The Beacon, 12 December 2007
This edition of the Beacon explores issues ranging from urban development to the Atlantic Gateway to education.
No promise on tax cuts
The province of New Brunswick is poised to post a $79-million surplus. AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill says that money will be best spent paying down the provincial debt and ensuring that tax rates won't need to be hiked again.
Trade Corridors and North American Competitiveness
Author and transportation expert Stephen Blank examines the trade corridors that extend from Canada to Mexico and enrich the North American continent.
Halifax think-tank says N.S. immigration picture looking better
Canada's labour shortage is no more critical than in Atlantic Canada where an ageing population is compounded by high out-migration and low immigration. AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill says while more immigrants are attracted to Nova Scotia, the province needs to do even more.
Think-tank: N.S. needs to roll out welcome mat
The latest Statistics Canada report shows Nova Scotia has doubled the number of immigrants in just over a decade. However, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill says that's not enough and more must be done in order to replace workers in an aging province.
Restaurant owner says he needs workers now
Immigration continues to be an important public policy issue for the Atlantic region because of its declining population. AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill says one of the major barriers to increasing immigration is a system that seeks "ideal" candidates instead of trying to match people to open poisitions.
N.B.’s global science assessment results hold steady
As soon as the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results were released in Paris, education reporters were calling AIMS to help interpret the results. In this article, senior policy analyst Bobby O'Keefe explains that New Brunswick needs to start using performance data to make improvements to its public education, or it will continue to languish at the bottom of the pack.
Public-Private Partnerships – Evil Undead or Ghost of Christmas Future?
In his fortnightly column, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill dispels some of the baseless fears that pop-up whenever the government even suggests partnering with private industry. He notes that so-called P3s allow the government to tackle projects it wouldn't otherwise be able to contemplate without raising taxes or cutting jobs.
The North American Reality
Author Stephen Blank argues that integration between Canada, the United States and Mexico is already a reality whether or not people choose to accept it. He goes on to say that if we continue to ignore reality we are restricting our ability to meet future challenges.
The local government index
Are taxpayers getting a good return on the money they pay to their municipal governments? Are municipalities putting tax dollars toward infrastructure and services, or frittering it away on non-necessities while roads fall apart? Should we be demanding more from our local government?