Monthly Archives: December 2011

Rereading my column this morning I realize that maybe I have been drinking too much of the Christmas elixir.  Of course, I take it sans booze but it still seems to be having some effect.  Here is the offending line from … Continue reading →

After reading a few of my G&M Economy Lab blog posts, someone from out west sent me an email asking me “what do you want?”. I guess for new readers of this blog or my columns it might be helpful … Continue reading →

My column in the Globe & Mail Economy Lab today is a straight forward review of average weekly wage data from Statistics Canada’s SEPH monthly survey.  There is not much narrative about implications or any broad judgement about what the data means … Continue reading →

I have been reading a very interesting article in the Canadian Historical Review on the McNair government’s economic development focus for New Brunswick right after World War II.  It is a fascinating read on many levels (thanks to Kurt Peacock … Continue reading →

In order to assess the relative change in wage rates across Canada I set the national average wage rate (for all industries and specific industries below) equal to 100 and then assessed where the province’s stood relative to the index. … Continue reading →

Paul Wells is probably my favourite political journalist.  I have been reading Inkless Wells and his columns for years but I think he made a tiny error in his otherwise important analysis of the new federal/provincial relationship that is emerging … Continue reading →

Lots of chatter over the federal government plan to move health transfer payment increases to the rate of overall growth.  Most of the pundits – looking back at history – are saying the provinces are looking a gift horse in … Continue reading →

“…New Brunswick has nearly 50 per cent more elderly people in its population compared to Alberta and there will be no accounting for this fact in federal health transfers.” Someone sent me an email questioning my math so here is … Continue reading →

As 2011 winds down, I took a look at some of the changes occurring in the national economy.   We are through the latest recession and into a growth curve – albeit a tenuous one.   Exports are up, employment is up, government revenue … Continue reading →

We have discussed this at great length on this blog.  I am talking, of course, about how the federal transfers system works.  The naive camp suggests that we don’t really have to worry about economic development in New Brunswick because we have … Continue reading →