quotes): St.…
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