“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” - Hanlon's Razor
Nova Scotia’s Antiquated Liquor Laws Need a Complete Overhaul
This week, the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia tabled legislation to allow delivery services such as Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes deliver beer and wine on behalf of the restaurants providing the food. It’s a fairly simple idea and it shouldn’t really be too contentious. Except our current liquor legislation is built on …
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Nova Scotia Payroll Tax Rebates – Let’s look at broad relief rather than just picking winners and losers
Nova Scotia has a long history of government funding for private business. It has taken many forms and over the years and has been subjected to varying degrees of public scrutiny and accountability. While supporting growing firms and providing for their ability to grow is an appropriate role for government, the question is how should …
Status Quo, you know, is Latin for “the mess we’re in.” – Ronald Reagan
This is an update of a piece originally published in The MacDonald Notebook in November of 2017. I wanted to re-publish as I believe it as relevant today as 14 months ago. Charlene Brophy is a force of nature. She’s the CEO of Fonemed, Newfoundland and Labrador’s wildly successful telemedicine company and the best sales …
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Broader Immigration and Investment in Equipment and Technology Key for Atlantic Canada: CFIB
Recently the federal government moved to make it easier to re-invest in technology and business infrastructure. The proposed tax measures will enable businesses to immediately write off the full cost of some types of machinery and equipment, and allow companies of all sizes and in all sectors to expense a larger share of newly acquired …
Fall Back Up with Wadih Fares
Fall Back Up with Francis P. McGuire
Francis P. McGuire is the President of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. He has a rich career background in both government and in the private sector. From 1985 to 1997, he worked in Premier Frank McKenna’s administration, including as Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. He was responsible for attracting industry to the province …
Fall Back Up with Audrey Parker
This is a very personal podcast for me. Audrey Parker has been a close friend since the mid-1980s. Audrey is, as you will hear, a remarkable woman. She was born in the Annapolis Valley into a family of modest means but she always felt there was a very different path for her. Recently, Audrey has …
Fall Back Up with Joost Janssen
I first was introduced to Joost Janssen through his childhood friend and former Halifax MLA Joachim Stroink. The two knew each other as youngsters, growing up as Dutch immigrants in Nova Scotia in the 1970’s. Joost Janssen was born in Holland but his parents moved to Halifax from Holland when he was very young. As …
Fall Back Up with Donald Savoie
Donald Savoie is one of Canada's most respect public policy minds, but above all, he is a Maritimer. Savoie founded the Canadian Institute for Research on Regional Development at l'Université de Moncton in 1983 where he also teaches public administration. The institute was renamed the Donald J. Savoie Institute in 2015. He has advised governments …
Fall Back Up with Starr Cunningham
Starr Cunningham had a 23-year career in broadcasting and became one of Atlantic Canada's most well-known television personalities. In 2013, a pivotal realization took her career in a completely different direction. Accepting the position as CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia she is now pursuing her passion to raise awareness of mental …
Cannabis; Retail and Regulations
This is a bit of a departure from my usual posts. I was invited to talk with Shawn King, host of Turning a New Leaf, a podcast dedicated to the discussion around the legalization of cannabis in Canada. As governments try to get a handle on this new reality, there are many questions remaining unanswered. …
Fall Back Up with Michael Melski
Michael Melski is a Nova Scotian award-winning writer-director of feature films, as well as one of Canada’s leading playwrights. His Merritt and Dora-nominated Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad was a smash hit at Toronto’s Factory Theatre and named one of the ‘Top Ten Plays of The Year’ by the Toronto Star. His many other plays have been …
Fall Back Up with Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett is one of Atlantic Canada’s best-known performers. Joel saw early success during the rapid growth of Halifax's indie scene in the 1990’s. His band Thrush Hermit along with bands like Sloan, Eric’s Trip, Jale, Hardship Post and the Super Friendz set the tone for a fresh Atlantic Canadian sound. Joel’s career grew with …
Increased regional co-operation is an important part of the solutions to what ails Atlantic Canada
Jin Liqun, the president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank said it best: "Regional co-operation and global cooperation helps everybody, a rising tide lifts all boats." Surely this analogy is not lost on Atlantic Canadians. Why then, with decades of evidence pointing to its benefits, do we continue to put parochial and political interests ahead …
Fall Back Up with Jeff Alpaugh
If you were to conjure up an image of a custom dress shirt maker from Fredericton, New Brunswick, you could be excused if your imagination didn’t veer far off the rack of button-down Oxford cloth. Nothing could be further from the reality of Jeff Alpaugh. Jeff graduated from business school and promptly joined the …
Fall Back Up with Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray
Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray became Saint Mary's University's 34th President on July 1st, 2015. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Robert came to Canada in the 1980s receiving his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Toronto. He has served in a number of senior academic roles, including the Dean of Social Sciences at Mount Allison University …
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Fall Back Up with Steve Poltz
Steve Poltz is taking the world by donkey. Originally from Nova Scotia, Steve left with his family as a child to move to California. He attended the University of San Diego, earning a degree in political science, where he met guitarist Robert Driscoll and formed the indie band The Rugburns. He holds dual citizenship and regularly …
Fall Back Up with George Armoyan
George Armoyan is one of Atlantic Canada’s most successful developers and investors. George’s family arrived in Boston from Syria in the early 1970’s. George came to Halifax to attend Dalhousie University and decided to make Nova Scotia his home. Since he was a kid, George has been making deals. His philosophy in business has been …
Fall Back Up with Ray Ivany
Ray Ivany's professional career has been distinguished by his interest in two things: post-secondary education and public policy. Ray graduated from University College of Cape Breton and East Tennessee State University, followed by a research fellowship at Harvard. He worked in Nova Scotia's college and university system for more than 35 years. At the University College …
Fall Back Up with Jonathan Torrens
Jonathan Torrens is probably best known currently for his roles of J-Roc in the popular television series Trailer Park Boys and CBC's current comedy Mr. D. His career, however, extends back to his high school years when he hosted the teen-oriented consumer affairs series Street Cents from 1989 until 1996. He then went on to host, co-produce and write for …
Fall Back Up with Jim Spatz
Jim Spatz is the Chairman and CEO of Southwest Properties Limited, one of Atlantic Canada’s leading real estate developers. Southwest owns, operates and develops residential and commercial real estate in Atlantic Canada, extended stay accommodations across Canada, as well as multi-unit residential portfolios in four Florida cities. Recently, Southwest completed The Maple, a residential hi-rise …
Governments content to push pot, but leave employers on their own
As the person responsible for overseeing the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s legislative activities for Atlantic Canada, I felt it important to show up, at this time last year, at the provincial government’s consultation on the legalization of cannabis. I was there to represent employers. Unfortunately, there weren’t many questions around the impact of the …
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What will a new sheriff in Alberta mean for Atlantic Canada?
I've known Jason Kenney since we met in Ottawa in 2000. I haven't always agreed with his positions but there is no arguing his ability to make a compelling argument. While nothing is certain in politics, odds are if the most recent polls hold, Mr. Kenney, the leader of the United Conservative Party, will be …
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