After I tweeted about the Keane Inc. expansion in Halifax I got one tweet and one email that are instructive. Referring to the payroll rebate offered to the firm, the tweet said: “So that’s $2,770.95/job/yr not counting interest or opportunity…
Continue ReadingThe changing face of post-secondary education in NB
My column in the TJ took a look at the latest data from Statistics Canada on university and college enrolments in Canada for 2009/2010. I won’t recreate that column here (although I have to see if I can republish here?)…
Continue ReadingGrab bag of issues this a.m: NDP, high income & shale gas reports
There are a few points I want to address this morning based on conversations over the past week. The first is on the elect-ability of the NDP. I was having a conversation with a colleague who is a devout NDPer about the…
Continue ReadingWill the amped up rhetoric lead to a backlash?
After the Moncton Chamber of Commerce provided its highly qualified support for the potential of shale gas development, the leading group trying to get the industry banned came out with a letter asking for people to boycott chamber members. It…
Continue ReadingSelf-Employment Trends Across Canada
My Globe & Mail Economy Lab blog this week talks about self-employment trends in Canada – in honour of the rollout of Startup Canada. I make the case that entrepreneurship and new startups are important to the economy. I…
Continue ReadingWinners and losers for wage growth – NB 2003-2011
I find this stuff very interesting. I know there are a number of ways to slice this and various influences but it is interesting to see which occupations and industries have done well and no so well in terms of…
Continue ReadingCustomer interaction is changing – and it will have a profound implication on our economy
My blog to be published later this week in the G&M Economy Lab talks about the potential implications of the Internet and how it will negatively impact employment in Canada. If you look just at the sector of the economy…
Continue ReadingMusing on immigration
I just saw Monsieur Lazhar. I thought it was one of the best movies I have seen in awhile. It’s not a face paced thriller or a deep drama. There’s no great redemption at the end – no Hollywood ending…
Continue ReadingAssessing the economic development cost impacts of public policy
Someone asked me this week about the fuss over high energy costs for industrial users. They were referring to natural gas but we have had the same conversations about electricity in the recent past. The truth is that decisions made…
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