Expectations for shipbuilding contract overblown: economist
The shipbuilding contract is being painted as a golden goose for Nova Scotia, but AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says that on its own, the shipbuilding contract won't mean any significant change in several parts of the province.
How Europe plans to save Canada from itself
AIMS Director of Research Don McIver writes about Canada's potential CETA with the EU. Canada will need to negotiate skillfully, but even the peripheral consequences of reaching an agreement may provide some valuable benefits to Canadians.
Education council system finally finding its feet
Recent successes see local District Education Councils (DECs) having real impact on decision-making, but AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says DECs haven't yet lived up to their intent to move to a more localized decision-making model.
‘Backbone’ needed for role, former finance minister says
A former New Brunswick cabinet minister says the departure of Mike Ferguson won't hurt the province's battle to wrestle down its huge deficit and debt. Several years ago, University of New Brunswick economics professor David Murrell analyzed the budgets of all 10 provinces for four consecutive years, in a project for AIMS. He noticed the quality of the accounting work in New Brunswick was the best of all the provinces, and he believes that strong financial reporting made New Brunswick more accountable.
University degrees boost income, but choose wisely
A university degree is still the best way to increase one's earnings over a lifetime, but new research suggests that one in five Canadian graduates end up on the lower end of the income scale. AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill stresses that one is solely focused on income, there are certain choices one should make.
N.B. government orders pension plan review
NB Finance Minister Blaine Higgs is ordering a review of public-sector pension plans in the province, pledging to address the volatility the plan has faced in previous years while also analyzing its fiscal sustainability going forward. AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says the public pension review is urgent for two reasons.
Can we end unemployment?
In this op-ed, AIMS Director of Research Don McIver discusses how the consequences of population aging are finally beginning to drive mainstream economic policy, and offers some solutions.
Till the End of Time
In this commentary, AIMS Director of Research Don McIver asks, just how long should we be willing to keep MLAs in the style to which they have grown accustomed?
Selling ourselves on self-interest
In this commentary, AIMS Director of Research Don McIver argues that the proposed Canada-European Union trade pact (CETA) is in Canada’s best interests.
OF INTEREST: Canada’s Medicare Bubble
Readers in Atlantic Canada may be alarmed to learn that, when all federal transfers are excluded from the calculation, government health care spending currently consumes 87.7 percent of all “own source” revenue in Nova Scotia; 74.2 percent in New Brunswick; 65.5% in Prince Edward Island, and 60.3% in Newfoundland & Labrador. This piece asks very simply - is this sustainable?